The average North American won't of heard of him.

There’s a lot more chance of them having heard of SBW than any other RL player due to him playing for the All Blacks. They can market that. Plenty of North American’s have at least heard of the All Blacks. They’re a massive worldwide brand.

I personally don't think he will sign for them.
In my opinion the $9m figure is about trying to get union clubs to pay more for him.
A positive in the unlikely event he returns to Rugby League is that he is a family who carries no baggage and would embrace the game again.
The down side is that he's 34 years of age and some forwards might want to put a few rib ticklers on him and try to leave a legacy for themselves.

I can't beleive SBW is being called a has been. Still making the current All Blacks team, wish we had a pack full of them!

SBW would tear up SL and his a star player this game needs. Would be awesome if this deal happens.

Out of interest, who else have they got as confirmed for next season to back up this top 4 claim

Spat my coffee out when I read that.....
He is an unknown star from an unknown sport in a country that has Rugby as a niche sport and where RL is pretty much 100% reliant on the whim of an Australian.
Good luck to him and the wolfpack, but SBW signing for Toronto will make the smallest of ripples in the media, most of that will be in the Rugby League Media, which is preaching to the choir.
Toronto, we are told, have no problem putting bums on seats, so I fail to see what benefit there is n spending the salaries of a half dozen good players on a 34yr old one trick pony.

SBW is a squad player for the All Blacks, not a star and his selection was not applauded over here. As it turned out, he was as much use as a chocolate t-spoon. He has an "off-load" and,,,er,,,,,,nope, that's it!

Liam Kay

What is everyone's problem?

SBW is the biggest name across both codes of rugby. Still tearing it up at the highest level of Union for the all blacks. He would be an incredible acquisition both as a player and from a commercial perspective for Toronto.

Silly little flatcappers - probably from Yorkshire - having a good owd moan.

Hope they pull it off. He would be the biggest name in Super League for sure. Are we not due to renegotiate a TV deal soon?

Jealousy. Nothing more, nothing less. They only wish their small town clubs could attract such a name.

Rubbish.
SBW is absolute class and you know it.
The only issues here are whether he would go to Toronto, rather than stay in the NRL and the absolute eye watering contract that he's supposed to have been offered.
IF and it's a huge if, Toronto could secure his signature, it would be a massive boost to them and a statement of intent for their SL aspirations.

On the subject of RU, I think that you will find that the Kiwi coach believes that he is most effective coming on later in the game, after 50/60 mins, when he can be used to create space, for either himself or his team mates to score, it's called tactics.

spat my coffee out when i read this

Is he class? - he certainly was.

As for RU - he came on when England had absolutely battered the Kiwis up front and had no other options than to try and move the ball around via SBW offloads. He and New Zealand were totally ineffectual in that respect and was easily defended against.

If he were such a massive attraction why is there not an offer of a contract in the NRL. The best he can hope for is a new deal in RU, a coaching role in Oz, or a crazy deal at the end of his career - much like the one he is being offered now.

The reality is that its a gimic - he can still play and play well but that money is just crazy for one player - going to be great for moral as well

Lol.

If you believe no nrl sides want SBW I have a bridge to sell you.

Let's see where he ends up then, shall we
If SBW is the player that you describe, he wouldn't get a deal in either the NRS, SL or Union and would be put out to grass.
There will be offers from all 3 of these and as I said previously, IF Toronto have offered the HUGE contract that is rumoured and he still ends up somewhere else, it would suggest that he is indeed still in demand.
In League, the guy has it all, power, strength, agility, superb handling skills and the heart of a lion and tbf, that skillset, although great in Union, is much better suited to RL and I really do hope that he ends up in SL (and not back in Union or The NRL).

According to the Frenchman he's adamant it's a two year deal, that being the case that would put him on $90.000 a week, more stupid than risky.

I am surprised that nobody on here has realised that Sonny Bill Williams, if he signs a two year contract, will be eligible to play for New Zealand in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

That eventuality would surely boost public and media attention to rugby league's pinnacle event.

SBW was a squad player, used in the last 20 minutes of games when opponents were tired. Itnwas a tactic that worked when the abs were dominating in games...... Looking good behind a dominating pack is easy..... What happened last weekend shows what use he is when starved of decent ball.

Remember this at Warrington......... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok-AIOF-wiM PMSL at the time

Remember this at Warrington......... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok-AIOF-wiM PMSL at the time

Williams played an average of 28 minutes over 5 All Black games at the current RWC, starting one game and being used as an impact sub 3 times and was rested for the namibian game. He scored 1 try against Canada (the lowest scoring side at the comp).
In 7 Games in 2015 RWC he played a average 40 minutes a game and scored 1 try.
In 2011 he scored 4 tries in an average game time of 62 minutes in pool play where he started 3 games and was used 3 times as an impact sub in the finals games.

So, he's gone from 62 minutes to 28 minutes of game time as a substitute in Union and people think he's the "David Beckham" of North American Rugby League

Why are people making such a big deal about his lack of game time for the All Blacks. I remember when reports of him coming back to league came out last year and it was widely tipped he wouldn't even make the world cup squad.

Little minutes in the RU world cup has little interest to me. If SBW can still rip it up in Rugby League which I am sure he can then that's all that matters. This would be a great signing for Toronto.

This could happen. The fact its Toronto is a huge pull alone.

SBW gets paid a fortune, becomes a star in SL likely to win man of Steel all while living in Toronto. NRL of course a huge pull but at the same time SBW has already achieved everything in Australia, unless he fancies trying to take another side to a premiership.

Exactly

The all blacks could put out a 5th string team that would muller the league NZ team such is their strength in depth, which is why the fact he made the world cup squad tells you how much quality the guy has