Wise words from cross-code football star Israel Folau

CROSS-CODE football star Israel Folau believes there is a rich pool of sporting talent in his home suburb of Minto.

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CROSS-CODE football star Israel Folau believes the rich pool of sporting talent in his home suburb of Minto doesn't end with Jarryd Hayne, Krisnan Inu and himself.

The 24-year-old NSW Waratahs full-back told the Macarthur Chronicle that Minto had plenty more gifted footballers to produce.

"An incredible amount of talent has come out of Minto and the area has produced a lot of guys who have played professional sport," he said.

"Looking at myself and my mates who all play first-grade footy now, I think you can see the benefits of identifying your talent in playing rugby league and working towards making it.

"There's a lot more guys coming through and I think it's important to continue to put programs in place in the Macarthur region to make the transition (into professional football) even easier than we had it."

The former Sarah Redfern Public School student said visiting his grandmother in Ingleburn brought back warm memories of playing touch football with Parramatta Eels star Jarryd Hayne and Canterbury Bulldogs talent Krisnan Inu.

"Driving past Minto, for me, is memories of going to primary school with Jarryd and Krisnan and playing touch footy with them at the fields after school," he said.

"It wasn't a big deal then but looking back it was probably important for our development to be around such talented blokes."

Folau said children in Minto should pursue their dreams.

"If kids coming out of the area want to be a football player or do well in school, they have to set goals and work hard towards it," he said.

"I'm pretty lucky to be able to live my dream and I'm sure plenty of kids in Minto can do the same."