BF2S Forums Bye bye sonny... (Australia)

Daily Telegraph wrote:

BULLDOGS superstar Sonny Bill Williams dropped a bombshell on the NRL last night by fleeing the country to take up a reported $3m deal with French rugby union club Toulon.
Williams secretly left Australia without even informing the Bulldogs of his decision.

It is understood he is on the verge of signing a two-year deal to join Mark Gasnier in playing rugby in France.

Williams is under contract with the Bulldogs for another four years at $500,000 a season and his defection is sure to spark legal action.

Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg confirmed last night Williams had left the country

"I was told by his manager Khoder Nasser just before 6 o'clock,'' Greenberg said.

"In Khoder's words, he just said: 'Sonny's had enough'. I'm gobsmacked that someone would do this in a team sport. I've had QCs look at his contract and there is absolutely no get-out clause.


"I'm shocked that he's left because I saw him at Oatley at 7.30 this morning.

"We expected him to be there on Monday night to play against the Dragons.

We will take legal action against anyone who tries to induce him to breaking his contract. We are determined to see him honour his commitments to us.''

Williams was chosen in the Bulldogs team to play St George Illawarra on Monday night.

NRL boss David Gallop was also stunned when The Sunday Telegraph broke the news to him late yesterday.

"It is obviously unacceptable to walk out on a contract,'' an angry Gallop said.

"If he has personal issues we are happy to discuss them with him. But we will support the Bulldogs in any legal action to prevent him playing for anyone else other than the club he is contracted to. I am sure his team-mates and fans would like an explanation.''

Pierre Vandome, the French agent who brokered the European deals for Craig Gower and Luke Rooney, last night reported Toulon wanted to buy out the final four years of Williams' Bulldogs deal.

That would amount to $1.6million and then whatever new contract terms Toulon agree to pay Williams.

"I know Toulon is interested to buy Sonny Bill Williams, not just to put up the money, but to buy out his Bulldogs contract,'' Vandome said.

The Sunday Telegraph understands agent Greg Keenan contacted an NRL client from London to report negotiations were underway on a Williams deal.

Keenan recently brokered a contract for sacked Western Force halfback Matt Henjak to join the same French club.

Toulon were the French club competing for the signature of All Blacks five-eighth Dan Carter before he signed with Perpignan on a $1.5million deal for six months, starting in December.

"The rugby world here is so small you hear what is going on. I knew about Mark Gasnier, about Luke Rooney, about Craig Gower. The name now is Sonny Bill Williams,'' Vandome said.

"Recruitment is now finished for this season so definitely not this year, but I am listening to a Sonny Bill Williams rumour. There is talk about him for next year.

"The NRL need to be careful because with their salary cap they cannot compete with the big money over here. I think there will be an exodus over the next 12 to 18 months.''

The Bulldogs previously threatened to sue Williams for $3million if he walked away from his contract, which runs until the end of 2012.

"I had breakfast with Sonny last Wednesday and there was certainly nothing untoward mentioned,'' Greenberg said.

Test coach Ricky Stuart slammed Williams last night, saying: "It's a very greedy attitude when you've recently agreed to a four year deal.

"He's let down his teammates, the entire coaching staff who've worked so hard to keep him on the field and more importantly the loyal Bulldogs fans.

"I feel sorry for the Bulldogs club and the good people of the club that have worked so hard to get them back on track after a tough couple of years.''