Israel Folau
Encyclopedia
Israel Folau is a professional Australian rules football
er currently listed with the Greater Western Sydney Football Club in the Australian Football League
(AFL). He previously played Rugby league
for the Melbourne Storm
in the National Rugby League
(NRL) from 2007 to 2008 where he broke the record for most tries in a debut year. He then played with the Brisbane Broncos
from 2009 to 2010. Playing as either a wing or centre, Folau has also represented the Australian rugby league team and Queensland in State Origin matches, becoming the youngest player to play for both teams.
, New South Wales
to parents of Tonga
n descent. He attended Lurnea Public School and Westfield Sports High School before his family moved to Brisbane
. In Brisbane Folau attended Marsden State High School
from where he was selected for the Queensland Schoolboys squad in the Australian Under-15 Championships.
At the Australian championships, Folau was spotted by a Melbourne Storm
scout and was invited to play his junior football with the Storm's feeder club at the time, Queensland Cup
team, the Norths Devils
. He won a premiership while playing with Norths and became the first player to represent Queensland Under-19's while still only 16 years old. From playing with the Queensland Schoolboys and the Devils, in 2006, while in year 12 at Marsden State High School
where his classmates were Chris Sandow
and Antonio Winterstein
, Folau was selected to play in the Australian Schoolboys squad that toured Wales, England and France. Folau was strong representing Australia and at the end of the tour was awarded the Australian Secondary School Rugby Leagues (ASSRL) Award for the best back of the tournament. Playing years above his age gave Melbourne the confidence to give Folau an opportunity in the NRL.
His debut came earlier than his coach Craig Bellamy intended, and he was named as a replacement on the right wing for injured Steve Turner. He started in the side's first match of the 2007 NRL season, against the Wests Tigers
, and became the youngest player ever to play for the Storm. In his first game, he scored the match-winning try to help Melbourne beat the Tigers 18–16. After such a solid performance in his opening game, and an injury free year, Folau went on to play in every match of the season, the only player to do so for Melbourne in 2007. Playing superbly on the wing, coach Craig Bellamy brought Folau in to play in the centres from time to time, where he would receive more ball and have more opportunity to score points. After 26 rounds Folau finished the regular season with 21 tries and 5 goals for a total of 94 career points. His try tally (21) saw him the equal regular season top-try scorer for 2007 alongside North Queensland Cowboys
full-back Matt Bowen
.
In his rookie year Folau broke a number of club and NRL records, the most prestigious: beating fellow team-mate Billy Slater
's previous NRL record of most tries in a debut season (Slater scored 19 in 2003). Folau capped off a magnificent first season in the NRL by winning the 2007 Dally M Rookie of the Year Award and being a part of the successful 2007 Melbourne Storm premiership side, that only lost three matches all year (this premiership was later taken away due to mass salary cap breaches).
Following an ankle injury to Brisbane Broncos
centre Justin Hodges
, Folau replaced him in the Australian test side to play New Zealand
on 14 October 2007. On his international debut, Folau became the youngest ever player to represent Australia at 18 years and 194 days old, passing the previous record set by Brad Fittler
(18 years and 247 days) in 1990. Folau then went on to score two tries in Australia's record-breaking 58–0 defeat of New Zealand.
In 2008, after Melbourne and New South Wales representative Matt King announced he would be leaving the Storm to play with the Warrington Wolves
in the European Super League
, Folau filled the void as the starting centre for Melbourne. After seven rounds of the 2008 season, Folau was named on the wing in the starting squad to represent Australia for the second time in the Centenary Australia vs. New Zealand test, contributing a try in the 28–12 win for the Kangaroos. Folau was then selected in the starting squad as a winger in the Queensland State of Origin Team
for game I of the 2008 Series
. On 21 May 2008, Folau made his debut for Queensland at ANZ Stadium Sydney. In the final minutes of the match Folau scored a try on debut, but Queensland lost 18–10 to New South Wales
. Folau retained his position for game II at Suncorp Stadium
in Brisbane. Folau contributed one of the Maroons' four tries in the 30 point win over the Blues, levelling the series. In the final game of the series, game III, Folau scored two leaping tries and was awarded the Man of the Match in Queensland's 16–10 win over NSW.
