Israel Folau

At 35 years old, Israel Folau has this physical status:

Israel Folau (Tongan: Isileli Folau, born 3 April 1989) is a former Australian professional rugby league footballer.

He was a rugby union player who most recently competed for the New South Wales Waratahs in Super Rugby.

He has participated in rugby league and Australian rules football.

In 2019, he became the first tries scored in Super Rugby history in the Melbourne Storm (NRL), where he set the record for most tries in a debut year.

He was with the Brisbane Broncos from 2009 to 2010.

Folau, whether playing as a wing or centre, represented Queensland in the State of Origin and Australia, becoming Australia's youngest player to play for both teams. Folau played for two seasons for the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League (AFL) in 2011.

Folau, a rugby union player, had to change codes again, this time for rugby union, and the Waratahs had a one-year deal.

In 2013, he made his international debut for Australia against the British & Irish Lions.

"Israel Folau Street" was named in his honour in a suburb of Goodna, Queensland, where Folau and his family came into conflict with Rugby Australia's administrators, and they ended his relationship in 2019.

Folau opened trials in the Fair Work Commission but was unable to find an understanding with Rugby Australia; he continued in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia; a confidential agreement between the two parties was signed on December 4, 2019.

Early life

Folau was born in Minto, New South Wales, to Tongan parents, Eni and Amelia. He attended Lurnea Public School and Westfields Sports High School before his family migrated to Brisbane, Queensland, in 2004, after his father took up teaching there. Folau began his studies at Marsden State High School, Brisbane, Australia, where he was selected for the Queensland Schoolboys squad in the Australian Under-15 Championships and also represented the Australian Schoolboys team in 2006. Folau also played at the Goodna Eagles in Goodna for many seasons.

Folau was noticed by a Melbourne Storm scout and invited to play his junior football with the Storm's feeder club, the Norths Devils, at the time. He gained a premiership while playing for Norths and became the first Queensland Under-19 representative to play. He was 16 years old when he first started representing Queensland Under-19's. Folau was selected to compete with Wales, England, and France in 2006 while playing with the Queensland Schoolboys and the Devils in 2006, while at Marsden State High School, where his classmates were Chris Sandow and Antonio Winterstein, was selected to play in the Australian Schoolboys squad that toured Wales, England, and France. Folau was strong throughout the tour, representing Australia, and the Australian Secondary School Rugby Leagues (ASSRL) Award for the best back of the tournament was given to him at the end of the season. Melbourne gained confidence in Folau's return to the NRL after his years as a teenager.

Personal life

Folau has a sister and four brothers. He is John Folau's older brother, who also plays rugby union.

In October 2010, a suburb of Goodna, Queensland, where Folau played junior rugby league, "Israel Folau Street" was named in his honour.

Folau announced on October 23rd, 2016 that he would be playing for New Zealand netball player Maria Tuta'ia. On November 15, 2017, they were married outdoors on a private estate in Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales.

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Rugby league career

Folau was just 17 years old when he made his NRL debut in 2007. His mentor Craig Bellamy planned his arrival earlier this year, and he was recalled as a replacement for injured Steve Turner on the right wing. He appeared in the team's first match of the 2007 NRL season against the Wests Tigers, becoming the youngest player to play for the Storm. He made the match-winning attempt to help Melbourne defeat the Tigers 18–16 in his first game. Folau continued to play in every match of the season after such a good showing in his debut and an injury-free year, becoming the first Melbourne player to do so in 2007. Folau was brought into the center by coach Craig Bellamy, who was sensationally on the wing, where he would get more balls and more opportunities to score points from time to time. Folau ended the regular season with 21 attempts and 5 goals, totaling 94 points. With Matt Bowen of North Queensland, the equal top-try scorer for the 2007 regular season.

Folau's rookie season was a success for many club and NRL records, the most notable of which being teammate Billy Slater's highest number of attempts in a debut season (Slater scored 19 in 2003). Folau capped off a glorious first season in the NRL by winning the 2007 Dally M Rookie of the Year Award and being a part of the Melbourne Storm premiership team, which only lost three matches all year. This premiership was later suspended due to mass salary cap violation.

Folau was swapped in the Australian test team to face New Zealand on October 14th, 2007 after an ankle injury to Brisbane Broncos centre Justin Hodges. Folau's international debut made him the youngest Australian player to represent Australia at 18 years and 194 days old, smashing 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 58–0 victory over New Zealand.

