As many as six National Rugby League clubs are "believed to be circling" Israel Folau but their "ability to make a competitive offer that would tempt him to return to the sport could hinge on how badly his reputation has suffered in the wake of his anti-gay comments on social media," according to Brent Read of THE AUSTRALIAN. Folau has "flirted with a return to rugby league before." He is "back on the open market" and NRL clubs have once again "taken the bait" despite the "furore created by his recent proclamations on social media." Given the fallout from his meeting with Rugby Australia powerbrokers earlier this week, this "could be the best chance yet for rugby league to get its hands back on an athlete who played for both state and country as an 18-year-old." Any offer in rugby league for Folau is "likely to require third party deals to prop up what he could be paid under the salary cap." There would be opportunities within the game, most "obviously" with the NRL’s marquee sponsorship fund of A$1.5M ($1.1M). Folau "would be an ideal candidate to join the 32-man list," but the most he could earn from that "pot of gold" would be A$250,000 ($193,980) (THE AUSTRALIAN, 4/12).
