Sonny Bill interviewed by Channel Nine. So what?

Yes we would,but there is much chance of that happening,as Jennifer hawkins knocking on my front door.

Neville Costigan,I believ James Segeyaro currently playing in the NRL are worthy of being classified as btter than average 1st graders.given regular competition they are as tough physically as the aussies and kiwis.What they lack is experience,technique and conditioning. They gave the Poms a scare in the RLWC game in Townsville.they have no fear and run like the wind.

SBW got Interviewed at the SOO. Why so precious? Would like to see Wally Lewis(the best) Interviewed at the RWC. Or Mal Meninga even.

Crosscoder, I can't argue with you on that. I'm actually agreeing with you. While that is the source of the angst many other media outlets have their own agendas. But at least we have common ground. On Hansen : Don't think she would be impressed with being mentioned in the same line as SBW. She'll say something like "I may be many things but I never have and never will be a turncoat !!"

True.

Damo. The only, repeat only reason SBW has drawn the anguish and criticism that he has,is because of the manner in which it was done. Between you me and the gatepost,his manager and Mundine must have done a little whispering in his ears.The guy is a nice ,respectable young man,but sometimes each and very one of us can do something that we regret later.In his case because of his profile and his popularity .it stood out like the proverbials.Influence of elders may well have played a part. If ch9 is so concerned about rugby league ,they would honour their contract re Friday nights in Melbourne.They(Gyngell in particular ) should also have rationalised,that SBW ATM whilst well known and popular with some,has cause angst to many rl followers including employees of his own station.If the station involved doesn't understand that,they know little about the very product thay are broadcasting. On ch9 having the RWC11 and paying for it,of course they are entitled to cross promote(why not use Quade Cooper),and conversely if they have any balls,they will cross promote the NRL (to which they hold the rights) during the world cup. Pauline Hanson analogy,may look like a footballer,but that is the only resemblance to the debate.

Crosscoder - Unfortunately Ch.9 is in the business of looking after Ch.9 not Rugby League. I can understand the annoyance of some League fans and I also understand your logic. Don't really agree with it but I understand it. The Ch.9 bosses would have known full well the reaction that would have happened when they invited their 'Special Guest'. And from Ch.9's view there is no downside for them. For some league diehards there definately was downside. Ch.9 loves SBW. The bosses there can't get enough of him. Why ?. Because he brings the most important thing to a media company..Public Attention (good or bad) Gus wrote an article on SBW years ago when he said that the Ch.9 Sports Boss said that SBW makes watching sport enjoyable even when there is no emotion involved. That was only taking his athletic skills into account. Combine that with the circus that seems to follow him all the time and you've got a ratings winner. Put it this way. SBW is the biggest defector at the moment and causes the biggest reaction. Ch.9 has the RWC rights. What better way to do a cross promo than use SBW. The upside far outweighs the downside. Ch.9 is only concern about league is how it affects them. Remember how Ch.9 kicked up a huge fuss about Ch.7 doing league shows ? Ch.7 couldn't use any of the footage but they were just going to have a panel style show. That would have been great for league (more coverage) but not for Ch.9 because the show would interfere with their interests. What can the slighted fans do ? Not much unfortunately. If they had heavyweights like Gus, Alan Jones and Hadley ripping into them over the airways or even an organised Anti SBW group, that may have done something and even then that result could have gone either way. Because Ch.9 may have taken the attitude that any news is good news. But really, who has that much anger and resentment in them. Its not like it was Pauline Hansen getting interviewed..

Any good RL players from PNG..I mean world class? Any RU players from PNG that are world class?

I disagree on him addressing fans and saying he's searching a new challenge. Be bloody honest and say "I have been offered a contract that I, myself personally, cannot refuse." That's honest, everyone knows that all players switch codes to gain a) more money and/or b) more attention. This crap about a new challenge never sits well with me, even when I was in primary school when Tuqiri left for Union and said that I knew it was about the money. Stop lying, it just makes fans dislike the player even more. Because, to the average fan they think "This man's not only a traitor, but a liar and a terrible one at that." No integrity in those two things.

