Sonny Bill Williams defects to union - cont.

[Kryten]

Originally Posted by a-tech

what did people think of the footy show interview with SBW?

Seemed pretty angry thats for sure, and def a lot of blame getting slung about.

Haven't watched it yet, but it's online in two parts

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/league/footyshow/

[ZoSo]

Originally Posted by a-tech

what did people think of the footy show interview with SBW?

Seemed pretty angry thats for sure, and def a lot of blame getting slung about.

I still think he should have finished the season at least before bailing, but I can understand the situation he reckons he was in. Bad feeling kind of spiraling in the club environment, with the coach etc. Plus he's right really.. they market everything off him and he only gets 400k? Seems bollocks in todays game. Should get a bit extra on top for being a marquee player. Clubs have little loyalty these days.

[blynk]

I've settled a bit since my first reaction. But, I still think his manager is no good and agree that he should of stayed out the year. It was only 2 months away. I guess the problem with that is that Toulon would have already started their season and he may not have got in.

I see he has signed a 1 year deal, with the option for a second. I guess this has several purposes.
1 - He might not be trustworthy for longer deals
2 - He might suck
3 - (If Tana had anything to do with it) It may be so after a year he can move to NZ and play for a team, so the next season he could sign with the AB's and have a couple of years before the WC.

[badassmofo]

Is he quick enough to play centre?

[Kryten]

I do wish Mundine would fuck off now. Leave SBW with Tana as a mentor and he might come out of this ok.

[blynk]

He's going to need to be careful just ignoring the courts in Australia.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/...ectid=10525976
At least hire a lawyer to go along and argue something.

[Kryten]

The impotence of the Australian's to do *anything* about this is cracking me up. The more this goes on, the more the NRL look like chumps.

Not necessarily saying that this is a good thing, but I am laughing a little

[herp]

Originally Posted by untouchable

Cant wait to see SBW in an Auckland Blues jersey.

[herp]

Originally Posted by badassmofo

Is he quick enough to play centre?

You betcha. He's an absolute amazing talent. To see him in the All Blacks jersey in a couple of years would be an amazing sight to behold.

[QWERTY?]

haha yeh he's going to come back with all the other exports like mcallister, hayman etc

we'll have another log jam for positions come next world cup, but should make for an awesome super14/airnz that year with guys trying to justify spots.

[DeskJet]

I haven't followed much of this, but it seems money was a big concern of his. If so, why would he return to NZ to play ? Wouldn't he stay in Europe for more coin ? (in response to ppl saying he will return to play in NZ rugby and AB's)

[QWERTY?]

I think its a money and ego thing, and theres no salary cap in union, so he could play there for afew years, come back play for afew years then head back all the time earning more than he did playing league.

[_Incubus_]

What exactly do the NRL hope to achieve by this court action? Its not like hes going to turn up and play for the bulldogs ever again..

[ZoSo]

Marched off after 10 minutes heh
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/...ectid=10526103

[Ab]

Originally Posted by ZoSo

Marched off after 10 minutes heh
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/...ectid=10526103

Marched off FOR 10 minutes, not AFTER 10 minutes

Extreme lol at Toulon's response to the court proceedings:

The boss of Sonny Bill Williams' new French rugby union club has refused to acknowledge an Australian court order banning his star recruit from playing.

The runaway Canterbury Bulldogs star made his rugby union debut with Toulon in the south of France overnight in defiance of a NSW Supreme Court injunction issued just hours earlier.

Club president Mourad Boujellal said neither Toulon nor Williams had been issued with any documents in relation to the injunction and there were no plans to comply with the ban.

"I would only recognise a French court and I only take my orders from the International Rugby Board and the French Rugby Federation," Boujellal told reporters.

Translation: "Fuck off, convicts"

[ZoSo]

Could have sworn the radio said carded after 10 minutes, then not brought back on. Guess I should have fully read the article I linked

[TnT]

Originally Posted by Ab

Translation: "Fuck off, convicts"

Alternate Translation: Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time

[Haydos]

Worst they're going to be able to do is freeze any assets SBW has in Australia. They can't stop him from playing Rugby.

[blur^]

Originally Posted by ZoSo

Could have sworn the radio said carded after 10 minutes, then not brought back on. Guess I should have fully read the article I linked

lol did you see the hit on the news?
no no son, this aint league

beast tho

[ZoSo]

Yeah the comment from the guy he hit was pretty funny. Once he learns the rules he's gonna carve it up in France. Would be a walk in the park compared to the NRL.

