Sonny Bill

[wamberal]

A certain thing that was missing made its return to Rugby League. Money. Thx to the big TV sponsor deal they can fork out 4 million for him. Rugby clubs in Japan offered him around 1 million per year.

There are no guarantees that the next TV deal will be as big as the leaguies like to dream it will be. It might be, it might not.


By the way, where does the 4 million come from?

 

[spooony]

There are no guarantees that the next TV deal will be as big as the leaguies like to dream it will be. It might be, it might not.


By the way, where does the 4 million come from?

cash freed up from the retirements of fullback Anthony Minichiello and skipper Braith Anasta to fit Williams under the salary cap, which will be increased by 2013 anyway with the next television deal to provide a $1 billion-plus boost for clubs.

 

[louie]

The guy is more interested in making money then playing football. Up to this point he hasn't done that much of career in either game (he's 26). All talk and no go. Sad. could have been so much more if he was willing to work at it.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

The guy is more interested in making money then playing football. Up to this point he hasn't done that much of career in either game (he's 26). All talk and no go. Sad. could have been so much more if he was willing to work at it.

Really? Off the top of my head he's won:
Rugby World Cup Trophy
All Blacks Grand Slam Tour
Bledisloe Cup
European Challenge - runners up
Super Rugby Premiership - runners up
ITM Championship
NRL Grand Final Championship (and runners up in another)
Soon to be New Zealand Heavyweight Champion

He's already achieved a huge about (at 26). People dream of that kind of success.

 

[Ignoto]

Really? Off the top of my head he's won:
Rugby World Cup Trophy
All Blacks Grand Slam Tour
Bledisloe Cup
Super Rugby Premiership - runners up
ITM Championship
NRL Grand Final Championship (and runners up in another)
Soon to be New Zealand Heavyweight Champion

How much of his "success" in Union do you actually attribute to him and what he contributed?

He played bugger all in the Bledisloe or RWC and I'm afraid I can't comment on the ITM championship. Out of that list, the only constant game time he had in rugby was during the Super season where he had an ok season.

Brad Thorn on the other hand is a different story!

 

[Moses]

How much of his "success" in Union do you actually attribute to him and what he contributed?

Paul Collingwood MBE.

 

[waratahjesus]

Fantastic article in the Tele. David Gallop is demanding SBW promises him he won't break the contract before he signs off on it. Because we all know, he is less likely to break a verbal promise than a signed legal document

 

[louie]

Really? Off the top of my head he's won:
Rugby World Cup Trophy
All Blacks Grand Slam Tour
Bledisloe Cup
European Challenge - runners up
Super Rugby Premiership - runners up
ITM Championship
NRL Grand Final Championship (and runners up in another)
Soon to be New Zealand Heavyweight Champion

He's already achieved a huge about (at 26). People dream of that kind of success.

and he's contribution to that was very little. Very.

 

[Bullrush]

Fantastic article in the Tele. David Gallop is demanding SBW promises him he won't break the contract before he signs off on it. Because we all know, he is less likely to break a verbal promise than a signed legal document

This is just bullshit. He's done it once and whether you agree with him or not, he felt justified in walking out on the Bulldogs. He has honoured all other contracts.

On the flip side, you have that role model, Todd Carney, still picking up contracts. The Sharks are his 3rd club now? I know who I'd be more worried about.....

 

[young gun]

The NZRU owe Sonny Bill an enormous debt - especially for his contribution to the RWC win. Whether justified or not, his presence was sufficent to scare Nonu into pulling his finger out and playing to his ability - unfortunately ....

 

[Slim 293]

cash freed up from the retirements of fullback Anthony Minichiello and skipper Braith Anasta to fit Williams under the salary cap, which will be increased by 2013 anyway with the next television deal to provide a $1 billion-plus boost for clubs.

We'll see if the figure amounts to anywhere near that...

 

[waratahjesus]

Does anyone find it odd, that a guy, under a management that instructs all his clients to sign short term contracts, suddenly wants to sign something for five yearsl it seems a bit far fetched for me. Especially if he wins his title fight, if mundine can make 11 million from his career, surely 800 grand a year wouldn't be that far fetched for SBW if he becomes NZ heavyweight champ and moves on to better fighters.

 

[Schadenfreude]

If I were SBW I'd get out of Rugby before I got Wendelled.

