- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
“For the first time, a player dictated entirely to not just one sporting code, but two. For the first time, they bowed… He forced them to a place where, when all is said and done, star power eclipses everything.”
Over the course of Sonny Ball Paul Kent goes about trying to prove this point with stories he gained through interviews, ‘off the record’ conversations and his network from 25 years of covering sport.
Before I go into the review of Sonny Ball, a little background info.
The relationship between the Daily Telegraph – for whom Kent works – and the Sonny Bill Williams camp has almost always been strained. The SBW Camp believe the Telegraph took the Bulldogs’ side when SBW walked out on his contract in 2008.
Kent has never shied away from this, as highlighted some years ago on Fox Sports when Kent declared that he didn’t “worship at the ‘House of Sonny'”.
So when the publishers asked him to write the book, Kent told them he was the “last person you would want to write a book” about SBW.
With that minor detail sorted, Sonny Ball had an author.
The book starts off on the night Williams walked out – Kent presents his version of the lead-up and aftermath, then spends time on stories of SBW’s time at the Bulldogs, both his early years and those spent in first grade.
Easy on the eye, able to dominate a game with power, speed and skill, or completely turn it on its head with an unbelievable play, Williams was appealing to the fans. But he was also very aggressive, never shirked the rough stuff, and thrived on physical confrontation. This rare combination made him someone every player wanted to play with, and also, eventually, into a superstar.
The story continues with SBW’s rugby career in France, his time with the All Blacks, and his return to the NRL. Williams’ foray into the world of boxing, the dropping of Tohu Harris from the Kiwis, and the effect his code-hopping had on administrators and other superstars like Jarryd Hayne and Sam Burgess is also covered.
Kent’s background in boxing gives him some authority when offering his take on SBW’s boxing career, and this part of the book would surprise most people, especially with its window into how Khoder Nasser operates. Kent also takes a balanced and respectful view on Anthony Mundine.
Then there are stories about how thoughtful, respectful and humble SBW is to others, particularly the elderly, which reveals a side at odds with how he can be presented in the media. It’s the little things that make the biggest difference.
Just as an aside, the fact that Kent was not allowed to use any images of SBW will hurt sales. Having full colour photos of SBW in action in the book and on the cover would have given it a better presence at bookstores and enhanced the stories. But with the book being unauthorised, gaining image rights would have been difficult.
I’ve always struggled to get my head around one of Kent’s arguments – that SBW somehow has this magnetic personality that makes the the top brass of both codes bend the rules just for him. I’ve seen almost every SBW interview and while he has got much better at handling this side of the game, there isn’t anything in there that makes you say to yourself, “Wow, that interview was awesome, give him whatever he wants!”
Kent line in the book is that while Williams’ personality in interviews may be bland, the real story is the maelstrom (HT Billy Birmingham) around what he brings to the table on and off the field.
Overall, Kent presents a well-balanced argument for both sides, then leaves the reader to make up their own mind.
There are a lot of stories packed into the book, and some seem like they don’t belong, but from Kent’s perspective it all ties into the big picture.
Knowing Kent’s opinion of the SBW camp, I found it admirable that he almost reversed long-held beliefs in the face of contradicting evidence. Maybe he hasn’t changed his opinion, but the fact that he didn’t let it get in the way of his research is a credit to himself.
I really enjoyed this book. It gave me plenty of new things to think about regarding Sonny Bill Williams’ career, and would thoroughly recommend it to any sports fan.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.