Gutted Folau farewells Storm with heavy heart

AAP | 06/10/08 | 0

Test star Israel Folau would love one more NRL season with Melbourne.
   
But rest assured Brisbane fans - the teenage giant will definitely be a Bronco in 2009.
   
Folau's spectacular, but all too brief, time at the Storm came to a close with Sunday night's 40-0 grand final thrashing at the hands of Manly, the 19-year-old set to head `home' next year to a four-year deal with Brisbane.
   
But, oh how he would like one more opportunity to finish up in Melbourne a winner.
   
"I'd love to be here at least another year to try and help the boys out after what happened yesterday, but that's not to be," Folau said.
   
"I've just got to move on now and start a new chapter at a new club."
   
Folau was captured by television cameras sobbing on the field after the fulltime siren and the tears continued to flow once the players got back into the sheds.
   
The reason for the outpouring of emotion - the knowledge his last game for the Storm would go down in his mind as the club's most inept display.
   
"It was probably the worst performance in my two years at the club," Folau said today.
   
"As a team we played pretty well the whole year but it's pretty disappointing the way we finished off."
   
Folau won't get long to stew over the loss with his name sure to be one of the first read out tomorrow when selectors announce the Australian squad for the upcoming World Cup.
   
It will continue a marathon season for the youngster, who has already played 30 matches stretching back to the World Club Challenge loss to Leeds in February.
   
Storm coach Craig Bellamy hinted his players may have been running on tired legs last night, Folau admitting he was feeling the pinch.
   
"I got to say I was physically tired out there and also mentally," he said.
   
"It's been a big year for most of us boys at the club, it's the first time I've played Origin and also the Test match at the start of the year.
   
"There was a lot of footy I had to play and I think my body's still got to get used to the workload."

I've just got to move on now and start a new chapter at a new club Israel Folau