Sonny Bill Walks Out on Bulldogs
 

July 26, 2008

THERE are reports that Bulldogs star Sonny Bill Williams has walked out on the NRL club and is set for a big-money switch to rugby union.

Williams was named in the Bulldogs team to face St George-Illawarra on Monday night, but is believed to have left the country to sign with French rugby union side Toulon, the team coached by retired New Zealand rugby captain Tana Umaga.

Fox Sports commentators, Warren Smith and Greg Alexander, broke the news live on air prior to the Canberra-Gold Coast game.

Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg told ABC radio that Williams' manager Khoder Nasser had confirmed the star player's sudden departure.

"I've just got off the phone to Sonny's manager Khoder Nasser and he has confirmed to me that Sonny has left the country," Greenberg said.

"Quite simply, if Sonny intends to play overseas, we'll be looking to take out an injunction which will effectively stop him playing in France, England or anywhere else he intends to do it."

Asked whether the issue was likely to end up in the courts, Greenberg said: "I suggest at this early stage that you are probably right but we are going to have to review all our options to make sure that the Bulldogs are well covered."

Channel Nine reported that Williams walked out on his five-year deal with the Bulldogs to fly to France where he is to sign a deal with second division rugby union club Toulon - where former Australia rugby captain George Gregan has been playing.

The deal is reportedly worth $3 million over two years.

Williams had been signed to the Bulldogs until 2012 for an estimated $450,000 a year.

But the New Zealand international had been at loggerheads with the club for sometime, claiming he was worth more money.

He was also upset with what he perceived as excessive media scrutiny into his private life and at the urging of the club having to admit he had problems with alcohol last year.

His departure comes after St George Illawarra centre Mark Gasnier also signed a deal with Stade Francais worth an estimated $2 million over two years.

NRL Chief Executive, David Gallop, echoed Greenberg's disappointment in Williams's decision.

“It is unacceptable to walk out on a contract," he said.

"If Sonny Bill Williams has personal issues we will be happy to discuss them with him but we will support the Bulldogs in enforcing their contract and that includes preventing him from playing other than under that contract.

“Certainly the club, his teammates and the fans are entitled to some explanation for what has happened.”

great player but no one is to big for a club as its a team sport

Gallop Looks to union on Williams
 

July 27, 2008

DAVID Gallop has called for help from the International Rugby Board to quash Sonny Bill Williams' apparent bid to play rugby union in France, a move which would end his NRL career for good.

“If Sonny Bill were to play overseas, the door would be closed on him returning to the NRL at anytime in the future,” Gallop declared.

The NRL chief executive's stunning call for co-operation from a code which was subject to almost 100 years of rugby league raids on its player ranks comes as some legal advice suggested any attempt at an injunction to prevent Williams breaking his Bulldogs contract may not work.

Bulldogs teammates led by skipper Andrew Ryan expressed shock and dismay at Williams' unannounced walkout, while fans and officials voiced outrage.

The New Zealand international was believed to have flown to France on Saturday night to join cashed-up Toulon on a deal worth $3 million over two seasons, despite the newly-promoted French first division club denying signing him.

William's sensational exit had the NRL community reeling, coming less than a week after fellow league star Mark Gasnier announced he would join former Australia player Craig Gower in the French rugby ranks.

Gallop said the Bulldogs would have the NRL's full support in their fight to ensure Williams honoured the remaining four years of the five-season, $2.5 million contract he signed in March last year.

“We'll also be calling on the IRB to step in and get involved. This can't be good for either of the codes,” Gallop said.

“Contractual stability is important to both and, if they don't get involved, then they're condoning a form of international piracy.”

Gallop said Williams' actions seemed out of character for a player who'd been keen to promote himself as a role model for youngsters and fellow Polynesian players.

“He's obviously troubled,” Gallop said. “You don't just walk out without notice unless you're very troubled, in my view.”

In another twist, Khoder Nasser - the man some were blaming for Williams' departure - tonight denied he was the 22-year-old's manager despite having assisted him in recent months.

“I would like to make this point strongly. I am not authorised at any stage to speak on behalf of Sonny Bill Williams,” Nasser said.

The controversial agent also indicated there was more to the saga than met the eye.

“As a friend, I mean, what is done is done and we won't know until we hear from him,” Nasser told Channel Nine.

“There's a lot of things running through his mind and he must have obviously thought that was the best thing to do at the time.”

