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Thread: SBW fields staggering $9 million offer from Toronto Wolfpack

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    Immortal Contributor The InnFORCEr's Avatar
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    SBW fields staggering $9 million offer from Toronto Wolfpack

    Sonny Bill Williams is weighing up the richest contract in the history of either rugby code after a jaw-dropping offer to switch back to the 13-a-side game from Super League-bound club Toronto Wolfpack.

    Williams' tilt at another Rugby World Cup triumph with New Zealand was stopped in its tracks by Eddie Jones's England in Japan on Saturday and the 34-year-old is now preparing to turn out for the All Blacks in the tournament's third-place play-off against Wales.

    The former NRL premiership winner appeared set to hang up the boots this year but it has emerged the cross-code star has received contract offers in recent weeks which would top any pay packet he has earned throughout his 16-year career.

    The Wolfpack are prepared to pay Williams as much as $9 million over two years, according to a source with knowledge of the contract negotiation.

    If he puts pen to paper on the staggering deal, it would make him the highest paid player in the history of either code.

    Williams would be signed as a Super League marquee player and according to the rules of that competition only $300,000 of a marquee player's annual wage counts under the salary cap.

    The remainder does not count under the cap, allowing cashed-up clubs to pay big-name players exorbitant salaries.
    Williams has also received multi-year, multi-million dollar offers from overseas rugby clubs which would still make him one of the highest paid players in the history of either sport.

    The enormous sums being offered to Williams will blow any NRL suitors out of the water despite some clubs having registered interest in the All Blacks star in recent months.

    Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis met with Williams' agent, Khoder Nasser, earlier this month but the glamour club will not be able to compete with the money being thrown at the two-time NRL premiership winner.

    However, Politis is interested in bringing Williams back to the club in a coaching or other capacity once his playing days are finally behind him.

    The Wolfpack are funded by Australian mining billionaire David Argyle, who confirmed interest in bringing Williams to Toronto earlier this year.

    "We are working towards making Sonny Bill Williams a Wolfpack player for 2020. We would love to have him join the Wolfpack family and we will pay whatever it takes to make that happen," Argyle told Fox Sports in February.

    "The excitement he would bring to the sport of rugby league in this country would be incredible."
    Argyle compared the potential signing Williams to the move made by David Beckham to LA Galaxy from Real Madrid in 2007.

    "Having someone of his talent join the Wolfpack would greatly raise the profile of the club, but also help move the game forward globally," he said at the time.

    "Sonny is a phenomenal athlete. He is rugby’s LeBron James and we see his recruitment as bigger than when David Beckham joined LA Galaxy. He is box office and puts bums on seats."

    Williams is still in Japan with the All Blacks as they prepare to face Wales in Friday's third-place play-off in Tokyo.

    Outgoing All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has copped criticism from New Zealand media in the days after the loss to England for not starting Williams in the centres.

    Toronto will feature in the England-based Super League for the first time next year, having earned promotion by beating Featherstone Rovers in the Million Pound Game in Ontario earlier this month.

    The club only played their first professional match three years ago, with former Leeds coach Brian McDermott taking the reins and leading the club to Super League promotion in his first season in charge.

    https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/rugb...cid=spartandhp

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    Veteran chibi's Avatar
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    I have a friend with a bunch of Leyland P76s he could sell to Torontonians. 20 grand a piece! Don't miss out on this BARGAIN you damn canucks!

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    Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!

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    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
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    I reckon a bloke who looks after himself as well as SBW could easily play out 2 years in the Superleague. Be 36 by the end of 2021 - same as Jimmy Maloney for Catalans. Plenty of old farts in the Old Dart. The bloke running the Dingo Pack has been bankrolling it for three years already. I don't think 9 mil is a problem for him - an investment in a higher profile. Be interested to see if Superleague are as flexible with fixturing as the RFL has been so far.

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    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
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    ....reportedly signed - $5 mill a year for 2 years. Nice work if you can get it.

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    Bloody Mungos

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    Legend Contributor Alison's Avatar
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    I read today that they are after Manu Tuilagi as well!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alison View Post
    I read today that they are after Manu Tuilagi as well!!
    He re-signed with Leicester in March apparently. They'll have to buy his contract out if they want him.

