Folau Wanted To Come Back To Parramatta But Was Blocked By NRL Boss Dave Smith

From Triple M: http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney/sport/nrl/news/2015/11/audio-israel-folau-wanted-to-return-to-nrl-but-dave-smith-said-it-had-to-be-a-struggling-club/

Does anyone actually believe this? Surely Smith couldn't have been this pathetic.

In some startling revelations, The Daily Telegraph revealed on the weekend Israel Folau was comfortable coming back to the NRL but Dave Smith would only have him back if he joined a struggling club like Gold Coast.

Triple M's Ray Warren believes the story is spot on.

"It was a negotiation with Israel to see whether or not he had any desire to come back to rugby league," said Rabs, on Triple M's Dead Set Legends.

"He indicated that the answer was 'yes', he went to Todd Greenberg and put it to the boss, and [Dave Smith] allegedly said 'we can embrace him but he will have to go and play with one of the clubs we have an investment in.'

"So Israel walked away and said 'well, I'll go back to rugby union'."
The thing that leave Rabs laughing about the story is that Israel had approached Ricky Stuart at Parramatta who were the wooden-spooners. You can't get any lower than what they were.

"He wanted to come back, for not a lot of money (around $110K, it's believed)… he wanted to come back and play with his mates. He wanted to have a game of footy, basically," laughed Warren.

"He was offering himself up to the wooden-spooners - and the rugby league couldn't see any sense in somehow moving the blocks around the draught board to accommodate Israel Folau.

"[The NRL] had him. He was in the premises of O'Connell Street at Parramatta and he wanted to come back and play for his mates."

"Come on Macy, surely you can see the benefit in being able to put that Matterson $400k into the process of signing Barnett for next year. That money with Lomax being offered to the Warriors could seriously help get that signing over the line. A…"

"In a way, i'm glad a deal didn't get done. If it did, i think the feeling would have been that we lost & succumbed to pressure from the Storm & NRL as we wouldn't have gained that much. $400K is not really that much to carry for this year. This way,…"

"Happens all the time (NBA refs, some eventually caught). How many Storm personnel went to jail for cooking books? Gambling industry rife with cheating (horse racing etc). Eels last year were the only team I seen get done for the roll play the ball.…"

Replies

Alan Hunt November 23, 2015 at 5:21pm

He was never coming back, just another News limited beat up.
This reply was deleted.
- FME November 24, 2015 at 10:07am
  
  NRL wanted him in a club that they have an investment in. NRL have no investment or interest in the eels so they said no. The NRL want the eels to go away and merge or just drop out of the competition altogether so keeping us weak is in their own interests and they will undermine us every chance they get. Player purchases, judiciary ect ect. The NRL would have stopped the Foran transfer if they could legally do it.
Monster Eel #38 November 23, 2015 at 5:55pm

Oh but if he said he wanted to play for Melbourne or Roosters or Brisbane, tNRL would've move Heaven and Earth to accomodate him but he wanted to play for Parra and that's a big No-No. F**k NRL!
Alan Hunt November 23, 2015 at 5:57pm

Rabs has stuffed this up, Gallop was in charge when Falonk offered himself up to the Eels for the low amount. Schubert said no.

Seriously doubt he would have coming back asking then any less then 1m last season, Smith and the NRL did the right thing. Why should one of the top clubs get him and have help from the NRL??? If the Roosters got him the and the NRL had of helped we would be all blowing up deluxe.
- RIDER > Alan Hunt November 23, 2015 at 6:01pm
  
  I thought Izzy caught Pricky out lying and that's what stopped the deal?
RIDER November 23, 2015 at 6:34pm

It was something I heard at the time, but obviously there were stories flying around and that was just one.

It's in the past anyway, so it doesn't worry me what happened.

Thanks for the other side of the story
slip November 23, 2015 at 8:14pm

Oh please, Folau would rather lose Bledisloe Cups and World Cups than win NRL GF's.
Outrunna November 23, 2015 at 9:05pm

There was an article in Sundays paper that Rebecca Wilson wrote. Falou said that he wanted to play for either the Storm, Dogs, roosters, broncos or Eels.
Smith said if he came back that he would have to play for the teams that the Nrl was funding.The titans , knights , tigers and i cant remember the other team.
Falou said go jump
Ed November 24, 2015 at 10:00am

Suck shit folau go and play the game they play in heaven (not) haha
Ham Sammich November 24, 2015 at 11:47am

That was definitely us then, we came last in 2012 and 14th in 2011.