Williams ditches Bulldogs

Bulldogs star walks out on contract to cross codes

By Jade Lauriston   Last updated: 28th July 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Williams ditches Bulldogs

Williams: Absconded

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Sonny Bill Williams has sparked controversy by walking out on his contract with the Canterbury Bulldogs.

The Australian Rugby League club are thought to be considering their legal options after the star forward reportedly left to play for French rugby union side Toulon.

His decision has shocked NRL officials and fans as he does not have a "get-out clause" in his contract.

The 22 year-old New Zealand back rower has reportedly flown to France to tie up the deal, which is rumoured to be worth $3,000,000 over two years.

Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg is believed to be seeking legal action over the matter, and is taking advice on how to best protect his club's big investment.

"I'm not looking to make contact with Sonny at the moment, I'm looking to make contact with my legal people to make sure we get the best advice possible and we form a strategy around protecting our investment," Greenberg told AAP.

"At the moment we're still looking at him coming back to honour the original concept, which is a five-year deal. Sonny Bill is in a contract, he has no get-out clause and he's basically walked out in the middle of a contract.

Commitment

"You need to explore all avenues; we just need to make sure we go through all the opportunities to this club and the game to make sure people are expected to honour the commitment that they've signed."

Toulon's president Mourad Boudjellal has denied any association with the Kiwi star, saying only that he spoke to Williams "some time ago" about a possible switch.

Greenberg is also angry at the lack of involvement from the International Rugby Board, he have apparently distanced themselves from the matter believing it is not their place to become involved. The IRB believe that this is a club matter, of which they have no say on.

"The club is entitled to take on whatever player they see fit," IRB spokeswoman Alison Hughes told The Daily Telegraph .

"Our jurisdiction is a player must make sure he is fit to play international rugby. The club contract is a very different animal."

Comments (10)

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Dylan Brooks says...

Hey, thats professional sport for ya. You want loyalty, honour, respect, News flash, not in the modern era of professional sport..Money talks....Sonny walks. Can anyone really blame the guy? Sure he may have gone about it the wrong way but would you, yourself, with potentially all the worries a Sonny Bill has in his many young years of wisdom not do the same?....

Posted 11:39 30th July 2008

Chris Baxter says...

michael h says rugby league should take a leaf out off unions book what offer a player that has never played the sport the second highest contract in the world mmm yeah good move

Posted 00:40 30th July 2008

Allan Thompson says...

The top players in RL will not keep putting thier body's on the line week after week for small saleries (compared to other sportspeople) the sallary cap needs looking at so the game can move forward , or the game will loose the best players .. Anyone earning 100k a year who then get's offered a wage of 500k will move.... Anyone would....... Wake up RL or the game will suffer.......

Posted 11:40 29th July 2008

Sonny Bill williams says...

S.B.W he will make a mean rugby player hes onyl 22!!! he will make the allblacks 150% and hope he duznt go to the bulldogs anymore they cant pay him what he is worth and they dont treat him well he has been foced to do shit he didnt want to!!! i hope he makes the allblacks 2011 world cup side and make us win the world cup trully star player and gifted aswell!

Posted 11:19 29th July 2008

Sonny G says...

S.B.W The next jona lomu my opinion hes gona make a mean rugby player and will 100 percent make the all blacks 2011 world cup team great move hope it works out for him!!! maybe not this year but next year as i want to see him play for the kiwis in the rugby league world cup hes the difference on wining and losing!!

Posted 11:09 29th July 2008

Michael H says...

Fantastic news in my book. SBW has been treated badly by the bulldogs over the years. I reckon he is going to become a massive Rugby Union Player and I really hope he makes it to the All Blacks. The NRL and Rugby League in general should stop their moaning and fix their sport. You only need to see how Rugby Legue heartlands in Sydney are being lost to the AFL to confirm this. Take a leaf out of Union's book, look after your fans, look after your players and watch your sport thrive.

Posted 09:06 29th July 2008

Richard Leadbeatter says...

A rugby league player has a short, brutal career which pays nowhere near the standard it deserves! So if the Gasniers and SBW's of the world want to make more money in Rah Rah then let them go, if thats what it take for the RFL and the NRL to change the rules on the salary cap and allow one "marquee" player per club who does not count towards the salary cap we would not lose these great rugby league players to the slow boring but money ridden other rugby!

Posted 07:33 29th July 2008

Lewis Gomersall says...

i hope he fails in union, as he won't be welcome back to league. enjoy your greed now 'money bill', as you will be working in a mcdonalds in 3 years.

Posted 20:35 28th July 2008

Mark Riddel says...

these players have short careers and have to look after them selfs and their familys! so to say he is a back stabber is out of order! although he should show more class about it after his comments about willie mason and wanting to be a spokesman for the poly cummunity etc!

Posted 13:21 28th July 2008

Adrian G says...

Sounds like a cop out from the IRB! Like Gasnier, it's all about the money...these players held their club to a king's ransom for long term deals and now they want "bigger" things that aren't necessarily better! Traitors to the sport and such back-stabbing deserves it's reward. I sincerely hope the Gasniers and SBWs of this world get their just desserts for their greed.

Posted 12:13 28th July 2008
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