Israel Folau fails to fire in park footy debut for Southport Tigers but happy to be playing again

He attracted plenty of attention but Israel Folau’s debut for Southport Tigers in the Gold Coast’s park competition on Saturday night proved an uninspiring disappointment.

Israel Folau made a mostly uninspiring return to Australian rugby league on the Gold Coast but denied his impending big-money move to Japan was playing on his mind.

Folau scored a try playing fullback for the Clive Palmer-backed Southport Tigers as they registered a much-needed 38-28 win against Runaway Bay in the Gold Coast’s park footy competition on Saturday night.

It was the controversial cross-code superstar’s first game of rugby league in Australia in more than a decade, and his first playing appearance on home soil since 2019.

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It was a far cry from the bright lights of Suncorp Stadium and 52,500 cheering on the former Queensland Origin superstar, with only about 600 spectators gathering at a frosty Owen Park.

Palmer is paying Folau around $20,000 per game to play for the Tigers and he spent close to $50,000 promoting his debut with a newspaper and radio advertising blitz.

Israel Folau scored a try but has comfortably contained by the opposition.

For a man that’s become a billionaire in the mining industry, this may not have been his greatest investment after Folau failed to set the competition alight and was outplayed by some of his amateur teammates.

Folau, 32, this week signed a mooted $1.8 million deal to play Japanese rugby from September and he must emerge unscathed from his two-month Southport cameo to fulfil that contract.

“It’s not playing on my head but when you play a contact sport you are open to those sorts of things (injuries),” Folau said.

“I’m just enjoying my footy and was happy to get through that one.

“The opportunity came to play with my brothers (John and Eni) and I knew I was never going to do that at this point in my career so I thought it was the best way to do that.

“I get to give a bit of exposure to community level football and give back to Southport and the Gold Coast competition.

Clive Palmer was on hand to watch the Israel Folau show.

“I’ve played at some amazing stadiums across the world but this is a totally different experience.

“This is what it’s all about, the grassroots. It brings me back to being a young kid and where it all started.”

Folau’s appearance in a third-tier competition was more about proving a point for Palmer than it was about the game.

Folau’s last playing appearance in Australia was for the NSW Waratahs in March 2019 before he was sacked by Rugby Australia due to controversial social media posts.

Palmer is a champion of free speech and believes Folau shouldn’t be barred from practising his profession because of religious views.

He took the Queensland Rugby League to the Supreme Court in a bid to have Folau cleared to play, which only happened after a $50,000 settlement was reached with French Super League club Catalans.

Runaway Bay kept a close eye on the former Wallabies star.

Folau’s last professional game of rugby league in Australia was for the Broncos in September 2010 before he embarked on a failed code-switch to the AFL’s GWS Giants.

He spent last year playing league for Catalans but looked lethargic and hesitant to get involved in this game.

The hecklers in the crowd - taking advantage of an overstocked can bar - were arguably more entertaining than Folau in the first half.

“Do something, Israel!” one yelled.

While his first carry was promising, and led to another Palmer project in Tony “T-Rex” Williams scoring a few plays later, Folau was mostly easily contained by his rivals.

He failed to make any genuine breaks carrying the ball and was hit late a few times, much to the enjoyment of Bay fans after the referee failed to penalise the tacklers.

It was a tough, uncompromising rugby league return for Israel Folau.

Folau produced one of his trademark leaps and went within a whisker of scoring, only for the referee to rule he was held up over the line.

“Go and look for the ball, Israel!” the heckler yelled in the second half.

Folau must have taken the advice as he carried three defenders across the line for his first try a few minutes later. That was his only real joy for the game.

“It was always going to be the case,” Folau said of his slow start.

“I had no expectations on myself. I just wanted to get on the field and get through the game.

“It’s always nice to get a meat pie (try). I was happy to blow the cobwebs out and get that game under my belt.

“The support has been amazing. There’s no expectation on myself to do anything special. I was just happy to get back on the field.”

And Palmer was happy he got to prove a point.