Bulldogs boss Todd Greenberg said the issue was one not just for rugby league but Australian sport as a whole to deal with.

“It has some big ramifications and we need to get the buy in of a whole range of codes,” Greenberg said.

“This is not good for anyone in any sport that someone can take a contract, sign it and then go and find somewhere else to go.

“We need to work hard together in unison to make sure that happens. It's a test case for Australian sport too that the sanctity of a contract in this country needs to remain exactly that.

“We need to stand up here. We need to stand up not just as a club but as a game.

“It's not about trying to change Sonny's mind ... it's about standing up for the right of the contract.”

Greenberg admitted he would listen to offers of compensation from Toulon or any other potential suitors - but stressed he knew nothing of Williams' plans.

Gallop refused to join those blaming Nasser for Williams' walkout.

“These are young men but they are adults and they've got to make their own decisions,” he said.

“Life is about making choices, no matter what your advice is from your agent or anyone else.

“Sonny Bill Williams made this decision to walk off without notice ... it goes way beyond contracts and money - what we're talking about here is someone walking out on their teammates mid-season.

“It flies in the face of everything that kids are taught.”

Bulldogs skipper Ryan said Williams' mid-season walkout was “very hard to swallow when we've been busting our butts at training and in games every week”.

Williams' former teammate Willie Mason refused to comment on the drama, but Roosters skipper Craig Fitzgibbon admitted his defection would be a major blow.

While most were condemning Williams, Fitzgibbon was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.

“There must be a horrible reason behind the scenes as to why he's so dirty on Canterbury. I'm not sure what it is,” Fitzgibbon said.

“We have to move on ... if he doesn't want to be here, there's no point hanging on to him.

“In saying that, I can't recall a player as talented or as awesome to watch as him in long time. We're going to miss him.”

gallops not happy camper right now....

I think the main thing is what does it show our kids about commitment.
I PLAYED FOR THE SAME TEAM ALL MY LIFE

BYE BYE SONNY

yeah a contract is a contract and should see a committment..low act by Sonny Bill

Williams summoned back to Australia
July 28, 2008

SONNY Bill Williams has been subpoenaed to appear in the NSW Supreme Court court next Tuesday in the first step towards a possible injunction preventing the Bulldogs superstar walking out on the NRL club.

The stunning development comes as Williams surfaced at London's Heathrow Airport, where he was believed to be en route to Toulon in southern France.

The Bulldogs, with the support of the NRL, sought an injunction with the Supreme Court, which, if passed, would prevent Williams from taking up a rumoured $3 million, two-year deal to switch codes.

"The injunction will seek to restrain him from training or playing other than in accordance with the Bulldogs contract," NRL chief executive David Gallop said.

"The consequences of breaching an injunction when put in place are that he is liable to contempt of court proceedings that can involve everything from arrest to seizure of assets."

Player manager Khoder Nasser has also been subpoenaed to provide documents relating to information on Williams's whereabouts by Thursday.

Should Williams not front next week, or have a representative appear on his behalf, the hearing will be postponed.

This would be followed by legal arguments to show whether Williams is in contempt of court or whether in fact the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in the matter given Williams is now overseas.

Bulldogs lawyer Arthur Moses claimed the court should have jurisdiction given the breach of contract was committed in NSW.

Supreme Court judge Robert Austin admitted to Moses "you've got a bit of a burden on your shoulders" in reference to the Bulldogs bid to track down Williams.

"I'm concerned this is kind of a blitzkrieg strategy," he said.

The Department of Immigration has also subpoenaed in a bid to help track down Williams, given he would have supplied them with a French address on his departure.

The Bulldogs attempted to have Nasser subpoenaed despite assertions from the controversial player manager yesterday that he was not representing the runaway star.

The Bulldogs claimed they had been operating under the assumption Nasser had been acting as Williams's manger since earlier this year.

"I've been instructed to deal with Khoder Nasser over the last three months and that instruction has come from Sonny Bill Williams direct," Greenberg said.

"Who we (deal with) going forward I'm not sure."

Amid rumours Williams may actually be headed for Toulouse and not Toulon, a spokesperson from the Toulon club denied any knowledge of the Kiwi international having signed a deal.

"For me he is not coming to Toulon, and for the (club) president too," Sandrine Nacci said.

"I have heard about the news this weekend, it was very crazy, but we have no information about that.

