Exclusive: Sonny Bill is in Singapore. What’s he up to?
Roar Pro
By The Roar, 27 Jul 2008 The Roar is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- Bulldogs, Roar, Sonny Bill Williams
Forget the news about Sonny Bill Williams jetting off to Toulon. A Roar spy has just sighted the rogue footballer in Singapore. Which begs the questions: has legal talk halted his plans? Or is he nutting out the deal half-way between Australia and France?
Our spy reported at 8pm Australian time, Sunday evening:
“I’m in Singapore for work at the moment and was wandering around the riverfront / central area and just saw Sonny Bill Williams walk into the Jumbo Seafood restaurant.”
“He was with another bloke and was walking around like a normal tourist. I had to do a double take but it was definitely him, tats and all. My bet is he’s meeting the deal makers half way to Europe. Either way I hope he goes to rugby.”
Williams, widely condemned by his club and the NRL for walking out on his 5 year contract with the Canterbury Bulldogs, has been reported to be on his way to France to begin negotations with Toulon.
The likelihood that some deal will be nutted out in Singapore, half-way between the two parties, makes sense.
Is the deal being nutted out in Singapore? Or has recent comments by Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg, backed by NRL CEO David Gallop, of a legal battle halted the kiwi’s plans mid-route?
Sonny Bill Williams timeline following the signing of a five-year deal in 2007:
March 2007 – Ends protracted negotiations by signing five-year deal with Bulldogs which is due to expire after the 2012 NRL season.
April 2007 – Involved in infamous toilet cubicle tryst with ironwoman Candice Falzon which is captured by another patron at the Clovelly Hotel.
June 2007 – Caught and fined by police for urinating on a wall in side street near a Cronulla nightclub. Admits to an alcohol problem.
March 2008 – Reportedly dumps long-time manager Gavin Orr to link up with Khoder Nasser.
March 2008 – Reveals he has lost respect for former teammate Willie Mason after Mason’s decision to quit the Bulldogs to join the Sydney Roosters. Williams claims Mason’s talk of loyalty had been a big factor in his decision to re-sign with the club the previous year.
May 1 2008 – Says he would seriously contemplate switching to rugby union and chase dual international status if the All Blacks offered him enough money.
May 18 2008 – Reportedly seeks a release from the Bulldogs, but the NRL club says he will be expected to see out the remaining years of his contract.
June 2008 – First sign of reports linking him with a move to Toulon, where former All Black Tana Umaga is the coach.
June 2008 – Khoder Nasser meets with Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg, accompanied by not Williams, but two boxers in his stable, Anthony Mundine and Soloman Haumono. The next day Williams declares he is happy to remain at the club.
July 26 2008 – Williams reportedly flees the country headed for France to take up a two-year deal worth an estimated $3 million to switch codes and play rugby union for Toulon in the French first division.
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El Capitan said | July 28th 2008 @ 8:23am | Report comment
I find it quite ironic that in the Centenary Year of RL, the game is loosing possibily two of its stars to Union. The exdous from 100yrs ago with Messanger and co, if now about to flow the other way.
LeftArmSpinner said | July 28th 2008 @ 9:41am | Report comment
Great article. particularly the concise factual summary. We amateurs dont have the time or the access to ths archival facts.
Also, great article on uncovering SBW’s whereabouts. I just hope he goes down to the East Coast for some chilli crabs, then follow it with some pepper crabs, drunken prawns and then a case of beer.
Did your snout check if he was carrying any illicit substances to ease his pain??? Lets hope he’s not that dumb!! The jury is out on that one, particularly in the light of your chronology.
How poignant would that conclusion be? 20 years in Changi and 15 cuts of the cane!!!
El capitan, very observant.
It is also ironic because the league players mentioned are aggrieved by the treatment that they are receiving from their masters.
The irony continues as it is once again, or should I say, it is always about money. 100 years ago, Rugby wouldn’t cover the players against the cost of injury. Today, League has not paid the players their market value. In Gasnier’s case, they (the paymaster/s) failed to honour their contract. In SBW’s case, they attempted to get him on the cheap: SBW for $450,000 per annum (flat for 5 years) in his prime. Please. Former Bulldogs overrated players Anasta and Mason and Ogre get that!
Rather than bleat about breaches of contract, The Bulldogs should have addressed the issue immediately that they saw the symptoms of dissatisfaction. They had the cash. Mason had just left.
Toady said | July 28th 2008 @ 11:58am | Report comment
Got to agree with LeftArmSpinner, if the NRL are in trouble then its not SBW;s bloody fault. Good luck to him, he’s jumped from a sinking ship!
Some say only 3 codes can operate nationally and this controversy indicates how vulnerable Rugby League is.
It’s been reported the NRL has only just put together a bunch of people to produce a long term strategy.
Too little too late? Time will tell. It’s clear that salary capping did not foresee market forces being exerted from outside the NRL domain. On the upside, if the NRL does fold, it may well see the revival of local /regional comps. I loved the days here in Brisbane when we were all divided by affiliation to particular R.L clubs. Perhaps one day Brisbane will become the Rugby League capital? Sydney has stuffed it all up big time.
jm said | July 28th 2008 @ 1:56pm | Report comment
well said today, salary cap is not enough in our days, good on Sonny cause in the end, its all about family and thats what sonny chose, i’m sure hes thought about it for a long time and hes finally made his decision, the NRL should move on, theres a lot more talent coming through the ranks, maybe they should concentrate on that and other youngsters dream of beign in the NRL, Sonny’s made his mind up and i back his decision, theres no point crying of it. MOVE NRL.
SBW fan said | July 28th 2008 @ 1:57pm | Report comment
The NRL are hypocrites, league has been buying rugby union players for years. Now things are moving the other way and suddenly they need help from the IRB? please.
If this was a huge surprise to the NRL, then they had there heads up there a***s, Sonny has repeatedly said he was unhappy with his contract and the NRL did nothing. Good on you Sonny, hope to see you in an all black jersey soon, kia kaha
LeftArmSpinner said | July 28th 2008 @ 3:12pm | Report comment
toady, I think it might get more difficult than that. You have inspired me to submit a strategy paper for the league on The Roar. watch this space.
Mel P said | July 29th 2008 @ 11:17pm | Report comment
I think we forget about his Maori background in what has happened with his public shaming on having to say he had an alcohol problem…. I think the club did not consider te cultural embarassment of shame that would come from something like this. Or the impact that this would have on him within his community.
I think he is making a stand against the continual stupidity of the club organisers… and the fact that he is in his early 20′s and forced to put up with the pressures of public life- I really dont blame him for wanting to start somewhere fresh.
I am praying and hoping that the NRL cannot stop him from taking up a new contract. This will teach the NRL to favour there players much more highly.