The Israel Folau saga

[Bandar]

Even the NRL don't want him.

I do find this very odd, there are people who are currently playing NRL who have been found guilty of multiple crimes and they have the audacity to come out and say he fails their 'character test'

I do believe RA have done the right thing but the NRL hypocrisy is astounding.

 

[fatprop]

Only if he doesn’t want to go to Europe.
If he signs for big bucks over there,what’s he going to sue them for?
If he hasn’t suffered a loss, there’s nothing to compensate.

New euro contracts don't kick off for months, plenty of time to drain the RA coffers first

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Folau arrived at RA HQ earlier this afternoon:

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/1...-first-public-appearance-since-sacking-notice

Also I now think I should've given Bible Studies more than two weeks before begging mum & dad to get me outta there, I've spent the last ~46 years believing that Christmas & Easter were the two things all the mainstream Christian churches more or less agreed on.

 

[Set piece magic]

He'd be mad to go down this road, though.

He's been kicked out of the game, a move that has been received positively by the majority of fans. Even the NRL don't want him.

So he thinks he can fight this and just walk back into the game? Don a gold jersey and head to the World Cup? Score tries and soak up standing ovations?

Nope. He's cooked. Yeah he might win a court case, but he's already lost in court of public opinion.

And by 'court of public opinion' I don't just mean a few woke Twitter commentators. All my mates think it was the right call too. People at the office agree with it. Blokes on the street.

Even if he wins his appeal, the Waratahs and Wallabies could surely just stand him down for the rest of the season on full pay.
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This is a good analysis

I agree with you on public opinion - most people are clearly supportive of the move

 

[sidelineview]

I’d like to think stamping out discrimination against minority groups is the evolution of acceptance rather then just been temporarily and culturally relative.

Does that include discrimination against anyone airing their religious views and for being unapologetic for voting No?

 

[Up the Guts]

I do find this very odd, there are people who are currently playing NRL who have been found guilty of multiple crimes and they have the audacity to come out and say he fails their 'character test'

I do believe RA have done the right thing but the NRL hypocrisy is astounding.

This is a pretty easy business decision for the NRL. Accept Folau, get even more tarnished, deny Folau, create positive publicity. They don't need Folau for the national side, as the Wallabies do, and he's unlikely to draw crowds to an extent he creates any meaningful revenue increase so there's no real upside to signing him.

 

[Adam84]

Yep, we should be celebrating how far we have come while appreciating a good part of the population isn't there yet (4.9 million of us voted against gay marriage) to that end shame & scorn will not be successful tools in shaping further change

We agree.. Folau attempting to shame and scorn won’t be a successful tool to shape and change homosexuals and drunks

 

[Up the Guts]

So if RA doesn't have to pay out Folau's contract what do they spend the money on? An NRL target like Crichton? Grassroots? Keeping current players in Aus or luring back some from overseas?

 

[Dctarget]

Does that include discrimination against anyone airing their religious views and for being unapologetic for voting No?

Dude, give it a break. Do you genuinely feel discriminated against because you voted no and are not guilty? Is your life marred by prejudice against you? Grow up.

 

[fatprop]

So if RA doesn't have to pay out Folau's contract what do they spend the money on? An NRL target like Crichton? Grassroots? Keeping current players in Aus or luring back some from overseas?

It goes to players pool, it is part of the players agreement

 

[Adam84]

Does that include discrimination against anyone airing their religious views and for being unapologetic for voting No?

Folau did vote no, and he was entitled to.
How does this comment relate too the post I made?

 

[jimmydubs]

Dude, give it a break. Do you genuinely feel discriminated against because you voted no and are not guilty? Is your life marred by prejudice against you? Grow up.

Same could be said for anyone offended by an instagram post.
Irony much?

 

[Braveheart81]

Yep.

They shot their mouths off prior to following their own processes. They haven't learned a thing. They have left themselves open to a potentially awful situation - again.

They are a less than optimal bunch of people.

I disagree. I think they did the right thing by making their position clear particularly when that position has broad public support.

Folau was always going to challenge it. He needs to at least indicate that he wants to stay to improve his legal chances of winning a good payout.

I agree with Barbarian that his position is pretty much untenable in terms of returning to play. I would still sue in that position though.

Rugby Australia is in a far better position publicly than any other option they could have taken in my opinion. It would do them no favours to not have at least won some public support and still have to pay him out.

 

[Up the Guts]

It goes to players pool, it is part of the players agreement

That's only in a direct sense, isn't it? There'd still be the savings that could be spent on other areas. E.g. you're now using Folau's proceeds to fund other players' contracts so you have more revenue to put into grassroots.

 

[fatprop]

I disagree. I think they did the right thing by making their position clear particularly when that position has broad public support.

Folau was always going to challenge it. He needs to at least indicate that he wants to stay to improve his legal chances of winning a good payout.

I agree with Barbarian that his position is pretty much untenable in terms of returning to play. I would still sue in that position though.

Rugby Australia is in a far better position publicly than any other option they could have taken in my opinion. It would do them no favours to not have at least won some public support and still have to pay him out.

Pretty sure the courts won't care about public opinion

 

[I like to watch]

New euro contracts don't kick off for months, plenty of time to drain the RA coffers first

I was responding to your post predicting SCs at 10 paces.
The court process is slow and torturous.
He’s more likely to be retired by the time a court determines the outcome

 

[jason08]

All he did was express his religious views. Views that are not extreme. Folau has been unfairly treated from all this and I hope common sense prevails.

 

[sidelineview]

Dude, give it a break. Do you genuinely feel discriminated against because you voted no and are not guilty? Is your life marred by prejudice against you? Grow up.

I was speaking in general terms, not personally.
You mentioned the evolution of acceptance. That should be inclusive shouldn't it?
RA openly supported the YES vote regarding the SSM issue while preaching inclusivity. They excluded the NO voters either purposely or inadvertently.
To be truly inclusive they should have remained nuetral.

They did appease Qantas though.

 

[barbarian]

Rugby Australia is in a far better position publicly than any other option they could have taken in my opinion. It would do them no favours to not have at least won some public support and still have to pay him out.

And it's not the same as the Beale/Paston saga, where the wider public weren't privy to the full facts of that case.

Beale could present his side of the story (whether it was valid or not) and create enough confusion in the minds of the public that many gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Whether or not he deserved to be sacked isn't really relevant. It was just easier to win back the public than the Folau case, where it's all played out in a very public way.
.

 

[Ignoto]

I do believe RA have done the right thing but the NRL hypocrisy is astounding.

Why not jump on the easy PR bandwagon and say no thanks to him? Behind the scenes, I'm sure RA and the NRL have an mutual understanding not to sign each others wayward stars.