"The French union (requires) the French clubs to sign all the contracts before the 15th July ... we have no contract signed by Sonny Bill Williams.

"Maybe the president has a contract with him before the 15th July, but for the moment, nothing."

Gallop expressed dismay at claims from the IRB that they were powerless to stop Williams from signing with Toulon.

"If they don't have jurisdiction, then who does? Can this rogue club simply operate without rules in their code?

"I find that very alarming, and alarming for rugby union as it is for rugby league."

The NRL boss gave an insight into a possible reason for Williams' covert departure from Australia, the Kiwi juggernaut only informing those closest to him of his intentions as he boarded a plane on Saturday.

With the Bulldogs having already stated their marquee talent would not be released from the remaining four years of is contract, Gallop suggested the club may have slapped on Williams to prevent his departure.

"I would have thought the Bulldogs would certainly have done that," Gallop said.

Sonny must come back
 

August 12, 2008

SONNY Bill Williams will have to play Super 14 rugby in New Zealand - and inevitably face the music in Australia - if he wants to become an All Black.

On Monday, Kiwi rugby officials said Williams would not be eligible to play for New Zealand while at Toulon.

With only Kiwi-based players eligible to be All Blacks, Williams would have to play for a Kiwi team in Super rugby but then, in turn, tour Australia with his team in the regular competition.

If he keeps playing for Toulon and is found in contempt of court for ignoring the NSW Supreme Court injunction, Williams could face arrest when back on Australian soil - even years from now.

"The policy at the moment is that you have to play in the previous competition to the (All Blacks) team being named and by that we usually mean the Super 14 before the Tri-Nations or the Air New Zealand Cup before the November tour," NZRU boss Steve Tew said.

Thank God that clown is gone. Being a Roosters fan I don't care about that idiot but at least when the Dogs play a game on tele you'll see the other players. The camera was always pasted on that tosser!

SBW faces contempt if he plays
 

August 14, 2008

RUNAWAY star Sonny Bill Williams will line up in the centres for Toulon early Friday morning in defiance of a court injunction which could see him end up in jail.

Williams was named to partner fellow Samoan Tusi Pisi in the centres in Toulon's second pre-season match against French champions Toulouse early Friday morning Australian time.

He will play with the prospect of jail time hanging over his head after the NSW Supreme Court was told Williams had been served the notice documents - which bar him from playing in any other football code or for any team other than the Bulldogs.

But a Toulon club source rejected claims that papers had been served on Williams after Toulon's pre-season friendly match last week.

“That's absolute rubbish,” the source said.

“They haven't handed any papers to him, definitely not.

“I don't know where they stand legally, but they (the NRL) seem to be making a lot of noise because they can't do much more than that.”

Bulldogs' barrister Arthur Moses told the court that if Williams did breach the order, he would seek to initiate contempt of court proceedings.

If proven, the court could move to seize Williams' Australian-based assets which include a southern Sydney home worth more than $1 million.

The court could also impose a jail sentence which would see Williams arrested upon his return to Australia.

“The orders were served on the first defendant (Williams), certainly that betters our position and what we are doing at the moment is observing whether he will breach that order by playing in a game scheduled for Friday morning (Australian time),'' Moses said.

Neither Williams nor his manager Khoder Nasser attended, or were represented, during Thursday’s hearing in the NSW Supreme Court.

Court staff called out Williams' name twice in the hallway outside the courtroom without response.

“The first defendant and the second defendant (Nasser) were notified of the listing today,” Moses said.

“It would appear at this stage there is no appearance.”

His failure to be represented in court is not enough to support a contempt of court finding, Justice Reginald Barrett continuing the temporary injunction and scheduling the case to return to court on September 4.
Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg hinted that a financial settlement may be the only resolution to the matter.

“Potentially down the track that's where it might head,” Greenberg told reporters.

“I think we've got some time to go before we get to that though, I think we've got to stick solid with the sanctity of the contract.”

Toulon's team manager Tom Whitford said Williams had attended a three-day training camp with his teammates at the foot of the French Alps this week.

“He's doing well,” Whitford told AAP.

“Our first big test is tonight against Toulouse who were the champions last season. It's a big game.”

He admitted a big focus this week had been changing Williams' reliance on the shoulder charge, which cost the Kiwi star ten minutes in the sin bin in his rugby debut last week.

