Warriors CEO Cameron George says the club plans to sound out Sonny Bill Williams on a short-term deal as several NRL rivals keep an eye on the cross-code superstar for the rest of 2020.
Williams is one of seven Australian or New Zealand players to whom Toronto Wolfpack has given permission to sign elsewhere after leaving Super League on Tuesday morning.
Williams’ longtime agent Khoder Nasser is believed to have received requests from a number of NRL sites since Toronto confirmed its withdrawal.
However, there would have to be some significant hurdles before he or another Wolfpack player can connect to an NRL outfit.
The warriors still need to contact Williams’ camp, but George told NRL.com that the 34-year-old had an obvious appeal to support Todd Payten’s squad.
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“We are in a position where we will obviously need players and when Sonny Bill Williams becomes available we will of course consider how it could happen,” said George.
“We will definitely try to understand the situation. We are already looking for loan players. So imagine that it works.”
“The stars have to be aligned and I don’t know if and when Sonny could ever come to Australia. But we would be crazy if we didn’t ask the question.”
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The former Cronulla center Ricky Leutele is also attractive to the Warriors as they need high-quality players due to injuries and the impending departure of David Fusitua, Ken Maumalo and Agnatious Paasi next week.
It remains to be seen whether a Toronto player will actually end up in the NRL as there is uncertainty about the validity of game contracts with the wolf pack, insurance against player injuries, travel and quarantine procedures and fitness.
With only 10 rounds left in the Telstra Premiership, Wolfpack players who join NRL clubs may only have six games left when a deal is negotiated, flights are organized, and two weeks after their arrival in Australia in the mandatory COVID-19 Quarantine.
A Sydney Club CEO said: “Too complicated. Not interested.”
Another said there weren’t many players on the Wolfpack squad that were worth the effort or cost.
The NRL has stated that any player wishing to connect to an Australian site will have to do so under a new NRL contract. Temporary loans are only available between NRL clubs unless approved by the board of directors.
Similarly, another hurdle is that each player must be signed according to what the NRL sees as their market value.
Wolfpack owner David Argyle has signaled that the Canadian club wants to return to the Super League next season, and Williams has a $ 10 million contract for two years, while Leutele is considered the highest-paid center in the world.
Other players with lucrative contracts with Toronto would be reluctant to leave unless they were guaranteed similar deals in the NRL.
Forwards Darcy Lussick and Bodene Thompson, central defender Josh McCrone, center Chase Stanley and utility Blake Wallace are the other Australian or New Zealand players who are under contract with Wolfpack.
While there were concerns that players could receive their payments from the wolf pack, it is likely that Williams and other well-known stars paid at least a portion of their money in advance.
The Roosters are a natural connection as Williams is closely associated with Chairman Nick Politis and he played a role in winning the title under Trent Robinson in 2013. The current premieres, however, have filled their top 30 squad for this season.
To accommodate Williams or another player, a player would have to be transferred before the mid-season transfer date on August 3, which happens to coincide with the Kiwi veteran’s 35th birthday.
Williams is said to be currently in Manchester with his wife Alana and their four children when they decided to return to Auckland to travel to Australia so Williams can play in the NRL or stay in Europe.
As for Toronto, the young club cited several factors for its withdrawal two weeks before the Super League resumed.
Visa issues compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, and reduced ticket, sponsorship, merchandise, and match day earnings after losing the ability to host home games as “specific to the club as the only transatlantic team in the league” . led to the call.
The RFL said in its own statement that it was “very disappointed” with the move, as the pack of wolves had given assurances that it would only come out last Thursday.
“A discussion about the longer-term consequences and the future of the wolf pack in the Super League will begin shortly,” said the RFL.
