The NRL has slammed the door shut on offering a career lifeline to under-fire crosscode star Israel Folau.
Folau is set to be sacked by the Australian Rugby Union after he doubled down on his comments that homosexuals were going to hell on Instagram.
But any hope of a return to the NRL, where he began his career, has evaporated after ARLC chairman Peter Beattie said the dual international failed the character test and they would not register a contract.
"Israel Folau fails the NRL's inclusiveness culture, which is a policy strongly supported by the ARLC," Beattie told AAP.
"The ARLC therefore would not support his registration to play NRL".
Folau played 91 matches for Melbourne and Brisbane as well as eight State of Origins and eight Tests before switching to the AFL and rugby union.
It was touted that North Queensland could be interested in his services after Ben Barba received a life ban and they missed out on Valentine Holmes, who's in the US pursuing his NFL dream.
But any hope of Folau returning to the game in which he made his name is now gone and his future now appears to lie in overseas rugby union.
Under NRL CEO Todd Greenberg, the game has been highly progressive, publicly supporting marriage equality.
He earned criticism from conservative commentators and politicians for hiring US rapper Macklemore to perform gay anthem 'Same Love' at the 2017 grand final.
And for the last five years the NRL has had a float in the Sydney Mardi Gras.