 

[sudrugby]

As League is not showed in France I'm pretty happy to see him moving back to NRL.
I won't be forced to see his face again. I really can't stand the guy.
And not seeing him back in Top 14 is also a huge satisfaction.

 

[Jethro Tah]

As League is not showed in France I'm pretty happy to see him moving back to NRL.
I won't be forced to see his face again. I really can't stand the guy.
And not seeing him back in Top 14 is also a huge satisfaction.

How come? Is there anything that he said or did over here to make you say that? Just interested is all.

 

[Karl]

I have never seen SBW behave in a way that I thought was "wankerish" on the field. He had a few minor scandals (a low grade DUI that would not have even been a DUI in Canada, the USA, New Zealand, Singapore etc), one incident of girlfriend infidelity that was only made public because some tool stuck a camera phone under a toilet door, and peeing on a wall in an alley near a nightclub, like none of us have ever done that). Compared to others who seem to enjoy better public opinion despite serious off the field incidents in terms of drunkenness, defecating in Hotel hallways, group sex and sexual assault, assaulting girlfriends/cab drivers/pub patrons etc or doing drugs, he is relatively well behaved in my view and these incidents would not warrant mention in the lives of any ordinary citizen. He isn't a dirty player. He's obviously talented and apart from having a dick for a manager and having had one run-in over a contract (and there were in my view very much two sides to that story even if ultimately the law came down on the other one) he seems like a pretty inoffensive and hardworking player. I've never been able to understand the depth of antipathy some people display towards the guy.

 

[Dan54]

I not a huge SBW fan, but I don't think he done anything to upset us in rugby. I have to agree with WJ, I find it strange that he would sign a 5 year deal with Roosters when when his agent normally loves short term contracts. I thought by now we would all know how bad the press is at coming up with fantasy stories, I can't remember last time I have actually seen one of these scoops that I have been confident with. And if having a meeting wouldn't it be with someone still involved with club??

 

[waratahjesus]

Watching 9 news tonight, brilliant management, an exclusive with SBW on his future in league = a lady interviewing him while he trains for his boxing match, plugging the pay per view and him saying, he has talked to people but doesn't believe in limiting his options, so hasn't made any decision yet.

Whatever way you look at it, great work Khoder, genius.

 

[sudrugby]

How come? Is there anything that he said or did over here to make you say that? Just interested is all.

General behavior, his agent...
Also (not his fault) the way people react when he got the ball as if what he was doing was that impressive. I'm not impressed at all by him on the field, he got there thanks to his league reputation and not his union achievements, but that is quite common now.
And I'm fed up to see everyone trying to offload the ball to, most of the time, lose it! He set up an annoying trend.

 

[Bullrush]

General behavior, his agent...
Also (not his fault) the way people react when he got the ball as if what he was doing was that impressive. I'm not impressed at all by him on the field, he got there thanks to his league reputation and not his union achievements, but that is quite common now.
And I'm fed up to see everyone trying to offload the ball to, most of the time, lose it! He set up an annoying trend.

I'm sorry but this post says nothing but 'hater'.

1. General behaviour?!?! Like what?? Training hard? Playing rugby and boxing at the same time cos he can? What is 'general behaviour'? If you don't like what he did at the Bulldogs then so be it....but general behaviour?!?

2.ARe there any other professional rugby players who don't impress you? Or it's just SBW? Do they bring out as much hatred in you as SBW by their non-impressiveness?

3. No-one gets 'there' originally (where ever 'there' is) by their union achievements. Mostly, they get picked and selected for higher duties (I'm assuming that's what 'there' is) for their abilities, skills and even potential. SBW has all of that in spades. No-one in NZ really put their hand up and deserved to go the RWC more than SBW. Hell, you could argue that there were plenty of players at the 2011 RWC who were there thanks to their union achievements and really shouldn't have been. John Smit anyone?

4. How is SBW to blame for other players trying to off-load the ball and losing it? That's like blaming Johnny Wilkinson or Morne Steyn for other goal kickers who miss their penalty kicks.

Hate his agent if you want (who seems to be doing a fantastic job for SBW), hate how he walked out on the Doggies if that helps you justify it but the truth is this - SBW is a very, very good rugby player, a great athlete and any Top 14 team would take him in a heart-beat if they had even a whiff of a chance to get him.