Israel Folau Southport Tigers: Five things we learned from Izzy’s debut
A bigger Coast club has come calling for Israel Folau; Meet the fullback who gave away his jersey to Israel Folau; How many people attended debut and rival coach’s brutal sledge: 5 things we learned.
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Meet the fullback who gave away his jersey to Israel Folau; Higher honours beckon after Izzy’s debut; how many people attended debut and a rival coach’s brutal sledge.
Here are five things we learned from the sidelines of Israel Folau’s Rugby League Gold Coast A Grade debut for Southport Tigers at Owen Park on Saturday night.
TWEED KEEN ON IZZY
THEY can’t match his present salary but Tweed Seagulls captain Lamar Liolevave (pictured) laid out his hope that Folau would play for Tweed at the conclusion of the A Grade season.
“Hopefully,” he said.
“It’s definitely his choice. If he gets the call-up (to Tweed) he’d come. I definitely think he’d do a job for us.
“The boys would definitely accept him - he’s Israel Folau.”
CROWD CONTROL
TICKET sales to Southport v Runaway Bay indicate around 850 adults attended the match, with around 200 kids and assorted players, officials and media also in attendance.
It wasn’t the thousands expected but alcohol and food sales will make a major contribution to the club’s junior development fund, with Folau’s massive salary covered by sponsors Mineralogy.
COACH’S SLEDGE
RUNAWAY Bay coach Nick Gleeson (pictured) was underwhelmed by Israel Folau’s performance in his return to rugby league, despite scoring a try on debut.
“To be honest I didn’t think their big-name players were any better than ours,” he said.
“Folau had some great touches but if his name was Beau Courts you’re probably not talking about him.”
RED CARPET ROLLED OUT
THE fullback who made way for Folau’s return in the No.1 jersey, Kobi Annand (pictured), said giving up his position was an easy decision.
“To play with Izzy I’d happily give away my jersey for something like that,” he said.
“Just playing with him and T-Rex in the team, it’s taught us all a hell of a lot.”
Annand moved into the halves to accommodate Folau in the backline.
NOT UNSTOPPABLE
SOUTHPORT’s attack flourished with Israel Folau and Tony Williams (pictured), putting 38 points past Runaway Bay’s strong defence, but its defence will prove the club’s undoing unless rapid improvement can be made.
Despite missing almost an entire first-string team, Bay scored 28 points by stretching the Tigers from sideline to sideline will ease.
JEERS, CHEERS AND TRIES: FOLAU’S DEBUT FROM EVERY ANGLE
ISRAEL Folau admits he was just happy to “blow out the cobwebs” after the outspoken dual international made a winning start to Gold Coast footy.
The 32-year-old had a hand in everything, and scored one try himself, as second-last placed Southport sprung a shock 38-28 victory over Runaway Bay at Owen Park on Saturday night.
Folau had a legion of fans with banners in the crowd and after being narrowly denied a try early, found his way over in the second half for a near-perfect debut.
“It’s always good to get on the scoreboard but I was just happy to blow the cobwebs out,” he said after the match.
“The support has been amazing. I was just happy to get back on the field.
“I’m just enjoying playing my footy.”
When asked if he got the ball down, as many in the crowd thought, early in the game Folau said: “It was a fair call (being held up) - I didn’t get it down.”
FULL MATCH DETAILS BELOW
FULL TIME: That’s full time at Owen Park and Folau is victorious for the first time on Australian soil since 2019.
Southport win 38 to 28 against Runaway Bay.
79th MINUTE: In garbage time Runaway Bay continue to throw punches. Former RLGC A Grade MVP Jenan Wedderburn-Parrish scores a try to cut the Tigers’ lead to 38-20.
76th MINUTE: Former NRL player Tony Williams is down on the field receiving treatment for an injured leg. Gets up and plays on with strapping on his right ankle.
71st MINUTE: Folau makes his first error, firing a wild cutout pass over the heads of everybody and into the Southport grandstand. Little under 10 minutes remain.
70th MINUTE: Runaway Bay denied a try with a forward pass. The energy in the crowd is getting very flat indeed with a Southport win all but assured
68th MINUTE: Paul Pen Simona has his double and Runaway Bay are reeling as one-win Southport move ahead 38-16
62nd MINUTE: Former Indigenous All Stars booker Craig Garvey has scored a try on his Runaway Bay debut. It was a vital score to keep the Seagulls’ fading hopes of a comeback alive.
Southport lead 34-16 with 18 mins to play.
51st MINUTE: Folau has scored his first try for the Tigers!
Folau’s strength and pace were on display as he broke a first tackle and powered through a fractured defence to reach out and score in the 55th minute
46TH MINUTE: Southport go back to back in the blink of an eye, breaking out of their half through hooker Blake Scott for a 70 metre gallop ending with a swan dive between the posts. Successful conversion the score to 26-10.
45th MINUTE: Folau misses out on a try assist after springing into action on the right wing and nearly setting a teammate with a run into the corner. Runaway Bay give away a repeat set in repelling the danger and Southport roll back the the left, scoring through No.17 Paul Pen Simona.