[mr selfdestruct]

Originally Posted by QWERTY?

haha yeh he's going to come back with all the other exports like mcallister, hayman etc

we'll have another log jam for positions come next world cup, but should make for an awesome super14/airnz that year with guys trying to justify spots.

Yeah dude log jammed to hell, will be interesting to see who will be the first overseas player to try and get back in NZ to play in 2010 to make themselves eligible for the 2011 cup.

Call about SBW and the moolah, would he even try and get a S14 under his belt in 2010 to crack the AB WC squad for 2011 if he's all about the money?

Cracking the AB WC squad is not easy, look at all the loyal NZ players that couldn't even crack it? You'd have to be MORE than special to make the squad if you're a league convert and only been playing in NZ for a season. SBW has his work cut out for him for sure.

[QWERTY?]

hes definately got the ability, and if he's got the commitment he'll easily get in there, ill be interested to see what position he'll settle into.

[mr selfdestruct]

How can you say he has the ability when he's played one professional game of rugby union in his whole life and got yellow carded for a shoulder charge? He will need to spend a lot of time understanding how union works and the rest of his time working on his discipline. His 'natural' ability we would hope would take care of itself. There is a lot more to rugby than that.

[ipee]

Best position for Sonny is definitely the 2nd-Five, Centre position purely because of his offloading abilities. The AB back three (Sivivatu, Rokocoko, Muliaina) would have a field day running off SBW's left or right.

[Kryten]

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news...307074665.html

Give it up, jeez.

[Ab]

This is fucking gold

[QWERTY?]

the video of his debut is on youtube

man did he clean that guy out with this shoulder, as soon as he did it you can see on his face he knew he'd fucked up

but then i guess he'd been playing league a week or two prior

[Ab]

Originally Posted by Ab

This is the thing that rugby league has feared for years (...)
And the NRL all of a sudden is shitting bricks. This actually going to court is the last thing it wants.

Surprise surprise, the Bulldogs have decided to "release" Sonny Bill

"We're not prepared to speculate on the details" (said Bulldogs chief exec Todd Greenberg).

"I don't see this as selling out whatsoever," Greenberg said.

WHATEVER BITCH, SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP LOL

And for extra added lulz:

It is also believed the Bulldogs and NRL are in dispute over spiralling legal fees, which are believed to be about $300,000.

"They will be large," Greenberg said. "The NRL promised at the start that they would cover the legal fees. We've been in discussion with Gallop about it."

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news...307232568.html

[Kryten]

"I don't see this as selling out whatsoever," Greenberg said.

Fail.

[blynk]

Don't they look like such a nice couple.

[mr selfdestruct]

GG Ab :P They had to make it look like they were at least putting up a little bit of a fight though eh?

[a-tech]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLOxt8Qevnc

SBW's debut union try in the premiership. Not the hardest try to score, but still, exciting stuff if he were to become an AB!

[badassmofo]

A copy of the match, if anyone has it, would be nice

[mr selfdestruct]

I watched the full replay of the match on the rugby channel. What a horrid first half, Toulon were completely asleep but as soon as the 2nd half kicked off they CARVED up. Collins had a massive game, busting people open left right and centre and forcing 2-3 tacklers to commit to him while he offloaded to players in space. I was most impressed at how Sonny Bill made no handling errors, did not turn the ball over in the tackle, was disciplined and actually played like a Rugby player. All I can say is he must be getting some mean coaching and can't have played League for long enough to shake it off for something new.

[mr selfdestruct]

And sorry I'm way too n00b to figure out how to capture Rugby Channel content.

[badassmofo]

Broken Leg

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/rugby/new...led-broken-leg

[p-b]

Soooooo

Benji Marshall?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4688863a1823.html

[blynk]

Homesick Sonny Bill ready to return to league - report

Well apparantly he is homesick and wants to go back to league.

[mr selfdestruct]

Originally Posted by mr selfdestruct

Yeah dude log jammed to hell, will be interesting to see who will be the first overseas player to try and get back in NZ to play in 2010 to make themselves eligible for the 2011 cup.

And the winner is.... DOUG HOWLETT! Good luck mate! You're going to need it!

[mr selfdestruct]

Originally Posted by blynk

Homesick Sonny Bill ready to return to league - report

Well apparantly he is homesick and wants to go back to league.

Interesting, will have to wait to hear SBW view before we start making assumptions, it's probably all lies.