The Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL club has posted 10,000 members despite having not played a single game – thanks mostly to the pulling power of former NRL star and marquee recruit, Israel Folau.
Giants CEO Dale Holmes told ThePublicApology that most of the credit belonged to Folau, adding that he was key to the team’s continued push into rugby league heartland.
“Once Izzy [Folau] joined, so did all his brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles – plus the guys down at his local Mormon church, they got in on it too,” he said.
“But I’d say Izzy’s direct relatives made up almost 100% of the new recruits.”
Holmes said he was unsure whether any of the new members were not actually related to Folau by blood.
“Any more on top of the extended Folau family is a bonus,” he added.
By Dave Edwards