Folau scuttles rumours he wants out of AFL - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Folau scuttles rumours he wants out of AFL

Wayne Heming 13/05/2011 06:01:20 PM Comments (0)

The AFL's million dollar investment Israel Folau has scuttled reports within his own code that he wants to return to rugby league.

Former premiership-winning player and coach David Parkin said he'd heard Folau had confided in "certain people" he no longer wanted to continue with his AFL odyssey.

"That's certainly not true," said the softly-spoken Folau on Friday in Brisbane.

"I'm here (AFL) now and I am certainly enjoying it.

"All the people on the outside can say what they like. I can't control that, but I'm fully committed for the next four years and I am loving it at the moment.

"I don't worry about it to be honest.

"I'm just trying to train hard and improve myself, develop the body of an AFL player and continue to learn to play that game."

While they were close mates playing rugby league for Brisbane and Queensland, Folau hadn't spoken much to Karmichael Hunt since they both switched.

"I've been watching his games closely and he's going pretty good," said Folau who'd shed six kilograms as part of his transition.

"He's one bloke I know who doesn't listen to the criticism he gets from the outside and he's going well."

Folau, who has found reading the play and being in the right position to get the ball hardest to learn, continues his development at Brisbane's Giffin Park on Saturday when the GWS Giants play a trial against the Lions reserve grade.

"I just have to be patient and that will come over time as I play more games," he said.

GWS assistant coach Craig Lambert felt Folau was making "unbelievable progress".

"He knows he's still got to improve a lot, but the way he supports our younger players, he's been enormous for us," said Lambert.

While Lambert was disappointed with Parkin's comments, he said Folau was a strong young man.

"He knows he's going to cop that most of his career," he said.

"I remember when Daniel Merrett arrived at Brisbane, with little experience at playing AFL, it took him five years before he was a consistent fullback.

"With Israel, we all want him to be this superstar straight away.

"It would be nice for everyone just to be patient."

Lambert admitted when he arrived at the Giants last November, Folau looked "big and awkward".

"His ability to work hard, to learn and to seek help - his development has been fantastic."

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