whatever your own personal beliefs, the issue is to do with the fact that RL have sign a player that has been sacked by his own league.
Therefore this is an integrity issue for the game, as it could be viewed as opportunistic and lacking in moral consistency.
By sanctioning the signing the RFL has isolated itself and it could be argued has shown a lack of moral consistency with its fellow sports governing bodies.

And that position is regardless of the issues that caused the ban.

He’s not played league for ten years and not played anything for a year - if he tears it up on his first game it isn’t ‘good’ from a Rugby League perspective as it makes us look amateur.

Or people that dont like homophobic bigots.


YES I AM A CAS FAN. Yes some idiot cas fans abused Thomas in 2010, yes it was wrong and yes I can still be offended by homophobia. That doesn't make myself or the lady with the pride flag a hypocrite.

If he'd stayed in RL he'd be an immortal now.
The Melbourne "big 4" were Cam Smith, Billy Slater, Greg Inglis and Izzy Folau, with many thinking Folau was destined to be the best of them. AFL and Union gave him huge money, because he was worth it.
At his age, and with so long out of the game, he probably isn't going to reach his previous level, but this guy was a once in a generation talent in his prime.

Not doubting his talent - it was just a comment on people fishing for a reaction by hoping he had a brilliant first game. When the high bombs go up, more often than not he'll come down with the ball - it will be a nightmare to defend against.

Except it isn't - some people have values and integrity, and have a perfect right to question the inclusion of an unashamed homophobic bigot in RL.

Why does standing in solidarity with LGBTQ people make anyone a hypocrite or 'self-virtuous' - whatever that means?

Unfortunately, certain elements of the LGBTQ community have weaponised what were genuine issues into a 'you are either with us or against us' campaign. They are quickly and efficiently alienating themselves as all the pressure groups do, ie 'is it because I is black' as an example.

When will the woke right on brigade learn that no matter how justified your cause is you won't change peoples minds by telling them they are stupid and that they should shut up? All you do is alienate them and then you end up with Trump. Furthermore, they are right, who says your views (as an example) are indeed the righteous ones? You/me are no more morally or intellectually valid than they are, certainly not in their minds and it's an arrogant assumption that we are.

I don't agree with Mr Folau but that doesn't make him wrong, he might be right and his views may one day prevail, I doubt it and I hope not but frankly, I'm big enough and strong enough to accept his opinions. The problem with the left, liberal, woke whatever you want to call them, is that they will insist on taking the high ground and that pees people off. They seem to think it's there brief in life to guide and protect the rest of us like some self-appointed guardians of the galaxy. Who gave them that remit? I didn't, I wish they just shut up to be honest and let the rest of us look after ourselves.

Why not just accept the silly man's opinions and move on. What have you got to be afraid of unless you actually think you might burn in hell, in which case he's got you.

IMHO you're wrong on this one, bigots can play RL, they always have, I see no connection between the two. If Mr Folau went out and beat somebody up for being gay then I'd agree with you but for now its just hot air.

Israel Folau views you can't justify even if he's form a a traditional Christian upbringing. Catalans and Rfl have given them credibility by signing him I just think that's sad.

Equally, people who don't like the LGBTQ community have weaponised terms like 'woke' against them and have convinced normal people that the whole community are someohow all extremist nutters who want there to be 100 types of sexuality and gender. It is all divisive nonsense. All these labels like woke, snowflake, gammon, virtue signalling, etc are all intended to supress proper debate and make us thing we all hate each other. In reality, 99% of us are still reasonable people. Until I see otherwise, I'll consider a woman taking a rainbow flag to a rugby league game a reasonable person who just wanted to express her views.

Sums it all up perfectly for me.

Absolutely - as a player he will be an asset to the league - he was arguably a better union player than SBW. I don't agree with his views but then I don't agree with some on here doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to state them. In the Catalans team there are two players who verbally abused a young bar girl - which is worse?

Last two posts + fishermanscap, spot on. Gender issues are personal.

Can you all please stop talking sense before willzay stars calling you all homophobes

Being homosexual isn't a "gender issue"...

This

Ive not yet heard an answer to this, if it were black/white people someone was condemning to hell on a public forum would it still be an 'opinion' or racism?

or disabled people paying for actions in a former life?

Yeah Hoddle was a crackpot too. Or was it just an opinion that hes entitled to express?

What about aliens from Mars or Venus?
Surely Folau hates them and is just waiting for a chance to demonise them?
So many questions to be answered.
For instance, what are his views on Manly supporters? Although we all know they are going to hell, and everyone is OK with that.

Are they also groups of people that have been discriminated against?

and if not, why not?

so many questions when you are just wildly speculating on things that never happened.

what are you suggesting never happened?

Im asking if someone said 'black people will burn in hell' if thats racist? Not really a leap of the imagination is it considering the discrimination black people have faced throughout history. Personally im implying that homophobia is just as bad as racism, but then you knew that.

Some of those individuals with a black skin pigmentation who are grime 'artists' use homophobe lyrics.
It seems individuals with a black skin pigmentation also have prejudices - not just people of white colour.
Not only is Jamaica homophobic,but it seems many African countries are,also
[url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/11/first-men-go-on-trial-under-nigerias-anti-homosexuality-lawsSource[/url
If only journalists and the woke people could victimise one individual with publicity and wave rainbow coloured flags about it would really change things;immediately.
It seems the mental health of individual rugby league players isn't that important anymore...