Foxsports:Izzy to Brisbane?

[storm_rhinos]

From foxsports

BRISBANE is set to assume outright favouritism in the race for teenager Israel Folau by making an offer within days.

The Australian understands the Broncos will notify Folau's management of their bid soon heightening chances Folau, 18, will return to Brisbane next year.

It is understood Folau has been offered $400,000 a season by rivals the Bulldogs and his club Melbourne.

The Broncos are unlikely to match that, but the club hopes it can persuade Folau to return to Brisbane where his family lives.

Their faith appears well-placed - it is believed Folau has already told team-mates he would like to return to Queensland.

It is believed the Storm's initial offer was for $320,000 per season but that has since been increased despite the club being under enormous salary-cap pressure.

Melbourne is feeling cap strain as a result of representative bonuses handed out to several players, including Folau.

Folau, Cooper Cronk, Ryan Hoffman and Dallas Johnson were among the Storm players to make their Test debuts last season.

The club has subsequently asked some players to defer payments to relieve pressure on its cap.

While that is not an uncommon practice, it provides an insight into how difficult it has been for the premier to retain Folau.

Melbourne's hold on Folau could also be weakened by ongoing speculation over the future of coach Craig Bellamy.

Bellamy continues to be linked with a return in 2010 to Brisbane, where he served as an assistant to Wayne Bennett. Bellamy has presided over Folau's development in Melbourne.

While Melbourne is struggling to hold on to Folau, the Broncos have several players coming off contract.

A number of them are outside backs, including Joel Moon, Darius Boyd and Steve Michaels.

Should Brisbane be successful in signing Folau, it would be unlikely to keep all those players.

Folau is expected to make his decision before the season begins, the urgency likely to be increased by his wavering pre-season form.

The hulking centre has played like a man with his mind on other things.

He was virtually unsighted in Melbourne's loss to Leeds in the World Club Challenge on Saturday, and failed to fire in the Storm's lead-up game against Halifax.

[routy21]

I have had about enough of this Folau crap! If he wants to go……….then just leave! Don’t drag the club with it.  No player is bigger than the club.

His performances in his last 5 games (Leeds, Halifax, Manly, Manly GF & Parra) have been well below par and doesn’t warrant a $400k per year contract!  Lets save some coin for players like Slater, Cronk, Dallas, Hoffman and by the looks of things Manu & Chambers.


I really hate the broncos……

[mb09]

I have had about enough of this Folau crap! If he wants to go……….then just leave! Don’t drag the club with it.  No player is bigger than the club.

His performances in his last 5 games (Leeds, Halifax, Manly, Manly GF & Parra) have been well below par and doesn’t warrant a $400k per year contract!  Lets save some coin for players like Slater, Cronk, Dallas, Hoffman and by the looks of things Manu & Chambers.

Spot on

[nacho]

hes only as good as the people around him. brisbane is a bad mood but as said before, ive had enough. let him go, sure hes good but we have players with real loyalty. not some punk teenager who cant handle a JOB

[Cronk7]

hes only as good as the people around him. brisbane is a bad mood but as said before, ive had enough. let him go, sure hes good but we have players with real loyalty. not some punk teenager who cant handle a JOB

Thats it.
Only thing that pisses me off if he goes is that the Storm have spent the past 4-5 years developing him and if he goes thats alot of time and money walking out the door.No business/company likes having to absorb costs and losses like that.

[Super Cronk]

woah...theres no direct quote form izzy saying he is leaving. he has two games (in england) where he doesnt set the world on fire and now its, well who cares let him go? pffft. no player is perfect ffs.

i would love for him to stay, if he has his mind set then so be it...what can we do...but we should still support him while he is at the storm.

[Super Cronk]

Waldron 'very hopeful' that Folau will re-sign with Storm- foxsports.com.au

MELBOURNE Storm chief executive Brian Waldron will move quickly this week to re-start efforts to retain highly sought teenager Israel Folau after talks with this management were put on hold during the club's unsuccessful World Club Challenge campaign.

Folau is out of contract this year and is one of the National Rugby League's hottest properties after a spectacular rookie season in 2007.

His retention has become a priority for the Storm, with its round-one clash against the New Zealand Warriors at Telstra Dome on March 17.

But Waldron, who yesterday was on his way back from Britain, where he watched the Storm's 11-4 loss to Leeds, said he was not concerned about recent reports that up to nine clubs were after the blockbusting centre, despite acknowledging that the Storm would not be able to match some of the rival bids.

Waldron said he was "very hopeful" that the prospect of remaining at a successful club would be enough to entice Folau to stay with the NRL premier.

Waldron said the club would renew contacts this week with Folau's father, who has been in Tonga with relatives following a family death, and his manager, Isaac Moses, in the hope of having the situation finalised by the start of the season.

Waldron said there was no concern regarding how the public uncertainty about his future was affecting the 18-year-old.

[Tigger]

I agree SC, why do people persist in putting the cart before the horse??
Izzy hasn't signed with anyone yet!
If he stays with Storm - GREAT!
If not - let it go...
Hopefully he'll do the right thing my Storm and stay but if not - it's not gunna be the end of the world and we'll get over it.
As long as this doesn't drag out all bloody year I'll be happy. 

[steaming stormer]

woah...theres no direct quote form izzy saying he is leaving. he has two games (in england) where he doesnt set the world on fire and now its, well who cares let him go? pffft. no player is perfect ffs.

i would love for him to stay, if he has his mind set then so be it...what can we do...but we should still support him while he is at the storm.

exactly - and the ball never went to that side of the field so a lot of him being mia was out of his control.  What he needs to learn is to come looking for the ball when it is quiet on his side of the field, but he is an 18 year old just starting his second year!  Until the quote comes from him, i've no issues.  The positive is the line that it should be sorted by the start of the year so hopefully won't drag out.
Not sure if this format is better than the june 30 date.  In fact, I'm almost certain it's worse!

[Bourbon Rat]

Not sure if this format is better than the june 30 date.  In fact, I'm almost certain it's worse!

The only solution is a player draft & I don't think the players,(or their %#@*! agents) want that.

I'm ignoring all the media crap until I see ** --------- has signed a contract with the _ + _ + _

Just remember very few Stormers went on to bigger & better things after they left 

[Brownzay]

I know izzy, cameron smith bellyache etc are FROM queensland, but whenever someone is out of contract why is it always "the broncos will sign them" ?.
I know they lost afew players last year and will haev a bit of cap room, but not enough to snare the worlds best player, the best coach in nrl atm and the best rookie .. thats about 1 million dollars straight up.
which club do you think would have the most room in the cap right now? roosters should be WAY over, stealing bulldogs players every year and all

[TC]

I am well and truly over this shit.

Buzz can overule me if he wants, but for now I'm going to start locking these threads (no offense storm_rhinos).

I've started a thread called "Who the media reckons is going next".
Hopefully we can ignore some of this sensationalist journalism. For gods sake, that article couldn't even get a quote from his manager.