Eels to move 'heaven and Earth' for Folau

Updated November 02, 2012 17:28:24

Parramatta coach Ricky Stuart has identified Israel Folau as the Eels' top priority after the code converter walked out on AFL club Greater Western Sydney.

Folau ended his experiment with AFL two seasons into a lucrative four-year deal after admitting on Thursday he did not have the passion to continue in the game.

The 23-year-old did not confirm if he would make a return to the NRL or try his hand at rugby union.

But Parramatta has already started discussions with Folau's management, and Stuart was confident the Eels could land the former representative star.

"We have done everything in consultation with (salary cap auditor) Ian Schubert and the NRL," he said.

"He is our key target. We want him to play for Parramatta Eels and we will move heaven and Earth to get him here.

"And the good thing we have in our favour is he wants to play for Parramatta."

Stuart said Folau's potential return to rugby league would not only be a boon for Parramatta but for the game as a whole.

"It's what we need. I think the game is going forward quickly and he will keep moving it in that direction," he said.

"Having these type of players - we keep hearing about Sonny Bill Williams, we heard about Israel Folau yesterday - it is just good for rugby league."

Like the Giants in the AFL, the Eels claimed the NRL wooden spoon after a dreadful season which saw the sacking of coach Stephen Kearney.

But the arrival of Folau, as well as the returning Will Hopoate, next to good friend Jarryd Hayne could signal the start of something new under Stuart.

"We've had probably a couple of years of bad news, but over the last three or four weeks it has been all positives at Parramatta and we are moving in the right direction with the game itself," Stuart said.

Meanwhile, Folau farewelled his Greater Western Sydney team-mates this morning.

Folau resigned publicly at a media conference on Thursday and a day later addressed the playing group, apologising that he had not told them first.

"I wanted to tell you all yesterday before the press conference but it all happened so quickly," Folau said to the Giants players before a preseason training session at Sydney Olympic Park this morning.

"All options are open to me," Folau added.

"Whether that's going back to rugby league or even playing rugby union."

Folau's switch to AFL from rugby league at the end of 2010 followed a year after fellow league star Karmichael Hunt made the move, signing with the Gold Coast Suns.

Hunt said he was shocked by Folau's decision but agreed it was a sensible decision for all involved.

"I guess it's a pretty brave decision on his behalf and I respect his decision because he felt his heart's not in it," Hunt said on the AFL's website.

"It would have been unfair to a lot of people, including himself, if he just stayed on and carried on."

Tags: australian-football-league, nrl, rugby-league, sport, homebush-bay-2127, nsw, australia

First posted November 02, 2012 15:49:14

View the original article here

Swans haul Lions back to earth

Updated June 4, 2011 22:44:00

Sydney notched its biggest win of the AFL season on Saturday night and in the process gave Brisbane coach Michael Voss a brutal reality check.

The Swans piled 12 unanswered goals across the first and second quarters, with Adam Goodes and Ryan O'Keefe the principal architects, to cruise to a 17.14 (116) to 7.9 (51) win at the Gabba.

Goodes not only kicked the opening goal, but had a direct hand in several others and was too classy and strong for Lions defender Joel Patfull.

O'Keefe's work rate was second to none and he had three different opponents in the first term alone.

To be fair to Patfull, he was one of a number of Lions found wanting, especially in the first quarter when Brisbane was insipid.

The Lions were not much better in the second quarter either with only two inside-50s.

Half a dozen Brisbane players failed to gain a kick in the opening term, another five only had one kick and the hosts failed to collect a free.

By half-time, the Swans led by 72 points and were eyeing their biggest ever victory against the Lions.

The Swans can take the credit for inflicting such pain.

Their defence double- and triple-teamed Brisbane's matchwinning captain Jonathan Brown, which had a poisonous effect on the Lions' scoring opportunities and they also won the battle at ground level.

Swans forwards Trent Dennis-Lane and Lewis Roberts-Thomson were solid targets.

Brisbane gained some respectability - albeit way too late and inconsequentially - when they won the second half.

The loss will rock the Lions and in particular Voss, who has declared he wants his contract, which ends this season, renewed.

His side lost its first seven matches then notched wins against North Melbourne and Adelaide, before capitulating to the Swans to undo much of the good work and respect built in the previous two weeks.

Sydney on the other hand should be genuinely feared.

The Swans moved the ball swiftly and with precision and could easily have inflicted even more scoreboard pain had they not frittered away set shots in the opening half.

After the match, Voss said he felt helpless in the first half and there were few positional moves he could pull to halt the goal spree.

"We were just outplayed and we couldn't get the ball," he said.

"Our contested ball, inside 50s, I mean it was red all over.

"There were no real stats in our favour and we were completely dominated by a team."

He said they may have 'won' the second half but acknowledged that was a hollow point given how far they were behind.

Swans coach John Longmire said it was possibly the best half of football his side has played this season.

"From the first bounce we played a very good standard of footy," Longmire said.

"We got off to a good start and things just flowed from there.

"It was our most pleasing for the majority of the game we did it pretty well."

Swans: 17.14 (116) - L Roberts-Thomson 3, A Goodes 2, B McGlynn 2, M Mattner 2, A Johnson, C Bird, J Kennedy, J McVeigh, M Seaby, R O'Keefe, S Reid, T Dennis-Lane.

Brisbane: 7.9 (51) - B Retzlaff 2, T Banfield 2, J Brown, M Clark, S Black.

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, nsw, sydney-2000, qld, brisbane-4000

First posted June 4, 2011 22:30:00

View the original article here