At the conclusion of the 2008 regular season, Folau was again honoured at the prestigious Dally M Awards night, winning the Dally M Centre of the Year
award. Folau had been a part of his second minor premiership in as many years with the Melbourne Storm and played in his second consecutive grand final where they lost in a rematch of last years final to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
. Earlier in the year away from the field, on 30 March 2008, it was announced Folau had signed with the Brisbane Broncos
for the 2009 NRL season. Folau's decision to leave the Melbourne Storm at the end of 2008 was influenced by his desire to live closer to his family in Brisbane, Queensland.
In October 2008, Folau was chosen to play for the Kangaroos in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
. Folau scored two tries in Australia's successful opening match against New Zealand but would not score another try all through the series despite starting in Australias' 52 – 4 win over England and 52 – 0 win over Fiji. On 22 November he took part in his first World Cup Grand Final starting in the centers for Australia. Unfortunately for Folau he would not add a World Cup Victory to his accolades as Australia lost 34 – 20 to under-dogs New Zealand.
Folau made his debut for the Brisbane Broncos in round one of the 2009 season, scoring the team's first try in a 19–18 win over the North Queensland Cowboys
. The following week, Folau again opened the scoring in the highly anticipated clash against his former club, Melbourne Storm
, soaring above his former team-mates to take a catch in what would be the first try in the Broncos 16–14 win – the club's first win over the Storm since the 2006 NRL Grand Final.Israel continued his try-scoring feats averaging a try-a-game by Round 10. This was helped by a massive four-try haul against the Gold Coast Titans
in May, equalling Brisbane Broncos legend Steve Renouf's record for the most tries in a single game for the Queensland club.
He was selected for Australia in the one-off test match against New Zealand
on 8 May 2009.
In April 2009, he was named in the preliminary 25 man squad to represent Queensland in the opening match of the 2009 State of Origin series, and was subsequently picked on the wing for the opening State of Origin match. He also played in Game 2, scoring a try, but missed Game 3 due to injury.
Controversially despite signing mid-year with rival code the AFL, Folau was selected and played in all three Origin games in 2010. He continued to produce try-scoring form scoring 17 tries from 16 matches with the Brisbane Broncos but his rugby league career to date was cut shorter than anticipated as the Brisbane Broncos failed to make the finals series for the first time in over a decade. Folau was also overlooked to represent Australia in the Four Nations tournament and was subsequently dis-allowed by the Australian Rugby League to play for Tonga in a warm-up match against Samoa. In a further some-what controversial decision he was banned from being a member of the coaching staff as he had planned to run the water as a trainer for the Tongan team.
rugby union
team in the Super 15 and had also been linked with a move to GWS AFL
team. After a three-way bidding war between Rugby league, Rugby union and Australian rules football, Folau signed a deal with the expansion Australian Football League
team Greater Western Sydney, estimated to be worth up to 6 million dollars over 4 years.
playing career in the North East Australian Football League
playing for the Greater Western Sydney Giants. Initially struggling to fit into the code, it wasn't until GWS coach Kevin Sheedy moved him into the forward line later on in the season, a move which resulted in Folau booting 4 goals for the day. Folau continues to improve every round.
At 19 years old in 2009 Folau signed a lucrative sponsorship deal with sportswear giant Adidas
, replacing rugby union
convert Mark Gasnier
as the company's rugby league representative. Around the same time he also signed a two-year endorsement deal with Coca Cola amatil's sports drink Powerade
, starring in the companies television commercials.
He recently visited his parents' country, Tonga
and was asked if he wanted to play for Tonga
he said yes, but committed to play for Australia national rugby league team
if he did play for Tonga he would have to wait another two years.