And he is also playing against QLD a couple of days after SoO. It's ironic, may be he was trying to generate QLD fans to endear themselves to SBW and the Crusaders. In saying that, who cares, he left the game, Ch 9 is a terrible channel for sports and the quicker League leaves 9 the better. Union is his game now, but he still attends League matches, it shows you that he still enjoys the game. I attended every Broncos game last year (I'm in Uganda now so it's slightly impossible) and attended some of the Reds games. I still enjoy League more, but I understand the skill involved in both codes and I honour that. SBW leaving League was terrible at the time, but it rallied the Doggies together as a club (not necessarily as a team as they had a terrible season that year), but the club is the biggest outside of QLD and they have moved on to bigger and better things. Let him promote the RWC, while the WC is happening so is the RL finals, they may do some cross-promoting there. If they don't who cares, I know I will be watching the finals anyway (yes Uganda get's some RL on TV over here).

Record fox ratings....... enough said.

Damien. Of course it's not an issue in his new code. In all honesty why the hell would the SBW movement,be an issue in ru.They got him,via French ru,and he helped gets fans through the gate.He (a current ru player who dumped the code unceremoniously))was used as a promo tool in the rival code's biggest final SOO game.RU fans should be over the moon. It would be akin to Quade Cooper dumping the ARU via the back door to go to rl,and being used by ch9 to promote the 2015RWC.

Why shouldnt Channel 9 use a SOO game to promote the Rugby World Cup telecast. They'd be mugs if they didnt as the mojority of the audience for the telecast would have been watching the SOO. The League should not be too worried about it anyway. We know that Rugby has a burst of popularity every 4 years around World cup time. But it doesnt last.

LOL. That didn't sound good did it. Unfortunately alot got lost in translation because of his strong kiwi accent. Also everyone was still emotional about the whole saga. SBW included. You're right about the cash part. He's rolling in dough at the moment. Just abit of trivia : Did you know that Khodder Nasser doesn't have a contract with Mundine, SBW or Cooper. Its all a handshake deal. After all the work and abuse that Nasser cops to get SBW deals with Addidas, Boxing, NZRU and personal sponsorship SBW doesn't have to pay him a cent. By that I mean they have agreed on terms and thats all it is. Same deal with Mundine. No contract. Just a handshake. Nasser is so far from the typical agent its not funny. He doesn't wear suits or anything like that.He's meant to be pretty daggy most times. His cars pretty average. An old toyota corolla or something. No bling whatsoever. Just a modest house in the outder suburbs of Sydney. The most hi tech thing he has apparently is his BlackBerry. Thats it. Thats how the most notorious agent in Australian sport lives. Kinda weird huh ?

Interesting insight. I guess I may have to meet him if I'm to get an accurate picture. The last interview I saw of him, other than the origin half time one he carried on with danny weidler. He danced around like he thought he was Muhammad Ali and carried on like he thought he was a rapper. I already didnt like him and that just fuelled the hate. But I'm just a guy with a gripe. I'd love to be making the cash he is.

In workplaces today they have to give at least 2 weeks notice and SBW didn't he just left.

You're totally correct. LOL. "Money in his pocket". True. Just doesn't have that sort of appeal does he.

You're not wrong about the French Clubs. Just ask Daniel Herbert. As for Gasnier, Tuqiri, Rogers and Tahu. No dramas there as well. We'll just have to disagree on this 'Thief in the night" business. In a perfect world SBW would have gone through the right channels. But he didn't. In a perfect world SBW wouldn't have to worry about getting paid his worth as well. I suppose that goes for all of us. What I'm surprised is that Jamie Lyons who is an Origin level player refuses to play for NSW. BTW he also walked out on his team mates and took $100,000 that the Eels gave him on compassionate grounds but shoots off to St Helens becomes one of their Men of Steel (best players) then signs with Manly. Not only is that a one finger salute to the code thats also a one finger salute to State Of Origin..

I no when i write mate i will start doing it in a word document then i can fix the spelling and grammar, i will try and slow down and curb my enthusiasm for sports topics lol.

LOL. I meant "I'm mostly with you on this issue" What was that about coherent replies ?