Bulldogs look to move on from Sonny Bill - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Bulldogs look to move on from Sonny Bill

By Liam FitzGibbon and Vincent Morello 31/07/2008 08:26:43 PM Comments (0)

The Bulldogs have claimed they had "moved on" from Sonny Bill Williams amid claims the Kiwi star will not be earning anywhere near the reported $3 million to play rugby in France.

As Williams was reportedly making his way to France, it was revealed he may only earn the same money he is paid in the NRL by the Bulldogs if he signs to play rugby union with Toulon.

Toulon owner-president Mourad Boudjellal said he hoped to sign Williams but not for anything like the $3 million over two seasons that has been reported since the Kiwi international fled Australia on Saturday.

"Today I think that Sonny Bill Williams, should he sign with Toulon, it would be for the equivalent conditions to what he's getting currently," Boudjellal told ABC radio from Florida.

"But it's not at all a question of money. If Sonny Bill Williams wants to play rugby today, he no longer wants to play league."

Williams is on a reported $450,000 a season with the Bulldogs.

Although Boudjellal was adamant Toulon has yet to sign Williams, he says his club has been in discussions with the 22-year-old since June.

"It was perhaps then that Sonny Bill Williams wanted to play rugby," said Boudjellal, who described Williams as an "extraordinary" player.

"(But) today we haven't signed a contract because I haven't met Sonny Bill Williams.

"I know he wishes to play rugby. I know he wishes to play at Toulon under Tana Umaga. Now I also know he has some problems with his contract.

"I hope, first of all, that things are cleared up and then we'll see if financially it's something that is achievable for us, for our club.

"And if these two conditions come together, we will sign a contract with Sonny Bill Williams."

Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg said he was unsurprised by the latest development, but wanted to begin shifting the focus off Williams and onto improving the club's poor results on the field.

"I'm sort of not surprised by anything I hear each morning when I get up to hear about the Sonny Bill Williams ongoing saga," Greenberg said.

"But my view is we've moved on, the club's moved on, we've got games in front of us, we've got to start winning footy games.

"We've got to look to 2009.

"We've got our legal guys looking into the various issues that they're doing and we're getting on with business."

Attempts to serve Williams' so-called manager Khoder Nasser a court order have failed so far with speculation increasing he may leave the country.

A private investigator working for the NRL and the Canterbury Bulldogs will stakeout Sydney Airport in a bid to intercept Nasser and serve him with a subpoena.

On Monday, the NSW Supreme Court ordered Nasser be subpoenaed to provide documentation detailing his knowledge of Williams' whereabouts in Europe.

The Bulldogs' legal team had until Tuesday morning to serve Nasser, who then had a deadline of 9.15am (AEST) on Friday, to provide the information to the court registrar.

The Bulldogs' lawyers told the court they knew Nasser was staying at a hotel in Newcastle, but attempts to serve him the subpoena this week have failed.

"We've been able to locate him, but we haven't been able to eyeball him," Bulldogs' lawyer John Carmody told AAP.

"We knew what hotel he was staying at in Newcastle, but he wouldn't accept service.

"He just stayed in his room and, of course, under privacy laws we're not allowed to find out from the hotel proprietor what room he's in."

Nasser was expected to depart for England, News Limited reported, while Williams has received his visa from French consulate officials to travel on from London where he has been staying.

On Monday, Justice Robert Austin also granted a subpoena for Williams to appear at an injunction hearing the following day, but he too has not been located by overseas representatives with the subpoena.

It must be served by 6pm (AEST) on Sunday, or that part of the hearing will be postponed.

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