Team
Representative
National Rugby League Records
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er currently listed with the Greater Western Sydney Football Club in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL). He previously played Rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
for the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
in the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
(NRL) from 2007 to 2008 where he broke the record for most tries in a debut year. He then played with the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
from 2009 to 2010. Playing as either a wing or centre, Folau has also represented the Australian rugby league team and Queensland in State Origin matches, becoming the youngest player to play for both teams.
Early life
Folau was born in MintoMinto, New South Wales
Minto is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Minto is located 48 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Campbelltown and is part of the Macarthur region.-History:...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
to parents of Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
n descent. He attended Lurnea Public School and Westfield Sports High School before his family moved to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. In Brisbane Folau attended Marsden State High School
Marsden State High School
Marsden State High School is a secondary school in Logan City, Queensland for students between years 8 and 12. Marsden State High School is located on Muchow Road between the suburbs of Marsden and Waterford West. The school was established in 1987 and—as of 2008—has 1,900...
from where he was selected for the Queensland Schoolboys squad in the Australian Under-15 Championships.
At the Australian championships, Folau was spotted by a Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
scout and was invited to play his junior football with the Storm's feeder club at the time, Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
team, the Norths Devils
Norths Devils
The Northern Suburbs Devils, Norths for short, are a rugby league club representing the northern suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. The team colours are sky blue, navy blue and gold. They play in the Queensland Wizard Cup, and, through their predecessors, are one of the oldest clubs in...
. He won a premiership while playing with Norths and became the first player to represent Queensland Under-19's while still only 16 years old. From playing with the Queensland Schoolboys and the Devils, in 2006, while in year 12 at Marsden State High School
Marsden State High School
Marsden State High School is a secondary school in Logan City, Queensland for students between years 8 and 12. Marsden State High School is located on Muchow Road between the suburbs of Marsden and Waterford West. The school was established in 1987 and—as of 2008—has 1,900...
where his classmates were Chris Sandow
Chris Sandow
Chris Sandow is an Indigenous Australian professional rugby league player who previously played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the National Rugby League competition but from the 2012 NRL season, Sandow will play for the Parramatta Eels...
and Antonio Winterstein
Antonio Winterstein
Antonio Winterstein is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the North Queensland Cowboys of the NRL. A speedy outside back who played under-20s with the Roosters in 2008, his usual position is on the wing...
, Folau was selected to play in the Australian Schoolboys squad that toured Wales, England and France. Folau was strong representing Australia and at the end of the tour was awarded the Australian Secondary School Rugby Leagues (ASSRL) Award for the best back of the tournament. Playing years above his age gave Melbourne the confidence to give Folau an opportunity in the NRL.
Melbourne Storm
Folau was just 17 years of age when he made his debut in the 2007 NRL season.His debut came earlier than his coach Craig Bellamy intended, and he was named as a replacement on the right wing for injured Steve Turner. He started in the side's first match of the 2007 NRL season, against the Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
, and became the youngest player ever to play for the Storm. In his first game, he scored the match-winning try to help Melbourne beat the Tigers 18–16. After such a solid performance in his opening game, and an injury free year, Folau went on to play in every match of the season, the only player to do so for Melbourne in 2007. Playing superbly on the wing, coach Craig Bellamy brought Folau in to play in the centres from time to time, where he would receive more ball and have more opportunity to score points. After 26 rounds Folau finished the regular season with 21 tries and 5 goals for a total of 94 career points. His try tally (21) saw him the equal regular season top-try scorer for 2007 alongside North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
full-back Matt Bowen
Matt Bowen
Matthew Jeremy "Matt" Bowen is an Australian rugby league player. He has spent his whole professional career with the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League , playing in over 200 matches and holding the club's record for the player with the most NRL appearances. He appeared in the...
.
