Israel Folau eyes rugby league return on the Gold Coast, Clive Palmer backs star’s comeback

Controversial cross-code star Israel Folau is set for a stunning return to rugby league on the Gold Coast after securing a lucrative deal funded by billionaire Clive Palmer.

Controversial cross-code star Israel Folau has formally applied to make a return to rugby league in Queensland in the first step towards a possible NRL comeback.

Folau has lodged an application to the Queensland Rugby League for registration in the local Gold Coast competition.

He has the backing of billionaire mining magnate and former politician Clive Palmer, who is a patron of the Southport Tigers and played on the wing in the early 1970s for the club.

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Folau will formally announce his plans at a press conference alongside Palmer in Brisbane on Friday. Palmer refused to comment on Thursday night, apart from saying that a possible Folau return to rugby league was “just what Australia needs”.

Palmer also took out a front-page ad in Friday’s Courier-Mail, simply stating “Let Israel Folau play football.”

Israel Folau wants to play for the Southport Tigers. Picture: George Wood/Getty Images

The QRL is yet to make a determination on Folau’s application and is facing a huge decision given how polarising a figure he is. Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 following a series of social media posts relating to same-sex relationships.

Folau has been living in Brisbane and is believed to be angling for a return to the NRL.

Earlier this year, St George Illawarra showed interest in signing Folau for the 2021 NRL season but went cold following a huge backlash.

The NRL has distanced itself from making a decision on whether it will allow Folau back into the game’s top competition, claiming it will only consider his registration if a club lodges a contract.

Last month, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said it was up to the QRL to decide whether Folau could play in their competitions.

“That’s not a matter for me to comment on, the QRL has an autonomous board and their own processes for registration,” he said. “I’m not going to comment on their decision on whether or not a club puts forward a registration for him to play.

“It’s not in our jurisdiction to do that (stop Folau). That’s a decision for whichever Queensland state cup club that puts forward a recommendation and for the QRL board to consider.”

Abdo’s comments sparked a war of words with QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher, who accused the NRL of handballing the Folau matter to Queensland officials.

Clive Palmer has thrown his support behind Israel Folau returning to rugby league.

“He said it’s up to the QRL, well it’s not up to us,” Hatcher said at the time.

“Israel Folau isn’t looking for pocket money to play Intrust Super Cup. If he were to be allowed back into playing the elite level of the game then that to me is an NRL issue. We look after Origin, not NRL club decisions.

“You would save yourself a lot of time or effort if the decision is made at the national level of the game because that’s where he will be targeting to play.

“It’s an absurd statement because I wouldn’t put my board through the pain of considering something that would have ramifications all the way up the game.

“Do you think if we suddenly included him to play for one of our clubs that it wouldn’t reverberate around society?

“There is no way he will sign up to play for an Intrust Super Cup club without any aspirations to play NRL.”

But it looks like the QRL will now have to make a decision given Folau is looking to play in an amateur competition, far removed from the NRL.

Israel Folau is one of the most divisive characters in Australian sport. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

It will be the first step towards a possible NRL comeback.

Folau, 32, is one of the most divisive characters in Australian sport.

He is undoubtedly one of the country’s greatest ever athletes, having played in the NRL, AFL, Super Rugby and for the Wallabies.

But his controversial views on same-sex relationships, and reluctance to be silenced, resulted in him being sacked by RA.

Folau successfully sued RA over his sacking and received a seven-figure payout and the Australian Christian Lobby has been campaigning for his return to the NRL.

Folau last played in the NRL for the Brisbane Broncos in 2010 before embarking on a code-switch to the AFL and then rugby union.

He left the NRL as one of the game’s top players, having made 91 appearances to go with eight State of Origin matches for Queensland and eight Tests for Australia.

Originally published as Israel Folau eyes rugby league return on the Gold Coast, Clive Palmer backs star’s comeback