KEVIN Sheedy has hit back at former Geelong star Cameron Mooney for his criticism of rugby league convert Israel Folau.
On Saturday afternoon, as Folau struggled in Greater Western Sydney's loss to Melbourne at Manuka Oval, Mooney told SEN listeners that "maybe Israel's not meant for our game" because he lacked game sense and had "no idea" where to run.
In the space of just 11 minutes late on Wednesday afternoon, Giants coach Sheedy fired off four tweets that favourably compared Folau's output in his first season with Mooney's in North Melbourne's premiership year of 1999.
"A little seagull dropped in with a few morsels re Cameron Mooney v Israel Folau. Had some interesting stats on Mooney's first year in AFL," Sheedy began.
"Mooney's average disposals in first year for NM in 1999 were 3.3 compared to Izzy 5.9 in his first year …
"Mooney had 29 hit-outs and took 14 marks in 1999. Izzy has had 61 hit-outs and taken 20 marks so far this year …
"All this in a side that has won two games as opposed to a premiership. By my calculations Izzy has had a better debut year than Mooney."
Mooney responded, tweeting: "Love that @Kevin_sheedy hit back. Be disappointed if didn't go into bat for his boy. But teaching him wrong in my opinion. That's my point …
"If interested I'd be playing izzy down back on good fwds. I know he would learn more by playing on them taking him to the ball showing him the right running patterns and the work rate he needs to play our game …
"Our games to hard to learn it at CHF with less than 2years experience where he has to make the play. Be better off being taken to the ball …"