In his rookie year Folau broke a number of club and NRL records, the most prestigious: beating fellow team-mate Billy Slater
Billy Slater
Billy Slater is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League . An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative fullback, he has played his whole NRL career to date at Melbourne...
's previous NRL record of most tries in a debut season (Slater scored 19 in 2003). Folau capped off a magnificent first season in the NRL by winning the 2007 Dally M Rookie of the Year Award and being a part of the successful 2007 Melbourne Storm premiership side, that only lost three matches all year (this premiership was later taken away due to mass salary cap breaches).
Following an ankle injury to Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
centre Justin Hodges
Justin Hodges
Justin Hodges is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League...
, Folau replaced him in the Australian test side to play New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
on 14 October 2007. On his international debut, Folau became the youngest ever player to represent Australia at 18 years and 194 days old, passing the previous record set by Brad Fittler
Brad Fittler
Bradley Scott "Freddie" Fittler AM is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. The current coach of NSW City team in the City vs. Country clash, he coached in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters between 2007 and 2009. As a player, Fittler captained both New South Wales...
(18 years and 247 days) in 1990. Folau then went on to score two tries in Australia's record-breaking 58–0 defeat of New Zealand.
In 2008, after Melbourne and New South Wales representative Matt King announced he would be leaving the Storm to play with the Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
in the European Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
, Folau filled the void as the starting centre for Melbourne. After seven rounds of the 2008 season, Folau was named on the wing in the starting squad to represent Australia for the second time in the Centenary Australia vs. New Zealand test, contributing a try in the 28–12 win for the Kangaroos. Folau was then selected in the starting squad as a winger in the Queensland State of Origin Team
Queensland State of Origin Team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
for game I of the 2008 Series
2008 Rugby League State of Origin series
The 2008 State of Origin series was the 27th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was played under 'State of Origin' selection rules...
. On 21 May 2008, Folau made his debut for Queensland at ANZ Stadium Sydney. In the final minutes of the match Folau scored a try on debut, but Queensland lost 18–10 to New South Wales
New South Wales rugby league team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
. Folau retained his position for game II at Suncorp Stadium
Suncorp Stadium
Lang Park is the original name of the site located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia, now occupied by the major sports facility known by its sponsorship name, Suncorp Stadium...
in Brisbane. Folau contributed one of the Maroons' four tries in the 30 point win over the Blues, levelling the series. In the final game of the series, game III, Folau scored two leaping tries and was awarded the Man of the Match in Queensland's 16–10 win over NSW.
At the conclusion of the 2008 regular season, Folau was again honoured at the prestigious Dally M Awards night, winning the Dally M Centre of the Year
Dally M Awards
The Dally M Awards are the official annual player awards for the National Rugby League competition. The most prestigious of these awards is the Dally M Medal which is only ever awarded to Australian born Players...
award. Folau had been a part of his second minor premiership in as many years with the Melbourne Storm and played in his second consecutive grand final where they lost in a rematch of last years final to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
. Earlier in the year away from the field, on 30 March 2008, it was announced Folau had signed with the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
for the 2009 NRL season. Folau's decision to leave the Melbourne Storm at the end of 2008 was influenced by his desire to live closer to his family in Brisbane, Queensland.
In October 2008, Folau was chosen to play for the Kangaroos in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
. Folau scored two tries in Australia's successful opening match against New Zealand but would not score another try all through the series despite starting in Australias' 52 – 4 win over England and 52 – 0 win over Fiji. On 22 November he took part in his first World Cup Grand Final starting in the centers for Australia. Unfortunately for Folau he would not add a World Cup Victory to his accolades as Australia lost 34 – 20 to under-dogs New Zealand.
