The SBW saga...

Apparently, there are 3 clubs still in the race. SBW’s terms are:

AUD $800,000/season
Freedom to pursue boxing career outside of the season (current NZ heavyweight title holder)
Contract LIMITED to 1 year only.

Now, there is an argument that a sportsman should be able to extract as much personal gain as possible out of the short time they have available but I personally believe this is taking the urine. As a club, if you are going to either bankrupt yourself, fiddle the salary cap or sell off your up and comers to fund this, you want one thing (actually two things) long term commitment (and performance to back up the wonga).

SBW has to be careful as he can be a world famous elite athlete, he started to show his potential to the bigger union audience since playing for NZ but he needs to start showing a little bit of loyalty to those who are paying him his money. Personally I’m not fussed where he heads to, I’m a league and union fan but if its money he wants (and it is) then he should look at the short Japanese season where they play 10-12 games and he can be free to box for the other 8/9 months of the year.

I do not think there is a club in Australia who could afford this.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/6617207/Sonny-Bill-demands-top-dollar-for-NRL-return

He walked out on a contract before and he could do it again. Despite his obvious talent i wouldn't want my club signing him.

Couple of things:
Khoder Nasser has got big kahunas.

How can the Roosters pay that and stay under the salary cap?

Wonder how Billy Slater.Cameron Smith etc would feel about being "valued" as less than SBW?

Is the boxing thing just a big overpriced accessory? or is it genuinely regarded as an indication of what extra marketability this player can bring to your club?

If he did go to Japan,and they took a shine to him,he could probably become union/Leagues biggest earner ever.

At the moment he is playing very good union.

Has any else noticed how when the rumour mill starts,about some big new possible signing the club in Bondi is one of the first mentioned?

aucklandlaurie wrote:Has any else noticed how when the rumour mill starts,about some big new possible signing the club in Bondi is one of the first mentioned?

It comes with being the richest club in the game!

I am not sure about Rugby League but there is no way i would want him at my rugby club if he was having so many demands. Personally i feel that he should choose what he wants to focus on the most.

Theres no doubting his talent , but his commitment is another story . Not seen him Box but if hes any good and with his name and profile then he could surely make more money in the ring rather then on a rugby pitch .

He is actually a very handy boxer but in all honesty, i cant see him going too far with it.

Given the state of the heavyweight division , even a losing title bout could earn him big bucks .

That may be true but i feel that against a top class heavyweight he would get mullered.

Oh right , then rugby it is . Guess its just a case of which club wants to take the gamble

I think that he is being a little selfish myself but then again, i am not in his position so who am i to judge

Reading the op he certainly wants things on his terms

Don King is interested in him 'allegedly' though I don't know if that is ol' Khoder talking his client up again.

Really mintie? Thats suprising, maybe some of the boxing lads who watch it more than me can tell us if he is any good.

SBW may be the current New Zealand boxing champion,but that doesnt make him the best boxer in New zealand,in fact I dont think hes the best boxer at the Waikato Chiefs,I'd give it to Liam Messam.

And at Canterbury bankstown I doubt if he spent much time with the gloves on when Soloman Haumono was around.

Another twist - although unsurprising...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=10805138

chewed_mintie wrote:Another twist - although unsurprising...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=10805138

The size of the offer is a little surprising. On current form* SBW is the best inside centre in RU, but you'd expect top bid to be going on a fly-half (of course Dan Carter's contracted to 2015) or prop.



*Admittedly Ma'a Nonu is off form and James O'Connor out injured

KRD, Jacque Fourie is on US $1.1m per season in Japan

chewed_mintie wrote:KRD, Jacque Fourie is on US $1.1m per season in Japan

I know, and I wouldn't have been surprised if they'd offered SBW similar - Fourie is class. But $US1.5m is crazy money for a centre.

But Fourie, good as he is (although I think he is slightly over-rated), is not going to tune ordinary Japanese people into Union fans like SBW could.

Slight digression here, sorry League folk! The point is though, it is getting more unlikely that SBW will be seen in the NRL next year. I doubt the Roosters will have any room under the cap to make a bid anyway.

chewed_mintie wrote:But Fourie, good as he is (although I think he is slightly over-rated), is not going to tune ordinary Japanese people into Union fans like SBW could.

Slight digression here, sorry League folk! The point is though, it is getting more unlikely that SBW will be seen in the NRL next year. I doubt the Roosters will have any room under the cap to make a bid anyway.

The Roosters have re-signed forwards Aidan Guerra and Tinirau Arona which suggests they aren't clearing space for SBW either.

Minichiello and Warea-Hargreaves also...