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Wallabies 'must get Israel'
By Peter Badel
May 20, 2007
FORMER Australia fullback Greg Martin has urged the Australian Rugby Union to offer Melbourne's try-scoring whiz-kid Israel Folau $500,000 a season to switch codes.
As the Storm move to sign Folau to a long-term deal, Martin said the wing sensation must be the ARU's primary target as part of its blueprint to win the 2011 World Cup.
Folau, 18, is the hottest property in the NRL after rocketing to the top of the try-scoring list with 10 in nine games. He is off-contract next season and Martin is adamant Folau would be a better investment than Eels flyer Timana Tahu, who will join the Waratahs next season on a four-year, $2 million deal.
"The ARU should be chasing Israel Folau," Martin said. "If they are paying $400,000 for Timana Tahu, they should be offering that kid half-a-million.
"A kid that fast with that length of leg and size makes him very hard to pull down at top speed. Greg Inglis (Folau's Melbourne teammate) has that leg drive at high speed and they both pull out of tackles easily.
"Folau would be perfect for rugby. You see him in games and he looks slightly overawed at times. But he's only a kid, yet he's killing them in the NRL.
"He's got a great awareness and you can't coach that. He is a ball magnet and knows where to be when the ball comes to him.
"His ability in the air is incredible. I don't think there's anyone in the NRL better in the air.
"You don't have to be Einstein to realise he could be the best target the ARU could have."
The Sydney-reared Folau dabbled in rugby as a kid before committing to rugby league at 14 when he moved to Brisbane with his family and attended Marsden High.
ARU high-performance boss Pat Wilson said the governing body would be prepared to discuss a code switch with Folau.
""If he expressed a desire to look at rugby, we'd be interested in talking to him," he said.
c/o Melbourne Storm website:
Israel Folau:
Date of Birth, 03/04/1989
Position, Wing / Centre
Height, 190 cm
Weight, 97 kg
Debut, 2007
Storm Career Stats:
Mt- 9
T- 10
G- 0
Pts- 40
Last updated 15/05/2007
Season 2007 Stats:
Mt- 9
T- 10
G- 0
Pts- 40
Last updated 15/05/2007
Career:
Israel is a powerful centre or winger who joins the top squad for season 2007. At the tender age of 17, Israel has a junior football resume to be envied. A member of Brisbane Norths Colts premiership team and a Queensland age representative at 15 and 17, Israel became the first player to represent Queensland under-19's while still only 16 years of age. Israel has since gone on to be named in the Australian Schoolboys squad to tour England and France at the end of 2006.
Preview '07:
Israel immediately made the NRL staff stand up and take notice when playing in an NRL trial against Parramatta early in 2006. His performance as a 16 year old against NRL players was full of poise and confidence and Israel is expected to, given the chance during 2007, make his NRL debut. Israel is a strapping build, and at 97kgs has the physical attributes to handle NRL at such a young age.