Brisbane Broncos
Folau was a major signing for the Broncos at the same time several key players, as well as coach Wayne Bennett left the club.Folau made his debut for the Brisbane Broncos in round one of the 2009 season, scoring the team's first try in a 19–18 win over the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
. The following week, Folau again opened the scoring in the highly anticipated clash against his former club, Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
, soaring above his former team-mates to take a catch in what would be the first try in the Broncos 16–14 win – the club's first win over the Storm since the 2006 NRL Grand Final.Israel continued his try-scoring feats averaging a try-a-game by Round 10. This was helped by a massive four-try haul against the Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
in May, equalling Brisbane Broncos legend Steve Renouf's record for the most tries in a single game for the Queensland club.
He was selected for Australia in the one-off test match against New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
on 8 May 2009.
In April 2009, he was named in the preliminary 25 man squad to represent Queensland in the opening match of the 2009 State of Origin series, and was subsequently picked on the wing for the opening State of Origin match. He also played in Game 2, scoring a try, but missed Game 3 due to injury.
Controversially despite signing mid-year with rival code the AFL, Folau was selected and played in all three Origin games in 2010. He continued to produce try-scoring form scoring 17 tries from 16 matches with the Brisbane Broncos but his rugby league career to date was cut shorter than anticipated as the Brisbane Broncos failed to make the finals series for the first time in over a decade. Folau was also overlooked to represent Australia in the Four Nations tournament and was subsequently dis-allowed by the Australian Rugby League to play for Tonga in a warm-up match against Samoa. In a further some-what controversial decision he was banned from being a member of the coaching staff as he had planned to run the water as a trainer for the Tongan team.
Statistics
| Season | Team | Appearance | Interchange | Tries | Goals | F/G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Melbourne Storm Melbourne Storm The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria.... |
27 | 2 | 21 | 5 | – | 94 |
| 2008 | 25 | – | 15 | – | – | 60 | |
| 2009 | Brisbane Broncos Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two... |
19 | – | 17 | – | – | 68 |
| 2010 2010 NRL season The 2010 NRL season was the 103rd season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the thirteenth run by the National Rugby League. The season commenced on 12 March and ended with the Grand Final, played on 3 October at ANZ Stadium... |
16 | – | 17 | – | – | 68 |
Australian rules football career
As his contract with the Brisbane Broncos was set to expire at the end of the 2010 season Israel was linked to the Melbourne RebelsMelbourne Rebels
The Melbourne Rebels are a professional rugby union team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They made their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2011. They are the first privately owned professional rugby union team in Australia...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team in the Super 15 and had also been linked with a move to GWS AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
team. After a three-way bidding war between Rugby league, Rugby union and Australian rules football, Folau signed a deal with the expansion Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
team Greater Western Sydney, estimated to be worth up to 6 million dollars over 4 years.
2011
Folau began his Australian rules footballAustralian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
playing career in the North East Australian Football League
North East Australian Football League
The North East Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league in New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory in Australia...
playing for the Greater Western Sydney Giants. Initially struggling to fit into the code, it wasn't until GWS coach Kevin Sheedy moved him into the forward line later on in the season, a move which resulted in Folau booting 4 goals for the day. Folau continues to improve every round.
2012
Folau will begin his first season in the AFL when the GWS Giants make their debut in the competition.AFL Career statistics
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Disposals | Kicks Kick (football) Kicking is a method used by many types of football, including:* Association football* Australian rules football* International rules football* American football* Canadian football* Gaelic football* Rugby league* Rugby union... |
Handballs Handball (Australian rules football) Handball is a term in the sport of Australian rules football which describes a method of disposing of possession of the football by hand. It is the most frequently used alternative to kicking the ball... |
Marks Mark (Australian football) A mark is a skill in Australian rules football where a player cleanly catches a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres without anyone else touching it or the ball hitting the ground.... |
Tackles Tackle (football move) Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend.... |
Hit Outs | Goals | Behinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 (NEAFL) 2011 NEAFL season The 2011 NEAFL season is the 1st season of the North East Australian Football League.-League Structure:The league is split into two divisions called the North division and the East division. The North division comprises of 9 teams based in South East Queensland as well as 1 based in the Northern... |
GWS | 4 | 6 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 7 | 1 |
| Career Totals | 6 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 7 | 1 | ||
Personal
Folau is a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.At 19 years old in 2009 Folau signed a lucrative sponsorship deal with sportswear giant Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
, replacing rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
convert Mark Gasnier
Mark Gasnier
Mark Gasnier is an Australian former rugby league player, a state and national representative centre three-quarter. He played eleven top-grade seasons with the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL, interrupted by two seasons of rugby union played with the French club Stade Français. He was a...