“We have been working on him,” Whitford said.

“The thing is, in the heat of the moment instinct takes over and that's what he is used to doing.

“Bit by bit we have to forge his way out of that and change his habits.”

Bulldogs secure Sonny Bill compo
 

August 16, 2008

THE Sonny Bill Williams saga could be over as soon as Sunday with the Bulldogs on the verge of accepting a reported $750,000 settlement from his French rugby union club Toulon.

Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg said the club was "very close" to signing off on a deal that would see the NRL club end legal action against the rugby league star, who fled Australia for France three weeks ago only one year into his four-year contract.

The Bulldogs are believed to have verbally agreed to the settlement, but Greenberg said the club was taking a cautious approach given the dramatic saga involving Williams and his manager Khoder Nasser.

"We haven't resolved it yet, we haven't signed off on it from the Bulldogs' end," Greenberg said.

"We're very close and we're hoping to have it wrapped up over the weekend.

"I think it's fair enough that we're wary with the negotiations given we're dealing with both Sonny and his manager and on previous history, we've got to make sure we dot all the Is and cross all the Ts here."

Greenberg confirmed the potential settlement was "in the vicinity" of $750,000 and said the deal was likely to be done either Sunday or Monday.

The Bulldogs had originally sought a $2 million settlement, citing the effect Williams' departure would have on recruitment, sponsorship and attendances.

But former Labor powerbroker Graham Richardson reportedly helped broker the deal between both parties on Friday night.

Williams played in a friendly match for Toulon last week but withdrew from his side's pre-season match against Toulouse on Friday morning (Sydney time) so he would not breach a NSW Supreme Court injunction banning him from playing with another club.

Both the Bulldogs and the NRL had vowed to do everything they could to stop Williams playing anywhere else, in order protect the "sanctity of a contract" in the NRL.

Greenberg admitted a settlement was not an ideal outcome but did not believe the Bulldogs were selling out.

"We didn't want Sonny Bill to leave the club in the first place but they're the cards we've been dealt with and we've got to do the best we can and get on with it," he said.

According to a Nine Network report, there are a number of clauses in the agreement, including one which forbids Williams from playing for another NRL club for what would have been the duration of his Bulldogs contract.

It was also reported that the Bulldogs have demanded the money be paid by Monday.

SBW released from Bulldogs
 

August 18, 2008

THE Sonny Bill Williams saga has come to a predictable, yet tortured, end with the Bulldogs accepting a $750,000 cash settlement in return for the release of their former star.

"We've put a full stop today on the Sonny Bill Williams file, we've placed this chapter into the club's history and archives," Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg said.

"As far as I'm concerned, the book on Sonny Bill Williams is now closed."

A little over three weeks after walking out on the Bulldogs less than one year into a five-year deal, Williams is now free to forge ahead with a career in French rugby union.

His first game as a free man will be in Toulon's pre-season friendly against Saracens on Thursday morning (AEST), where he is expected to line-up in the centres as he continues his crash-course in the 15-man game.

While the journey featured threats of arrest, seizure of assets and even jail time for the runaway footballer, Williams' bid to escape the clutches of the Bulldogs ended the only way it ever could - with the NRL club agreeing to a price for his release.

The club had forced Williams' hand by successfully gaining a court injunction last week preventing him from playing with Toulon while under contract with the Bulldogs.

"The club's received a significant payout, one of the biggest in the history of Australian sport," Greenberg said.

"I'm happy that we've got a full stop on it, there's no winners in this saga.

"The Bulldogs have lost a player they've developed since the age of 16, one of the best players to come through our club. The game has lost one of its significant profiles and for Sonny Bill himself, he's made some decisions that he'll have to live with for the rest of his life.

"There's no fairytale ending at the end of this, there's no one running around the Bulldogs club yelling and screaming with delight. This is actually a relatively sad day."

Williams' associate and boxing champion Anthony Mundine reportedly gathering the funds required to gain the release.

Mundine also claimed his management company would foot the bill, which he believed was a bargain.

"I was willing to go a lot more, it's all good, 750 we can stop there," Mundine said.

The settlement also put an end to any court action by the Bulldogs towards Williams' manager Khoder Nasser or Toulon for enticing a breach of contract.

While the Bulldogs closed the door on Williams, their former prized asset could leave a lasting legacy, with the club struggling to replace his sizeable $400,000 chunk in next year's salary cap.

