Sonny Bill Williams departure looking likely
May 23rd 2008 09:53
Sonny Bill Williams has a massive decision to make
The Kiwi with the charming smile and big shoulders is now approaching a massive decision in his young career.
Sonny Bill Williams looks increasingly likely to quit the Bulldogs, despite having four years left in a two million dollar contract.
In a interview with Rugby League personality Phil Gould on yesterday's Footy Show, the Bulldogs star has not ruled out the very real possibility of switching codes to play Rugby Union.
Williams has told Gould and respected rugby league journalist Danny Weidler that he is feeling unhappy with the Canterbury club.
Despite his luxurious contract with a club that fancies him the messiah, the Kiwi superstar thinks he has achieved everything Rugby League has to offer.
At just 24 yrs of age, Williams has won a grandfinal and played for the Kiwis in a winning tri-nations squad.
Although his allegiance to New Zealand has diminished his other desire to play Origin, Sonny Bill, in all reality has become a giant of our game.
Despite this being the centenary year of Rugby league in Australia, the game faces a challenging period with the poker tax scandal.
Chief executive of the NRL David Gallop confirmed the worst news possible this week when he said that he cannot guarantee most Sydney clubs surviving this major threat.
South's co-owner Peter Holmes a Court has also spoken, saying that he and Crowe's financial prowess will not be enough to potentially stop the Rabbitohs from falling into a black hole.
These are worrying times in a year that was mean't to be honouring the past with great football at present to inspire the future generation of superstars.
However, with this suffocating aura of money affecting players future commitments, the NRL is now in a huge spot of bother.
Sonny Bill Williams looks set to do the unthinkable by accepting as much as $800,000 dollars from French Rugby Union clubs to play in their league next year.
On yesterday's Footy Show, they displayed the comparisions of money given to players in the NRL compared to the French Rugby Union.
The average wage of a NRL player is $170,000 dollars while the top two or three players in the game command $600,000 a season.
This is a stark contrast to the power of French rugby, who's average wage for a player is a staggering $400,000 while the big guns can command anything around the 1.2 million mark plus packages.
In the end, this is the difference for a player of Williams's calibre to consider switching codes.
He said it himself last night. Money will always be a factor in a person's life because it is the only material on this planet that can keep you going in life. That's just the way it is.
If a man was working a fulltime job for $80,000 but was eventually offered a $200,000 job, which offer is he going to take.
Life at this very moment is all about security and consolidation. If Sonny Bill feels he must make a switch to Rugby Union to secure his family, than so be it.
It's his own life and the man is now grown up to make his own decisions.
Although his loss to our game will be huge, Williams individual needs are the core of what will be the toughest decision of his football career.
Personally for one reason or another, i just have the gut feeling that Williams will stay with the Bulldogs.
But if he doesn't i won't start hating the bloke for his backflip on rugby league.
It is soley his decision and i wish him all the best for the future.
What future it will be still remains a mystery.
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