as the company's rugby league representative. Around the same time he also signed a two-year endorsement deal with Coca Cola amatil's sports drink Powerade
Powerade
Powerade is a sports drink manufactured and marketed by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in 1988, its primary competitor is PepsiCo's Gatorade...
, starring in the companies television commercials.
He recently visited his parents' country, Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
and was asked if he wanted to play for Tonga
Tonga national rugby league team
The Tonga national rugby league team is a national sporting side, representing Tonga in rugby league football. Rugby league is a popular sport in Tonga, and the national team has become one of the best performed nations in the world...
he said yes, but committed to play for Australia national rugby league team
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
if he did play for Tonga he would have to wait another two years.
Honours
Individual- 2007National Rugby League season 2007The 2007 NRL season was the one hundredth season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the tenth run by the National Rugby League...
: Dally M Rookie of the Year - 2007National Rugby League season 2007The 2007 NRL season was the one hundredth season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the tenth run by the National Rugby League...
: Australian Young Performer of the Year (FairfaxFairfax MediaFairfax Media Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The group's operations include newspapers, magazines, radios and digital media operating in Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media was founded by the Fairfax family as John Fairfax and Sons, later to become John...
Sports Performer Awards) - 2007National Rugby League season 2007The 2007 NRL season was the one hundredth season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the tenth run by the National Rugby League...
: International Newcomer of the Year (RLIF AwardsRLIF AwardsThe Rugby League International Federation currently oversees and awards the major international sporting award for rugby league on an annual basis and has done so since its inception in 2004....
) - 20082008 Rugby League State of Origin seriesThe 2008 State of Origin series was the 27th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was played under 'State of Origin' selection rules...
: State of Origin Man-of-the-Match (Game 3, 2008) - 2008National Rugby League season 2008The 2008 NRL season was the 101st season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the eleventh run by the National Rugby League. For the second year, sixteen teams competed for the 2008 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first matches played on 14 March...
: Dally M Centre of the Year
Team
- 2007National Rugby League season 2007The 2007 NRL season was the one hundredth season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the tenth run by the National Rugby League...
: Premiers (Melbourne Storm) (stripped) - 2008National Rugby League season 2008The 2008 NRL season was the 101st season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the eleventh run by the National Rugby League. For the second year, sixteen teams competed for the 2008 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first matches played on 14 March...
: Minor Premiers (Melbourne Storm) (stripped)
Representative
- 2007National Rugby League season 2007The 2007 NRL season was the one hundredth season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the tenth run by the National Rugby League...
: All-time Youngest Australian International Player (18 years and 194 days) - 2007–2009National Rugby League season 2007The 2007 NRL season was the one hundredth season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the tenth run by the National Rugby League...
: Australian Kangaroos Test Squad (3 Tests) - 2008National Rugby League season 2008The 2008 NRL season was the 101st season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the eleventh run by the National Rugby League. For the second year, sixteen teams competed for the 2008 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first matches played on 14 March...
: Australian Rugby League World Cup Squad (5 Matches) - 2008–2010National Rugby League season 2008The 2008 NRL season was the 101st season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the eleventh run by the National Rugby League. For the second year, sixteen teams competed for the 2008 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first matches played on 14 March...
: Queensland State of Origin Squad (8 Matches)
National Rugby League Records
- 2007National Rugby League season 2007The 2007 NRL season was the one hundredth season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the tenth run by the National Rugby League...
: Most Tries in a Debut Season (21)