Both Hunt and Folau bring immense value to the new AFL clubs, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney, by way of their notoriety in the NRL, and their ethnic heritage. The two new AFL football clubs represent an aggressive expansion by the AFL into rugby league heartlands, and what better way to encourage children and teenagers into the sport then to poach much loved NRL stars?
The question will remain to be seen whether the estimated $3-6 million each year spent by the AFL on these two players is a wise investment or if the money could have been used more wisely to promote and expand the game.
The other attribute both players bring to the fold are their ethnic roots in New Zealand and the South Pacific (although Folau, whose parents are Tongan, was actually born in Minto, NSW). The New Zealand and South Pacific are both neighbouring regions which have been long neglected by the AFL and could open up a well of talent that could be tapped by the AFL for years to come. Similar to the way basketball has overcome cricket in the Caribbean.
Only time will tell if the strategy is successful.
NRL Round 13
Storm over Eels in Sydney
Tigers over Bulldogs
Panthers to beat the Knights
Roosters will dispose of the Sharks
Dragons to flog the Warriors in Auckland
Titans over the Raiders
Manly at home to beat the Broncos
Souths to beat the hapless Cowboys.
This phenomena is precisely what occurred in the city of Corinth. The Apostle Paul came to that city, and found himself in the home of a man named Justus whose house was right next door to the Synagogue.
Now the Chief Ruler of the Synagogue, a man named Crispus, believed on the Lord and the text in Acts 18 verse 8 says that as result, "many of the Corinthians hearing believed".
Perhaps the AFL people involved in the signing of Hunt and Folau are readers of the New Testament.