It's official, the AFL is Kidding!!

The AFL signed away Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folau as a publicity stunt – something they have basically admitted. The AFL justified their huge salaries by claiming the marketing value of these guys will outweigh the cost. So my question is this ... if the AFL want publicity, if they want marketing, why aren’t they looking at signing Jason Akermanis?

This guy Aker

NRL fans, Jason Akermanis is one of the most talented AFL players of the last decade. He is also the most outspoken man in the game. He is opinionated, candid and brutally honest with the ability to back things up on the field. Last week, ‘Aker’ was axed from his club side – the second time in the last four years.

The bottom line however is this – the man can damn well play the game and he puts bums on seats. He gets people talking, he has a huge media profile and generates interest wherever he goes. If the AFL wants publicity for their new sides, they should be looking at a guy like this rather than athletes who have never played the game.

The current plan

As we all know too well, the AFL signed Karmichael Hunt to be the face of the new Gold Coast franchise and Israel Folau to spearhead the Greater Western Sydney (GWS) team. Both are wonderful athletes and fine young men, but neither have huge media profiles or are proven on-field performers.

If GWS think Folau is going to generate headlines and interest with his words they will likely be sadly disappointed. Izzy is a wonderful guy but here in Brisbane, we hardly see him off field. He does not do a lot of media work but then again, the Broncos don’t need him to.

Hunt is a bit different with media work coming more naturally. I also think he is more likely to succeed at the sport.

But why take the risk with so many unknowns? Jason Akermanis is a proven performer, an AFL star, so why is the AFL happy to splurge millions on league guys when they have guaranteed publicity plus on-field success packaged and ready to go?

The fans

I’m sure I would not be the only rugby league fan puzzled by this. We see our superstars taken away, with money thrown at them, in what is effectively a glorified PR stunt. Stunts the AFL have never denied. Yet the chance comes for them to do something similar with their BIGGEST media personality, and not a whisper! Surely the AFL fans are a bit miffed as well.

I must point out, Akermanis was set to retire at the end of this season. That’s not the point though – the AFL have sort out our NRL stars for publicity at their new clubs. They threw huge money at our guys in a direct threat to rugby league.

Yet AFL turns its back on their own stars, arguably one of their bigger stars!! Someone who could, if given the option, assist a new franchise both on and off the field. If it’s got me puzzled, surely it has others from both codes equally bemused. I’m not saying Aker would even accept the offer, but if the AFL are serious about publicity they will consider it.

Otherwise, they’re just throwing their coins in a bold (yet hopeless) attempt at killing our code.

TIPPING
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Last Week – 5/8
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We’ll get back to regular NRL thoughts next week as the season really begins to pick up another gear on the road to the Grand Final. You can contact me directly (andrew.keyte@gmail.com) or at Twitter (@keyto316) and of course using the comments below.

Thanks for reading,
Keyto