www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 2ybc7.html Should Greg Inglis have won it or is this a fair result? Personally I think they should have waited until after the world cup final before the winner was chosen.

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 2ybc7.html Should Greg Inglis have won it or is this a fair result? Personally I think they should have waited until after the world cup final before the winner was chosen.

One game doesn't decide who is better - if they think SBW has been better all year but GI has a better game in the WCF, surely GI can't be thought of as the better player...

I dont know what it is about sonny bill but usually 1 player doesn't make a team but its hard to argue that with him;

Moves to toulon champions and get to top flight
Moves to Canterbury (i think) become champions
Moves to Waikato become champions
Moves to Sydney rooster become champions
best player by miles for the kiwis to beat england, with out him in my opinion we win
becomes a boxer becomes NZ heavy weight champion.

Hard to argue he isn't special.

It makes you wonder exactly when they decided who the winner was.

George Burgess won rookie of the year yet some are saying it was his fault England lost against New Zealand because of his high tackle and subsequent missed tackle as the try was scored.

The only true superstar we have in our game - a worthy winner - I wonder if he will get the freedom of Brighouse from Sadler and Co later in the year

Even if you were to place the blame of England's exit on George's shoulders, surely 1 bad minute doesn't cancel out a whole seasons good work!

I can't help thinking he got it purely because of all the hype around the Burgess name but in fairness the other nominations were nothing special.

I haven't watched much NRL this year to be fair but his highlights videos on youtube are pretty impressive...Those don't show whatever mistakes he did make of course.

At the end of the day, every player makes mistakes though. If you mess up a certain try but your teams already won by 30 it's seen as a bit of fun, if you missed that same try in the final seconds of a game and lost by 2 points people would call for your head!

If New Zealand beats Australia in the allegedly sold out final of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, it will undoubtedly be in part because of the contribution of Sonny Bill Williams.

If Sydney Roosters are to win back-to-back Grand finals in 2013 and 2014 then it will undoubtedly be in part because of the contribution of Sonny Bill Williams.

Sonny Bill Williams had said after the 2013 NRL Grand Final win that he had fallen back in love with rugby league.

We know that Sonny Bill Williams will switch back to rugby union for the 2015 RU World Cup, and the 2016 Olympics rugby 7s. But expect to see him return to rugby league in 2017 for one more crack at the Rugby League World Cup at age 32.

Inglis is a better player, but it hasn't been his year. He has battled injuries most of the year.

1. You forgot he is a RWC Winners medal holder.....
2. NZ Heavyweight Championship is nothing........Joseph Parker dismantled Botha inside 2 rounds and Knocked him out...Williams beat him on points, but only after they shortened the fight by 1 round due to Williams being rocked by the South African......he has been asked to fight Parker......Parker would end his career in all sports if Williams is stupid enough to get into the ring with him!

Best Bloke won the award based on the last 12 months....he is a superstar of the game and a true "global" name.

Had this award overtaken the RLW Golden Boot in terms of prestige??

SBW has been immense this year in the NRL and so too has been Inglis. But SBW has one a lot of games for the roosters this year and a NRL grand final so I think he deserves it. just a shame we only have one more year of SBW before he goes off to Rugby Union again.

Wouldn't be too sure about that now after all this.

I don't think he will stay beyond next season.He will want to be a part of the 2015 RUWC for sure.SBW needs to be the centre of attention.

He may be back after it though and should still have a couple of good years to give the game.

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 2ybc7.html Sonny Bill Williams in tears after the haka for him. Watch the video.

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 2ybc7.html Sonny Bill Williams in tears after the haka for him. Watch the video.

Myth.
SBW has always been a slow track bully who looks great when his side is on top and he has smaller players to run at, but against the big boys he spends a lot of time making sure his hair is in place for the cameras.

IMO he only won it as he's a big name and it would have brought more coverage on the final. He was shown up by Burgess in the Semi Final and was awful today, Johnathan Thurston or Cameron Smith should have won it imo. The winner of the NRL seems to have too much bearing on the award, when it's supposed to be an international award.

Sonny Billl Williams may return to rugby league in 2017 when the next World Cup takes place. That is because he has failed to add the WC winners medal to his list this year. He will be 32 in 2017.

I don't expect him to join Koukash's emerging Salford SL team, but rather see him rejoin the Sydney Roosters at age 32 for one or two years of last flings in the second row (remember that fitness fanatic Steve Menzies played until age 39, and was 34 in 2008 when he last played and won an NRL Grand Final for Manly).

I think thats a bit harsh, its probably not in the game plan for him to do the hard yards, he looks for the gaps and works on the fringes, trying to be a battering ram against the big boys would negate his game. I don,t think I,ve seen him shy away from a tackle though especially when big Sam trampled all over him last week.
The aussies did a good job on him yesterday didn,t allow him any space or chance of an offload, still a great player in my eyes anyway.

SBW may excel at club RL and international RU but at international RL, I think the jury is out. He played one great team and one half-decent team in this WC. He gave the ball up against England and was dominated by Burgess. Against Australia by the end he was utterly shown up as a one trick pony - offloading and to the wrong team. I think NZ made a mistake in selecting him after his change of mind. You only win if you are a team - he was too much of their go too player when they were under trhe cosh. It was like watching England when Andy Farrell played. One man is too easily wrapped up no matter how good he is and by the end yesterday he was dismantled into an embarassment to his team - just as Andy Farrell used to be in the last 20 minutes against Australia. I think NZ could have won the tornamenment without him.

Think you need watch that semi finalAgain. SBW Worked his nuts off and got plenty of off loads aways. He was superb. The battle between him And Burgess was immense, just Burgess came out on top in what was described as the greatest performance by anyone in an England shirt.

Your last sentence says everything about the intelligence of your post.

Are you Jonathan Davies? Just watched the final again (first time on TV). He was hopeless:

1. He had a hand in the 2 killer tries. Didn't wrap Thurston up for the second try.
2. Fannied about at the PTB and drifted inside to give Australia a big overlap for the try imeediately after HT.
3. Threw the ball to Hayne for the final try.
4. Threw the ball earlier to Hayne and nearly caused a try.
5. Threw the ball away and dropped in on several other occasions.

Last week at Wembley the Kiwi supporters were muttering about his performance too.

Yesterday he was the Kiwis LEAST EFFECTIVE player. He stunk.

Next time watch the game and don't go on JD or reputations.

I was talking about his performance last week. I agree yesterday he was poor, but did any of the Kiwis play outstanding? What did you make of Bill Slaters performance yesterday? You know they guy that cost his side the 08 WC?

Thought Billy had a good game, although there were a couple of times I hoped he'd get clear and give us an 80 yarder. Australia played as a team and were stunning. Best I've seen them play for over a decade.