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    Surely Tuilagi won’t go with the Lions tour coming up in two years time.

    Not sure about the Wolfpack lasting. Their costs will be far higher playing in the Super League. A number of their English players haven’t actually moved to Toronto. They are bunking in hostels.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bakkies View Post
    Surely Tuilagi won’t go with the Lions tour coming up in two years time.

    Not sure about the Wolfpack lasting. Their costs will be far higher playing in the Super League. A number of their English players haven’t actually moved to Toronto. They are bunking in hostels.
    None of their players have moved to Toronto. They are based in Manchester. They are a FIFO team and are really only a Toronto team in name.

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    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WCRugger View Post
    None of their players have moved to Toronto. They are based in Manchester. They are a FIFO team and are really only a Toronto team in name.
    This is true. But why, as Bakkies says, should anyone doubt a determined Aussie mining billionaire going the distance?

    Their crowd numbers in Toronto are pretty impressive, all things considered. Given the way the RFL has accommodated their fixtures, why would players live in Toronto? Does anyone expect the Valke players to uproot their families and move to Kuala Lumpur???

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    Immortal jargan83's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shasta View Post
    This is true. But why, as Bakkies says, should anyone doubt a determined Aussie mining billionaire going the distance?

    Their crowd numbers in Toronto are pretty impressive, all things considered. Given the way the RFL has accommodated their fixtures, why would players live in Toronto? Does anyone expect the Valke players to uproot their families and move to Kuala Lumpur???
    That's different

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    Player cedric rainwater's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shasta View Post
    This is true. But why, as Bakkies says, should anyone doubt a determined Aussie mining billionaire going the distance?

    Their crowd numbers in Toronto are pretty impressive, all things considered. Given the way the RFL has accommodated their fixtures, why would players live in Toronto? Does anyone expect the Valke players to uproot their families and move to Kuala Lumpur???
    they are based in MCR, but played their first 16 games in england(15 games) & france(1 game), and the final 8 games in toronto.
    averaged about 6,650 in a 9,600 stadium.
    the place was full for the championship playoff.

    the super league are not as accommodating with the fixtures, with home games spread all over the season in 2's & 3's.

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    cider my arse

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    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
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    the super league are not as accommodating with the fixtures, with home games spread all over the season in 2's & 3's.
    Those Lancashire millionaire owners are not going to take livhtly a cashed-up Aussie crashing their party. They strongarmed the RFL into torpedoing the Super 8's in an effort to keep the Wolfpack at bay but in effect they made it easier for them - and Northern are still languishing in second division

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    Veteran Bakkies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shasta View Post
    This is true. But why, as Bakkies says, should anyone doubt a determined Aussie mining billionaire going the distance?

    Their crowd numbers in Toronto are pretty impressive, all things considered. Given the way the RFL has accommodated their fixtures, why would players live in Toronto? Does anyone expect the Valke players to uproot their families and move to Kuala Lumpur???
    I just can’t see it. League doesn’t have the junior players in Canada to develop local players who give a dam and a local connection that Fly In Fark Off can’t bring. You can’t compare the Wolfpack to the Valke. 9/10 month season with pre season training is a lot different to 8 games of GRR.

    They aren’t going to grow the game properly in Canada this way. Canada aren’t as strong as they used to be in Rugby but get good crowds for their tests and holding them in bigger venues. BC Place fills out for the 7s. They still produce players like Tyler Ardron, DTH, Mike James.

    A lot of Super League players from the north of England are mummy’s boys so they aren’t going to be in Toronto for long if they do move there. So many don’t last long out here or moving down the country to play Rugby. The Welsh are the same with club Rugby particularly those who go to France. They play like drains and are back home in a year or two.

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    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
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    I don't know whether the owner has intentions to grow the junior base to supplement the roster. Doesn't matter if the owner can afford the expenses. Look at the Storm. 22 years of financial losses, only produced one local first grader in all that time. But the most consistent winning franchise for 2 decades. Time will tell.

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