Tony Williams ready to roar for Manly - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Tony Williams ready to roar for Manly

By Ben Horne 28/03/2010 02:58:58 PM Comments (0)

With Manly desperate for a new weapon in their backline following Brett Stewart's season-ending injury, the NRL club's sleeping giant, Tony Williams appears to have finally awoken.

With something to prove after a disappointing debut season with the club last year, Williams was at his destructive and skillful best in the Sea Eagles' 36-12 demolition of Newcastle on Saturday night.

Standing at 192cm and weighing in at a whopping 114kg, Williams is bigger and taller than Manu Vatuvei, Lote Tuqiri and Taniela Tuiaki and heavier than Israel Folau and Greg Inglis.

Nicknamed `T-Rex', the former Parramatta monster was unstoppable against the Knights and wants to carry that form throughout the entire season.

"It's good to be back in form and a good off-season helped me out," he said.

"After a disappointing season last year it was a big goal for me to come back into good form and just play good football.

"Just coming off that big injury (hamstring) in the (2009) pre-season, I guess I just never fully recovered from that ... this year was always a big goal for me to come back firing."

He begun the year in the centres and he's previously been talked about as a backrower, but with his lethal combination of size, power and speed, Williams said he feels at home on the wing.

The Tongan international is relishing the opportunity to play on the end of Manly's right-side attack, which features the brilliance of Glenn Stewart and Jamie Lyon.

Against Newcastle, Williams directly set up two tries with his strong charges down the right-side. He put Ben Farrar across with a beautiful one-handed inside ball, and later in the first half he again broke away before summing up the situation perfectly with a neat centre-field kick for Steve Matai to collect.

"To be honest, I've played that many games on the wing it's second nature. I enjoy playing there but it doesn't matter where I play, as long as I'm in first grade," Williams said.

"It's actually a privilege to play alongside good players like that (Stewart and Lyon) and with them there it's always good to run off them."

Injured fellow winger David Williams, watched `T-Rex' progress through the junior grades at Parramatta and believes his namesake is primed for a breakthrough season.

"There's no time like the present and he's been going gangbusters," said David Williams of Tony.

"He was ruthless, absolutely ruthless (through the junior grades). He would just run riot pretty much and hopefully we can see him do stuff like that every week.

"He's had a stellar off-season, he's gained some pace and trimmed down, so he's looking good and showed a glimpse of what he can do (against Newcastle).

"My personal opinion is a bloke that size should be in the second row but when he's got pace like that to burn, and the agility, you can't fault him in any position he wants to play."

Coach Des Hasler is also excited about the prospect of Williams continuing his damaging form.

"We've always believed in his ability and he's producing some great touches out there," Hasler said.

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