Israel Folau’s AFL career really only had two memorable occasions – the announcement he was signing and the announcement he was quitting.
His 13 games with Greater Western Sydney were certainly forgettable.
But that is unlikely to bother the AFL too much.
Nor will the fact that Folau only completed two years of a four-year deal understood to be worth $1 million per year.
The critics, who have lined up since his mid-2010 decision to switch codes to say he would never make it as a player and wasn’t worth the money, will feel vindicated.
But from the AFL’s point of view, he served his primary purpose.
The AFL have been open in saying their investment was repaid with considerable interest before Folau took to an AFL field.
Within days of Folau announcing he had made the switch from rugby league, AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said his signing had already generated more than $9 million in publicity.
It’s true that Greater Western Sydney have lost the most recognisable figure in a squad of mostly-emerging youngsters.
But Folau’s decision to quit gave them another publicity hit.
Significantly, it also provided the salary cap room which should enable them to net Adelaide star forward Kurt Tippett through the national or pre-season draft.
While Tippett wouldn’t be as great a marketing tool in rugby league heartland, he would certainly be much more helpful in the Giants’ quest to win more games.
Ever-optimistic Giants’ coach Kevin Sheedy speculated shortly before the club’s debut season that if Folau played every game this year and averaged two goals per game, it would be a good effort.
As it turned out, he managed just two goals for his career and his form probably didn’t warrant the 13 senior games he played.
Instead of the 40-odd goals Sheedy forecast, Folau managed just 39 kicks which, taking into account his $1 million dollar salary, came at a cost of more than $25,000 each.
Even Thursday’s announcement couldn’t extinguish Sheedy’s optimism, the veteran coach still airing his hope that Folau might one day return to the code.
But Sheedy’s was a rare positive voice from the time Folau was recruited.
When Folau signed his rich contract in 2010, it was labelled a “slap in the face” for players who had grown up with the game by Geelong two-time premiership coach Mark Thompson and “ridiculous” by AFL legend Leigh Matthews.
Brisbane coach Michael Voss suggested at the time that when the AFL community endorsed league plans to invest heavily in expanding the game, they thought that meant more programs for kids – not splashing out on big-name untried recruits.
But Demetriou, who on Thursday said Folau had made an invaluable contribution to football in NSW, insisted it was an investment that did pay off with the state’s youth.
“His courageous decision to give AFL football a go has helped inspire many children, particularly in NSW and Queensland, to play and watch Australian football,” Demetriou said.
