Focus: Folau's $4 million contract with Rugby Australia terminated.
Silver Ferns legend Maria Folau has blasted ARL Commission boss Peter V'landys amid the Manly pride jersey scandal following his comments backing the boycotting players for their stance.
Maria Folau stood by her husband Israel throughout his scandal which saw the three code star's Rugby Australia contract torn up in2019.
But she's claimed "hypocrisy" after V'landys slammed the door shut for an NRL return for her husband after his highly-publicised scandal.
Soon after he started his ARLC chairmanship in October 2019, V'landys slammed the door shut for an NRL return for the code-hopping star.
But after the Manly Pride jersey drama erupted, Mrs Folau took aim at V'landys' comments, backing the seven players boycotting Thursday night's game against the Roosters.
"The game prides itself on treating everyone as a human being, no matter what their race, colour or sexual orientation," he told 2GB. "We're all human beings at the end of the day.
"Rugby league is the greatest game for all. It's inclusive.
"But at the same time you have to respect people's religious beliefs and cultural beliefs. Those players are taking a stand and they've got every right to – they've got freedoms to do so."
The Manly pride jersey features three rainbow stripes and trim and will be worn as a one-off this week.
Manly stars Josh Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schuster, Haumole Olakau'atu, Tolutau Koula and Toafofoa Sipley were opposed to wearing the jersey due to their religious beliefs and stood down from the match.
The septet have since been asked not to attend the match for security reasons.
It sparked a widespread backlash over the past few days from rugby league circles including former players, current players. the openly gay Manly legend Ian Roberts, former English star Keegan Hirst, who came out while still playing, Roosters coach Trent Robinson as well as entertainers, other sports and social media stars.
Coach Des Hasler admitted to a "significant mistake" on the clubs' behalf and, despite reports of three of the players wavering on their stance, all seven players would be unavailable, naming a decimated squad for the match.
V'landys' history with Israel Folau
V'landys and the Folau's have had run ins in the past, after the freshly minted ARLC chairman claimed Israel's 2019 scandal was dangerous.
Folau was stood down stood down by RA after he posted an image on Instagram in 2019, saying "drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists idolaters" were going to hell.
He doubled down in several viral church sermons, slamming "heathens" who partake in Christmas and Easter-related customs that are done "in vain", and preaching bushfires and drought are God's punishment for same-sex marriage and abortion.
The story exploded and culminated in a December 2019 settlement in Folau's wrongful termination suit against RA.
However, in October 2019 when V'landys became the ARLC chairman, he shut the door on a Folau NRL comeback.
"The game is inclusive. Israel's comments are not inclusive," V'landys said. "When I was a kid and kids used to get bashed up because they were different, I used to go and defend them. And a lot of them, it's because their role models or their peers made them that way.
"I have no tolerance for people that put other people's lives (at risk) or (commit) violence. It's a big statement to make. With due respect to Israel, what he says, young kids listen to. He is a role model. They act on it. And when you're a kid at school and you get bashed up because you're different, I don't think that's a good thing."
After he was banished from Australian rugby union, Folau landed a contract with the UK Super League's Catalans Dragons before St George Illawarra teased a deal for the disgraced star, only withdrawing interest under the immense backlash.
V'landys also hit out in 2021 after the Christian Lobby backed Folau's NRL comeback.
"This Christian Lobby with their full-page ads basically are wasting their resources and money because there is no application," V'landys said at the time.
"There are a lot more things in life that they could be lobbying for, like [an end to] poverty and inequality and all those sort of things, rather than this."
Folau then attempted to comeback through the Clive Palmer-backed Southport Tigers but after one game, signed with Japanese rugby side NTT Communications.
Folau has since debuted for the Tongan national rugby team and revealed his interest in representing the nation at next years' Rugby World Cup.
He also admitted he had no regrets over his homophobic comments that ended his Australian rugby career.