Folau, the Melbourne and New South Wales representative, announced that he would be leaving the Storm to play with the Warrington Wolves in the Super League, and Melbourne filled the void in 2008. Folau was selected on the wing in the starting squad for the second time in the Centenary Australia vs. New Zealand match, winning 28-12. Folau was then selected in the starting squad of the Queensland State of Origin Team for game I of the 2008 series. Folau made his ANZ Stadium debut at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on May 21, 2008. Folau scored a try on her debut in the final minutes of the game, but Queensland lost 18–10 to New South Wales. Folau stayed in place for game II at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Folau scored in the 30-point victory over the Blues by scoring one of the Maroons' four tries, bringing the whole series together. Folau scored two leaping tries and was named Man of the Match in Queensland's 16–10 victory over NSW in game III.

Folau was once more honored at the prestigious Dally M Awards Night in 2008, winning the Dally M Centre of the Year award at the end of the year. Folau had been a member of Melbourne's second minor premiership in as many years with the Melbourne Storm, winning his second grand final, where they lost in a match between last year and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in a rematch of last years final. Folau had signed with the Brisbane Broncos for the 2009 NRL season earlier this year, earlier this year away from the field. 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.

Folau was selected to compete for the Kangaroos in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup in October 2008. Folau scored two tries in Australia's thrilling opener against New Zealand but did not score another attempt in the series, despite starting with a 6-2 win over England and a 0 victory over Fiji in Australia's 52 – 0 win over Fiji. He appeared in his first World Cup Grand Final on November 22nd, primarily in Australia's centers. Folau's win over the World Cup will not add to his awards as Australia lost 34-20 to underdog New Zealand.

Folau was named Rookie of the Year by the Rugby League International Federation in 2008.

Folau was a big signing for the Broncos at the same time that many key players, as well as coach Wayne Bennett, all departed the team.

Folau made his Brisbane Broncos debut in round one of the 2009 season, scoring the team's first attempt against the North Queensland Cowboys. Folau opened the scoring in the Broncos' first home win over the Storm since 2005, soaring above his former teammates to take a shot. Folau's try-scoring feats continued on Tuesday, with a try-a-game in Round 10. In May, Brisbane Broncos Steve Renouf tied for the most tries in a single game for the Queensland club, aided by a big four-try haul against the Gold Coast Titans.

On the 8th of May 2009, he was selected for Australia in a one-off test match against New Zealand.

He was selected on the wing for the opening State of Origins match in April 2009 and was later selected in the preliminary 25-man squad to represent Queensland in the 2009 State of Origins collection. He also participated in Game 2 and scoring a try, but he missed Game 3 due to injury.

Despite signing a mid-year with a different code, AFL, Folau was selected and played in all three Origin games in 2010. He continued to have try-scoring form from 16 Brisbane Broncos games, but his rugby league career was shorter than anticipated, as the Brisbane Broncos failed to reach the finals series for the first time in over a decade. Folau was also refused to represent Australia in the Four Nations tournament and then disapproved by the Australian Rugby League to play for Tonga in a warm-up match against Samoa. He was barred from serving as a mentor for the Tongan team in a more volatile decision.

Folau signed a one-year contract with the Catalan Dragons in January 2020 to play in the league. Folau was released after only fifteen games for the Dragons and scoring five times. Folau had been expected to join the Southport Tigers in a brief period before being disallowed from participating in the Japan Rugby League One, but was refused to do so three days before being enrolled by the Queensland Rugby League (QRL).

Australian rules football career

Folau, a member of the Melbourne Rebels rugby union team in Super Rugby, had been linked to the Melbourne Broncos rugby union team in Super Rugby, and had also been linked with a move to the Greater Western Sydney Giants, an Australian Football League (AFL) team. Folau signed an extension AFL team Greater Western Sydney's deal, valuing the sport, rugby union, and Australian rules football to a three-way bidding war.

Folau began his playing career in the North East Australian Football League, with the Greater Western Sydney Giants as his Australian rules football team. Initially playing in defense and struggling to make a difference, it wasn't until GWS coach Kevin Sheedy pushed him into the forward line that his results increased, with four goals in a game against Queanbeyan Football Club.

Folau made his AFL debut in Round 1, 2012 against the Sydney Swans in the Greater Western Sydney Giants' first match in the competition.

Israel Folau was selected by the AFL as one of the AFL's Multicultural Ambassadors at the start of the season. "We're genuinely excited to provide ten players with the opportunity to be leaders in the community, promoting inclusion and diversity," then AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou said.

