Israel Folau calls for meeting with ARL boss Peter V’landys

Israel Folau has requested a meeting with ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys as pursues a return to rugby league.

Israel Folau is keen for an NRL return despite clubs being wary of him

Israel Folau has formally requested a meeting with ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys as he pushes ahead with plans to return to the NRL.

The Australian understands that Folau’s legal team reached out to V’landys on behalf of the dual international, seemingly in the hope that they could sit down with the chair and receive some clarity around whether he would be allowed to make an NRL comeback.

It is understood V’landys and the ARL Commission would prefer to wait until a club comes forward to consider registering a contract for the 31-year-old, leaving his career in limbo unless he can find a suitor willing to take on his cause.

Folau’s future has been in the spotlight since it emerged that St George Illawarra and their coach Anthony Griffin were pushing for his return. The Dragons were in negotiations with Folau and the NRL for weeks, only to end the process when the backlash threatened sponsorship.

They also got the sense that they were being stonewalled by the NRL, although V’landys has been at pains to point out that Folau will be afforded due process and natural justice.

He repeated those comments when he appeared on SEN Radio on Monday, telling Andrew Voss that an application for Folau would be considered on its merits once a club came forward.

Therein lies the problem for Folau as he finds himself in a chicken-and-egg scenario. The NRL won’t consider an application for registration until a club comes forward with a contract. At the same time, Folau will struggle to attract concrete interest until the NRL indicates it would be willing to provide him with registration.

Hence his legal team’s desire to receive some clarity from V’landys and the commission. Folau has clearly decided to take matters into his own hands, an indication that he can see a path back into the NRL should he receive a green light from head office.

While the Dragons were in talks with the NRL, they never got to the point of attempting to register a contract. Their interest died a sudden and spectacular death and so apparently did Folau’s hopes of a return.

Aside from the outcry from sections of their supporter group, the Dragons were also dissuaded from pushing ahead by demands from Super League side Catalans for a transfer fee.

Folau has another year remaining on his deal with the French club, but has returned to Australia for personal reasons. Only a handful of clubs would have the salary cap room to pursue Folau, who was expected to receive upwards of $400,000 a season under the terms of the deal he negotiated with the Dragons.

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He may be left with little choice but to return overseas, although it has become clear he is intent on exhausting all avenues with the NRL before quitting on rugby league in this country.

While Folau continues to push for a return, his former club Melbourne is facing a huge fight to retain premiership-winning half Jahrome Hughes amid big-money interest from elsewhere.

Hughes is expected to hold further talks with the Storm this week as he weighs up whether to stay with the premiers or move at the end of the season — the Warriors are leading the chasing pack, although Cronulla have also expressed an interest.

The Sharks, however, are also juggling the future of half Shaun Johnson, who is returning from an achilles injury. Johnson’s name has appeared on the radar of rivals.

Brisbane were also linked with a move for Hughes, but it is understood that their interest waned as the price tag grew for the New Zealand international.

The Broncos instead have honed in on retaining young half Tom Dearden, who is off contract at the end of the season and regarded as a future superstar.