Clive Palmer has emerged from his corporate box on the halfway point to mingle with punters out the front of the Southport Leagues Club.
39TH MINUTE: A group of around 30 fans have taken over the southern end of the ground with signs supporting Folau.
Members of the Australian Christian Lobby have travelled from as far as Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast to show their support for Folau’s footballing return.
The group of 30 have travelled as a group to NRL and community football matches with signs asking ‘Where’s Izzy?’
Tonight they’ve found him, back where they believe he belongs.
36TH MINUTE: Southport furious after Folau is tackled hard in the act of falling to the ground but the referee takes no action.
35TH MINUTE: Quick hands through the Runaway Bay backline sees the visitors cross for their second try on the left wing to centre Jordan Menzies.
Southport have been potent in attack but their defence has been beaten laterally far too easily through this first half.
Southport lead 16-10.
***
32ND MINUTE: Southport score through winger Jack Conlan, diving next to the left corner post. A penalty for stripping the ball against Tony Williams late in the set came back to haunt Bay as Southport - who have only won one game without Folau - take a 16-4 lead over the reigning premiers.
***
29TH MINUTE: Folau held up over the line! Izzy soared high above the defence to reclaim a bomb but couldn’t slip free of the defence to score
***
26TH MINUTE: Folau proving just as effective as a decoy. Flame-haired Southport lock Brock Hamill nearly burst through the defence as Bay swarmed Folau on a second man play.
***
24TH MINUTE: There’s a big crowd of Folau fans with the sign “Welcome back Folau”.
So far he’s helped second-last placed Southport to a 10-4 lead.
***
22ND MINUTE: Folau passes his first test under the high ball. Bay five-eight Alex Bishop put up a swirling bomb into the floodlights. Folau took it off balance and fell to the ground but regathered himself and made a handful of metres.
Southport survive another Bay raid. A few passes found the ground but eventually an outright drop handed possession back to the Tigers, 5m from their line.
Southport lead 10-4.
***
19TH MINUTE: Runaway Bay strike back, scoring on the right wing through Queille Murray. After building pressure on the Southport line some fine wide passing beat the sliding defence for Murray to dot down untouched, inside the right corner flag.
Colourful language from the Bay forwards… “F***ing bash. Just bash the c***.”
No prizes for guessing who they’ve set a target on.
***
14TH MINUTE: Tony Williams has his first Southport Tigers try! Southport have now scored on consecutive posessions. They lead 10-0 after only a few minutes. Southport still yet to kick
***
5TH MINUTE: ISRAEL Folau and fellow former NRL player Tony Williams featured heavily in the build up to Southport’s first try of the match.
It took three defenders to bring down Folau on his first touch while Williams’ physical carry set up the quick play that directly led to Jarrod Morfett’s opening try.
Earlier the crowd was still building at Owen Park as Israel Folau joined Southport teammates in heading on to the field for the Rugby League Gold Coast clash with Runaway Bay.
EARLIER
The Bulletin sports team will be live from Owen Park to bring you every angle of Israel Folau’s long-awaited debut for the Southport Tigers.
Tune in from 5pm for all the coverage.
60 CARTONS, 15 KEGS: SOUTHPORT BRACE FOR RECORD FOLAU CROWD
SOUTHPORT Tigers are bracing for a potential record-breaking crowd on Saturday evening when Israel Folau makes his long-awaited Rugby League Gold Coast debut.
The highest profile recruit in Gold Coast history, including professional teams the Suns and Titans, will don orange and black for the first time in a battle with reigning premiers Runaway Bay at Owen Park.
The game plans and battle lines have been drawn by both camps, including those off the field at Southport.
FOLAU: REAL REASON MY NRL DREAM HAS HIT A ‘DEAD END’
IZZY WOULD HAVE SAVED ORIGIN ANNIHILATION
Club treasurer, canteen and bar purchaser Gail Manning, 70, will feed and hydrate a hungry horde of spectators keen to catch a glimpse of Australia’s most controversial athlete in full flight.
In 41 years with the club Manning said she had never seen anything like it.
“The canteen was pretty full but we’ve doubled everything we had,” Manning said.
“That would be about 120 pies, 20 boxes of chips, lots of extra soft drinks, 150 hamburger buns.
“Some of the professional players, T-Rex (Tony Williams) and Jake Trindall, have been helping unload the alcohol since 7am on Friday.
“That’s about 60 cartons of Jim Beam and Jack Daniels and all the beer.
“We ordered in another seven kegs so we have about 15 kegs of beer.
“Apparently the crowd will be very big, we’re expecting at least a couple of thousand.
“I’ve been around for 41 years and this would have to be one of the biggest days in that time.
“It’s always been so low-key and now all of a sudden we’re in the middle of everything.”
Southport president Tim Mahoney said Covid-19 would not spoil the party at Owen Park.
“We have a Covid-safe plan which we’ve had since the start of restrictions,” Mahoney said.
“We’re able to have about 150 people in the Leagues Club (one person per four square metres) and deck and externally we have no real limit (one per two sqm).
“Everyone will have to wear masks at all times if they can’t socially distance and if eating or drinking people will have to be seats.”
Mahoney said security would be on-site to ensure precautions were being followed.
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