The club is believed to be close to confirming the signing of Brisbane winger Darius Boyd, but the Broncos youngster won't come close to matching Williams' pay-packet.

Asked if the club could be left playing short of the $4.1 million cap in 2009, Greenberg said: "Could be.

"That's not our plan, we'd like to be able to spend that sort of money.

"There's no ready-made fix to actually spend that money at the moment.

"We'll be looking for players, we're in the market now."

Sonny loses his bargaining power
 

August 19, 2008

SONNY Bill Williams cannot use the NRL as a bargaining chip when he negotiates a contract after his current French rugby deal expires.

In a major win for the Bulldogs, they have been successful in having a clause inserted that bans Williams from playing in the NRL until 2013. The clause has widespread ramifications.

It potentially strips hundreds of thousands of dollars from any future deals negotiated because Williams will not be able to threaten a return to the NRL as a bargaining tool.

It could also be potentially disastrous if Williams fails to succeed at rugby union, leaving him only England's Super League to play in when his deal with Toulon ends in 2010.

The former Bulldog has been left financially reeling after being forced to shell out $750,000 in compensation to the Bulldogs. The size of the payout is significant.

When powerbroker Graham Richardson first began negotiating a deal with Bulldogs chairman George Peponis and chief executive Todd Greenberg, his starting offer was $200,000.

The Bulldogs were insulted. When $750,000 was finally agreed, Williams and manager Khoder Nasser asked for more time to find the funds.

Their difficulty raising the amount revealed millionaire French owner Mourad Boudjellal did not come to their rescue, forcing the runaway footballer to scrounge the amount from his management company jointly owned by Anthony Mundine and Nasser.

Eventually the money was paid into the Bulldogs' bank account late Monday.

"The club has accepted a significant payout, the likes of which have never been seen in Australian sport," Greenberg said.

"We are pleased this chapter of the club's history is in the archive and we can put a fullstop on Sonny Bill Williams."

After receiving the money the Bulldogs went to the NSW Supreme Court and applied for the court injunction to be dissolved.

It frees Williams to legally begin his rugby career, where he hopes to play for New Zealand in the 2011 World Cup. He is unlikely to play in the NRL again.

Even before the clause was included, NRL chief executive David Gallop had indicated to the Bulldogs that they would not register Williams with a rival club during the time of his supposed contract.

Already bitten, the Dogs still felt comfortable only when the clause was written into their own deal.

Williams initially baulked at the insertion of the clause but Greenberg described it as a "deal breaker".

"That was something that we were not prepared to negotiate on," he said.

Williams and his supporters will argue he has no plans to return to the NRL, anyway. But that was incidental to the Bulldogs.

Given money has driven much of the motivation since the split, the clause's greater power is preventing him using the NRL as a bargaining chip in future contract negotiations.

By lessening his negotiating pool, it potentially costs him hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Sonny's French holiday in strife
November 05, 2008 12:00am

SONNY Bill Williams' future at French rugby club Toulon is under a cloud following reports his Polynesian teammates are threatening to fly home if besieged coach Tana Umaga is sacked.

Players are said to have organised a secret meeting with a series of text messages to sound their warning and threatened to strike. That turn of events has coincided with former Wallabies coach John Connolly joining the club this week as a consultant to review its disappointing start.

Connolly's arrival has increased speculation former All Blacks star Umaga is on the verge of being shown the door, with Connolly to take over. "Knuckles'' has previously coached French club Stade Francais.

"Polynesians threaten for their part, in the event of the sacking of Tana Umaga, to take the first flight to their country of origin,'' French daily Midi Olympique claimed.

Umaga was the driving force behind Toulon signing the former Bulldogs NRL star in controversial circumstances this year. And Williams is also one of the players at Toulon with a proud Polynesian heritage.

But he has played precious little football after fracturing his tibia and is due to make his long-awaited comeback in the next few weeks.

Toulon's playing roster also includes former Penrith Panthers winger Luke Rooney, ex-Wallaby halfback Matt Henjak and All Black backrower Jerry Collins. Pressure again mounted on Umaga after the big-spending Toulon were thrashed 42-20 by Montauban recently.

They now sit third last on the French Top 14 table with only two wins and one draw from nine starts, one point ahead of second-last placed Castres.

"In short, it's no joking matter in Toulon and the situation could escalate,'' Midi Olympique said.