Folau resigned from playing AFL on-field at the end of the 2012 season, but he is also credited with helping establish the Giants in Western Sydney.

Rugby union career

Folau, who had changed professions again, was signed by the Sydney-based New South Wales Waratahs for the 2013 Super Rugby season, while still expressing his desire to play for Australia's national rugby team. It was also the first season for new coach Michael Cheika (who later coached Folau as Australia coach). Damien Hill, the Melbourne Rebels' coach, expressed doubt about how the Waratahs, or any other Super Rugby club could fit Folau under the salary cap. Several players and coaches have compared Folau's potential positive influence in rugby union to that of fellow league-turned-rugby player Sonny Bill Williams.

Folau, who spoke to his Waratahs pre-season camp in early 2013, said he was working both fullback and wing. Folau also expressed appreciation for his counsel and mentorship in relation to the switch between league and union, according to Folau. Folau scored two tries in a pre-season match against the Melbourne Rebels, one of Australia's conference rivals.

Folau's first Super Rugby appearance for New South Wales came against Queensland in the second round (23 February 2013) of the season at Lang Park, Brisbane. Folau's debut for the Waratahs came in the forty-seventh minute, and it was the first Waratahs attempt of the game. The Waratahs lost 25–17. Folau's first home appearance with the Waratahs came in the third round against the Melbourne Rebels. Despite Folau's scoring, the Waratahs won the match 31–26, with the Waratahs having to fight back a ten point deficit at halftime.

Folau had appeared in fourteen of the New South Wales Waratahs' first season, totaling fourteen of the sixteen games. Folau racked up eight tries and finished second overall for the season. Folau's efforts were not sufficient for New South Wales to finish in a finals position. The Waratahs placed third in the Australian conference and ninth overall (out of fifteen). In addition, the Waratahs had a balanced track of eight victories and eight losses, with a positive point difference of forty-five and five bonus points as well. Folau was named in the Australia squad against the British & Irish Lions, who were on tour of Australia in 2013.

In July 2015, he signed a July 2015 contract with NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes in the Japanese Top League. Folau, on the other hand, did not play for the club due to injury and the team's relegation to the Japanese second division.

Folau has been named the Rugby Australia John Eales Medal, the Wallabies' Player of the Year Award, three times in 2014, 2015, and 2017.

Folau had migrated back to play rugby union for Japanese club Shining Arcs Beijing-Bay Urayasu (formerly NTT Communications) on July 5th, 2021 Folau scored a double against Kobelco Kobe Steelers in round one of the 2022 Japan Rugby League One, in Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium on July 5th. The Shining Arcs defeated the Shining Arcs 23–24.

Folau made his international debut against the British & Irish Lions on the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia. Folau, who scored in the first game of the season, scored twice on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Queensland, scoring twice.

Folau's tenth attempt of the season came against Wales in the 2013 Fall Tour, tying Lote Tuqiri to equalize the number.

Folau is the fourth highest try scoring Australian international player behind Adam Ashley-Cooper, Chris Latham, and David Campese.

World Rugby marginalized players who had previously been playing for another union in 2021. The ruling will grant rugby union players, such as Israel Folau, the ability to join another union if they came from one union for a "stand-down period of three years." Folau's 'parental-link' eligibility, and the rule change, he will continue to represent Tonga from 2022 to 2020. Tonga's coach, Toutai Kefu, said of the decision: "We'd obviously be curious... We're not in a position to ignore players of Israel's calibre." We'd love him with open arms." Folau also expressed his enthusiasm for Tonga by a consice quip to Kefu: 'I'm keen to go.' The rule change would cause six or seven players to represent Tonga right away, as Folau.

Folau was expected to represent Tonga in the Pacific Nations Cup in 2022, which would also include Australia A. Following the announcement of a four-team Pacific Nations Cup in July 2022, including Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, and Australia A, Tonga's eligibility is set to be investigated by World Rugby, with the desire to bring the former Wallaby into the tournament. Folau, along with well-known former New Zealand internationals Charles Piutau, Malakai Fekitoa, and Augustine Pulu were selected for the Tonga squad for the Pacific Nations Cup in July.

Folau made his international debut for Tonga in the first round of the 2022 Pacific Nations Cup against hosts Fiji on July 20, 2022. Folau was suspended after about half an hour of play after suffering from a hamstring injury. Folau and Tonga were kept scoreless, losing 36–0.

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