Back off, NRL — Israel Folau is out of your league

The NRL thought they’d dodged a bullet when they warned off Israel Folau — until now. With Folau set to play for Tonga, the NRL will set an offensive precedent if they ban him from the field, writes Mike Colman.

Ever since Israel Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia he has been the elephant in the corner for the NRL.

With his announcement on Monday that he intends playing rugby league for Tonga next month, the elephant has come stampeding out of the corner, crashed through the boardroom wall and is chasing outgoing ARLC chairman Peter Beattie and his fellow directors down the street.

Back in June, following Folau’s dismissal by rugby bosses over what they claimed were homophobic online posts that breached his contract, Beattie made the statement that the former Storm and Broncos star would not be welcome back into the NRL.

Israel Folau has been the elephant in the corner for the NRL. Picture: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft

“We are an inclusive game with respect for all,” Beattie said at the time. “Israel has social media posts online that go against what our game stands for. As it stands, he will not be considered for registration.”

At the time there were questions over the legality of such a pre-emptive strike given that Folau had not been charged with breaking any state or federal laws, was contracted to another organisation at the time of the contentious posts, and had been an exemplary employee during his four years with the NRL.

Luckily for Beattie and the NRL their position was not tested either legally or in the court of public opinion — until now.

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Folau, a devout Christian who says he was simply referencing the Bible in his online posts, has been too busy preparing a multimillion-dollar wrongful dismissal suit against Rugby Australia to consider committing to a full NRL season.

But two matches for Tonga — one on October 28 against Great Britain and the other on November 2 against Australia — is a different matter.

One that drags Beattie and the NRL into a mess they thought they had avoided, because although the games in which Folau intends to play come under the jurisdiction of the Rugby League International Federation, Australia wields the most influence in that organisation.

Beattie is deputy chairman, with NRL CEO Todd Greenberg one of seven directors.

The others are Scottish-born chairman Graeme Thompson, New Zealanders Reon Edwards and Greg Peters, and Englishmen Ralph Rimmer and Nigel Wood.

Israel Folau has been busy preparing a multimillion-dollar wrongful dismissal suit against Rugby Australia. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

In announcing that he would be playing in the two matches, Folau and the Tongan National Rugby League stated that his involvement had been approved by the RLIF, a claim that Beattie denied.

“I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to represent God, my family, my heritage and the people of Tonga,” Folau said. “I am thankful that the RLIF have accepted my availability to play.”

But Beattie countered with: “As a current member and deputy chair of the RLIF board I can assure you that this has never been discussed or mentioned around the board table.”

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There is little doubt which way Beattie and Greenberg will vote when the question of Folau’s eligibility does come before the board but whether the non-Australian directors fall into step remains to be seen.

The importance of players with Polynesian heritage to the future of rugby league cannot be overstated, with official figures showing that 50 per cent of NRL players are of Islander descent.

Likewise the continued success of national teams from Tonga, Samoa and Fiji is vital to the international growth of the code.

For the powerful NRL, under the umbrella of the RLIF, to be seen as riding roughshod over Tonga on what many see as a test case of religious freedom, would be a public relations disaster in the volatile Pacific Islands rugby league community.

Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter Beattie has been backed into a corner with his comments on inclusivity. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty

No doubt it wouldn’t go down too well elsewhere either.

If the NRL can apply pressure to stop a banned Australian rugby union player from representing Tonga, what is to stop them preventing a banned English rugby union player from turning out for Lebanon or USA in the Rugby League World Cup?

Given the numbers of Folau supporters who would turn up at the games, and the amount of money that would bring into the coffers of the cash-strapped Tonga National Rugby League, voting to exclude him would not be a cut and dried decision.

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Especially when the validity of Folau’s dismissal is still to be determined by the courts.

As Rugby Australia found when they tore up Folau’s contract, the Australian Christian Lobby has the political influence and financial resources to come back hard when pushed.

Peter Beattie and the NRL might end up wishing they had not got involved with the elephant in the first place.

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