The situation led club president and self-made multi-millionaire Mourad Boudjellal to make a point of stating his support for Umaga last weekend. History has shown that is not always a good sign.

Toulon has a week off this week and Midi Olympique said it will not be an easy break for the president or his staff.

"They have an obligation to find a solution otherwise the threat of strike action may be strengthened,'' the newspaper warned. The Independent newspaper's Peter Bills savaged the state of affairs at Toulon after watching their most recent loss.

"Umaga's team was hopeless against Montauban,'' he wrote. "In their 100th year, this shambles is a sad indictment of a club suddenly flushed with cash by the arrival of a non-rugby businessman obsessed with signing star names, most from the past.''

He described Boudjellal as a business professional who doesn't know anything about how to run a rugby club professionally. "One wonders how much longer Tana Umaga is likely to survive in an increasingly desperate atmosphere,'' Bills said.

Sonny Bill set to fight on the Mundine world title fight undercard
 

April 07, 2009

Nine months ago Anthony Mundine paid a reported $500,000 to buy Sonny Bill Williams his freedom from the Canterbury Bulldogs. Now it's payback time.

Khoder Nasser, manager to both Mundine and Williams, informed the Australian National Boxing Federation that Williams would be fighting on the undercard to Mundine's world title fight against IBO champion Daniel Geale in Brisbane next month.

To fight on the May 27 program, Williams would have to be registered with the ANBF. Federation president Alan Moore said Nasser was emphatic that Williams would be fighting.

"He will have to pass a medical examination and a blood test," Moore said.

"But this is the first step towards being registered."

It is also the first step in Williams repaying the $500,000 Mundine reimbursed the Bulldogs when his "brother" walked out of Belmore last July to play rugby union in France.

While the Mundine camp has been unusually quiet about Williams's professional boxing debut, in the hope of sparking ticket sales with an announcement closer to the event, The Man has said it would be a promotional tool for his KO To Drugs campaign.

Sceptical boxing insiders believe the real reason is to boost Mundine's waning popularity and repay the $500,000 through pay-for-view and ticket sales, of which Mundine nets 60c in the dollar.

Mundine's marketability peaked when he fought Danny Green in May 2006 but he has refused to drop his pay-for-view rates since, even increasing the $1500 he charged pubs and clubs that night to $2750 for his 2007 fight with Sam Soliman.

That has led to a backlash, with many clubs refusing to show Mundine's bouts. One of the largest of these, Sydney's 25,000-member North Ryde RSL, said it might make an exception for the Geale fight if Williams was on the card.

"Mundine hasn't done us any favours in the past," the club's marketing manager, Michael Borg said.

"We buy all the fights for our members, except his. He charges twice to four times what other fights cost.

"And that's real fights with real fighters, not nobodies, so it's hard to justify paying what he wants.

"Mundine is ridiculously over-priced and the thing is, he's not the drawcard he thinks he is.

"In saying that, we would review our policy if Sonny Bill Williams was fighting. Depending on the price, we'd have to look at it."

Queensland boxing promoter Angelo Di Carlo agreed Mundine needed the drawing power of Williams.

"I think he's finding it harder to draw a crowd because he hasn't stepped up, certainly not at middleweight," he said.

"I don't know if people want to see him.

"I heard about Sonny Bill fighting on the undercard and immediately you ask if it's a publicity stunt but everyone knows he owes Mundine.

"They haven't found an opponent for him yet but they won't have any problem bringing over some big Kiwi who he'll be able to beat.

"The big question everyone is asking is how he'll get out of his contract in France."

The answer to that appears to be in the fine print of the new one-year contract with French club Toulon that Nasser negotiated on his behalf two weeks ago.

Given that Nasser finalised plans to hire the Brisbane Entertainment Centre for the Geale fight at around the same time, it is logical to assume he inserted a clause clearing the way for Williams to take part.

Or, failing that, perhaps Williams will just do what he has done with contracts in the past: simply walk away and let Mundine pick up the pieces.

"The Man" is an inept fool, just a big "yawn". As for Sonny, he is a "puppet yawn". If anyone out there is going to make an assumption that I am a racist well think again. Racism is evil. I absolutely love to see indigenous people succeed. In any given situation my bias is, if anything, skewed towards the indigenous person, however, this bloke is just an antogonist and a dangerous one. However, maybe I should not take him seriously whatsoever.