Sheedy sticks up for journeyman Folau

Updated December 04, 2012 16:41:08

Israel Folau's former AFL coach Kevin Sheedy has defended the character of the New South Wales Waratahs recruit, saying he is one of the more honest people he has dealt with in his 45-year career.

Folau has copped fierce criticism this week for not signing with NRL club Parramatta after it helped secure his release from the AFL, with coach Ricky Stuart saying his side would be "genuinely better off without him".

However, the Greater Western Sydney Giants coach said on Tuesday he had no problem with Folau's character as he was always up-front and honest.

"I actually admired him for that," Sheedy said.

"So from my point of view as a person, and I've been around the game for 45 years, I think Israel Folau is one of the (more) honest people I have actually ever dealt with.

"I am glad that when he felt that AFL wasn't his game in the end that he actually told us the facts and let us get on about our business which is what I think is a fair thing to do."

However, Sheedy said Folau's switch to rugby union had not been in his landscape of thinking.

"Obviously everything was pointing towards the Parramatta Eels," he said.

"But he puts himself in the direction of Karmichael Hunt now as a player of all three codes. It's a pretty good effort."

Sheedy said he had no regrets signing Folau, labelling the move as one of AFL's best marketing strategies.

"From our point of view, (it was) one of the best marketing exercises since Tina Turner singing 'Simply the Best' with the NRL," he said.

Waratahs coach Cheika said Folau was a man of impeccable character and was happy to welcome him into the fold.

"The dealings I've had with Israel, from day one ... he's been honest, direct and I've really been happy with the way it's been set up," he said.

"The important thing is, first of all, that Israel gets into this team, meets his team-mates so that he's feeling good about himself, feeling good about the people he's playing footy with every day."

In a statement, Waratahs Rugby chief executive Jason Allen said Folau's signing marked a new, exciting chapter in the franchise's history.

"Winning Israel over to rugby union is a major boost for the Waratahs and an exciting prospect for Super Rugby fans across Australia," he said.

"As a player, Israel clearly has an exceptional talent but what was equally important to us was the enormous level of respect he commands from those who know him and have worked with him."

Folau will be playing alongside Wallabies such as Berrick Barnes, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Kane Douglas and the Australian Rugby Union suggested he could eventually join them in the national team, and even become an Olympian.

"Depending on his development as a rugby player, there is an opportunity for Folau to achieve higher honours, in Sevens as well as the 15-a-side game," ARU acting chief executive Matt Carroll said.

"Sevens is now an Olympic sport and we are keen to build depth and profile for the game in the lead-up to Rio in 2016."

AAP/AFP

Tags: super-rugby, rugby-union, australian-football-league, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted December 04, 2012 16:37:11

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AFL sticks with eight-team finals series

Updated June 1, 2011 18:18:00

The bar for making the AFL finals will be raised to its highest level in almost two decades next year.

The league has decided to keep the top-eight finals format when the introduction of Greater Western Sydney expands the competition to 18 teams in 2012.

That means a smaller proportion of competing clubs will make the finals than in any season since 1993, the last year of the final six.

The league last year floated a range of radical ideas for altering the competition in the lead-up to Gold Coast's introduction as the 17th club this season.

They included the potential creation of a 12-team finals series, which would have come with significant commercial benefits, wildcard finals entrants and a conference system.

The possibility of increasing the number of home and away games played per club from 22 to 24 was also mooted, with all of the ideas put forward for AFL fans to vote on and to clubs for consultation.

But all were rejected, as the AFL on Wednesday announced the commission had approved the status quo.

The current 22-match-per-club home and away season and eight-club finals format will remain for at least the next two seasons, although the league is open to changes beyond that time.

AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan said there was already enough change with the expansion to 18 clubs and an altered match schedule to suit the incoming $1.253 billion broadcast deal.

"The introduction of the new teams in the Gold Coast Suns and the GWS Giants, combined with the creation of a new match schedule for the broadcasting of games within the next five-year television contract, has introduced significant new complexity into the fixture process," McLachlan said.

"It was therefore recommended there be no change to the existing 22-round home and away season."

He said the AFL would concentrate on devising a fixture that was both fairer in an on-field sense and maximised exposure for all clubs.

But the preseason competition will be overhauled, with clubs to play a round-robin format to decide the grand finalists, rather than the current knock-out system.

As happened this year, the 18 clubs will be divided into groups of three, to play mini-matches against the other two clubs in their group on a single day.

Clubs will then each be guaranteed a further two full-scale matches in the competition.

The fixture for all of those games is to be determined in October/November this year, allowing clubs more time to plan around their travel schedules and the AFL to promote the matches.

The two best-performed clubs will play in the preseason grand final, with the other 16 to play practice matches at regular AFL venues - as many as possible in their home towns - rather than far-flung regional locations.

McLachlan said the decision to keep eight-team finals reflected the view of supporters, with 69 per cent of those who responded to the AFL's survey preferring that option.

-AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, vic, melbourne-3000

First posted June 1, 2011 12:39:00

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Scott sticks by battered Roos

Posted April 14, 2011 18:51:00

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott has kept faith with the players thumped by Collingwood a fortnight ago, as his side resumes after its AFL bye against Fremantle on Sunday.

Scott has named 22 players who were involved in the Magpies' loss in an extended squad of 25 for the match in Perth.

He has also included inexperienced ruckman Cameron Pedersen in the squad with an eye to dealing with giant Dockers Aaron Sandilands.

"There's no bigger ruck challenge in the game than Aaron Sandilands - he's a terrific player," Scott said on Thursday.

"I've watched him play for a long period of time now and I haven't seen a formula that works consistently against him.

"He's a very dominant player and the premier ruckman in the competition."

With number one ruckman Hamish McIntosh still sidelined with an Achilles injury, the Kangaroos will rely on Pedersen and Todd Goldstein to tackle Sandilands.

The Kangaroos are yet to win in their two matches and are making their second trip to Perth in a month after a narrow round one loss to West Coast.

- AAP

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