Sonny Bill Williams

[GC_Titans_Fan]

The least he could for the sport is play in the World Cup. I doubt he will though.

[DIEHARD]

The least he could for the sport is play in the World Cup. I doubt he will though.

Yea especially when he can play in Japanese union or do boxing. If he really wanted to heal wounds he is going the wrong way about it. There is certainly an opportunity at redemption but he doesnt have the grace or personality for it.

In one of the papers they said that SBW acted like he had just been sentenced to a year of community service.

A year from now I dont think SBW will be popular with Roosters fans.

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

Hopefully he will play one season and **** back off to rugby Union

[GC_Titans_Fan]

The scumbag is now encouraging NRL stars to sign one year contracts and play over the summer in japenese rugby union.

BENJI Marshall's manager Martin Tauber has dropped a bombshell by declaring he will seek an immediate release from Marshall's contract so he can pursue opportunities in Japanese rugby.

Tauber revealed yesterday that he is waiting for the star to return home from pre-season camp with the Wests Tigers before he approaches chief executive Stephen Humphreys about securing a release.

Marshall is contracted until the end of 2015 but Tauber, in the wake of the NRL accepting Sonny Bill Williams' return to the game, is keen to explore Marshall's opportunities to earn additional income in the rival code.

Tauber first tried to have Marshall playing summers in Japan when he came off contract in 2009 but then NRL chief executive David Gallop immediately rejected it.

However Tauber, like several chief executives and player managers contacted yesterday, believes the NRL's registration of Williams has set a precedent other players can pursue, paving the way for a meeting with Humphreys.

"It is probably something I will raise with the chief executive in the next couple of days, when they come back from their exhaustive camp,'' Tauber said.

"It's a little bit different this time because Benji is contracted until 2015 so we have to get a release.

"That's the difficulty. But I want a meeting to say let's talk about it.

"It's an opportunity for them to earn additional income that would set themselves up financially for the long term.''

While the NRL has previously rejected any notion of players moonlighting in rival codes, there is growing belief that future moves to stop players jumping codes in the off-season, given the Williams precedent, might now be a restraint of trade.

Leading player manager George Mimis said managers would not be doing their jobs if they did not now consider off-season stints in Japan to top up earnings for their marquee players.

"It's back on the agenda,'' Mimis said.

"The cornerstone to representing talent adequately and suitably, one of the touchpoints, is maximising commercial opportunities.

"It's not the be all and end all, but you would be naive not to think every opportunity is not going to be explored.''

Japanese rugby is an enormous financial windfall for players.

Clubs pay the players' income tax, meaning all money negotiated is essentially tax free, as well as providing all other major expenses such as rent, car and business-class airfares.

Humphreys last night did not want to comment on Tauber's plans, but spoke earlier about the new possibilities raised by the Williams precedent.

"It does establish possibilities that, I would imagine, some players and managers would want to explore,'' Humphreys said.

Tauber said Japan's interest in Marshall was as recent as the start of last year.

"I did have some pre-emptive talks about 18 months ago and they said they would have enormous interest if he ever comes off contract,'' Tauber said.

Another manager, Wayne Beavis, said the precedent had created new opportunities.

"It's something worth exploring, whether it has got legs is another matter,'' Beavis said.

"It's certainly achievable but it's basically impractical given everything you've got to go through.''

http://heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/we...-1226516963667

Don't worry about the State Of Origin killing International Football. This wanker is trying to do it single-handly.

For the average fan this means that your clubs marquee player may get injured during the off-season and not even play for your team. Not to mention that there is no security that you won't lose him to another team.

If this happens, it's not far away from that the NZRU will approach our NRL players to leave the game a year out from a RUWC or a Olympic Games to represent their country in a different major sporting competition.

Funny thing - NRL players complain at times that they play too much football and now they want to play more.

[DIEHARD]

NRL and clubs will put the hammer down on this, fast.

[Chaos]

Funny thing - NRL players complain at times that they play too much football and now they want to play more.

The NRL season is too long...there is too much football just to qualify in the top half of a comp for semis.
I can understand players wanting ot play in an off season comp and Gallop should have Beji play a summer comp a few years ago.
There was talk some years back about a knockout comp pre-season, something like this would help interest with players, fans and sponsors

[GC_Titans_Fan]

It would have to pay as well as Jap Rugby.

[Chaos]

NRL and clubs will put the hammer down on this, fast.

The NRL should start embracing players having a go at other comps during the off-season.
The best thing they could do is start their own and shorten the current NRL season.

[GC_Titans_Fan]

I think you are missing the point.

[Chaos]

I think you are missing the point.

The point in which the NRL and clubs control players for a whole year and not allowing them to play other sports because they may get injured at the start of a very long season in which teams only have to win half their games to qualify for the finals?

[DIEHARD]

The NRL should start embracing players having a go at other comps during the off-season.
The best thing they could do is start their own and shorten the current NRL season.

And become a sideshow?

We are a sporting code. Such a plan would result in LESS NRL for us supporters and NO international Rugby League.

No thanks.

[Chaos]

And become a sideshow?

We are a sporting code. Such a plan would result in LESS NRL for us supporters and NO international Rugby League.

No thanks.

How can we grow international Rugby League when we view the pinnacle of the game between two states.
You can understand Kiwis either wanting to play for QLD or visiting other codes.

[DIEHARD]

Well it is better to fight on than give up. International footy is what truly made me love Rugby League, watching those Kangaroo Tours.

What needs to happen is more money for Kiwis, possible a Test Series every year, even if its worked into the Four Nations. An English Tour to Southern Hemisphere would be welcome. Give France a 2nd team in Toulouse. Something needs to be done with South Africa, ripe for Rugby League. Pacific Nations need an annual Pacific Cup. Also hopefully Tests during the Rep Round.

[Titanic]

Here comes the old chestnut ... first you have to fix the qualification rules

[DIEHARD]

Here comes the old chestnut ... first you have to fix the qualification rules