Canberra Raiders sign Wigan Warriors half George Williams on three year deal

[Brew]

Don't worry Rickmando, our boy Ricky will make the right choice this year!

Another halve to shine under Ricky! Can’t wait!


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[LimeGreenMachine]

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/ ... 512yf.html

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[greeneyed]

Canberra Raiders look to expand British colony in the national capital

The English influx at the Raiders is poised to continue, with the club understood to be in talks with Wigan halfback George Williams.

After recruiting Williams' teammates Ryan Sutton and John Bateman for this season, Canberra officials have been in negotiations about luring the 24-year-old playmaker to the nation's capital next year.

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/ ... 512yf.html

[edwahu]

Would be good to get it done this year.

[Wiki Special]

What sort of dollars do you think would be needed to lure him to the club? I have not seen much of him.

[greeneyed]

The biggest problem seems to be the reputed $500,000 transfer fee.

[Ruben Daley]

The biggest problem seems to be the reputed $500,000 transfer fee.

These transfer fees are nuts but I can understand Wigan’s perspective.

There’s got to be some fire for all this smoke. I wonder if they’ve given Sezer a certain number of games to demonstrate he’s raised his game before deciding.

[gerg]

The biggest problem seems to be the reputed $500,000 transfer fee.

Anything official on whether transfer fees are included in the cap?

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[Danaman137]

The biggest problem seems to be the reputed $500,000 transfer fee.

Anything official on whether transfer fees are included in the cap?

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From the segyaro reports, they are. Perhaps it’s spread over the span of he contract though?


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[Sid]

The biggest problem seems to be the reputed $500,000 transfer fee.

Anything official on whether transfer fees are included in the cap?

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Cap? I think that thing is more just a guide

[greeneyed]

My belief is that they are. Maybe we should ask Paul Kent via NRL 360.

He wrote a great article about the Storm and Sharks salary cap cheating incidentally: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport ... eb0477242a

The nub of it was how damaging Cameron Smith's claim that the NRL should reconsider the penalties on the Storm for salary cap cheating at the NRL season launch were (completely agree). But pointing out that the NRL has not been fully transparent regarding the Sharks salary cap cheating, including in 2016. The NRL has still not outlined how much the Sharks were over the cap in each year of the cheating (or not), including in 2016. They have made some carefully constructed statements that the cheating ramped up in 2017, and that "on the day" of the 2016 Grand Final, the Sharks were under the cap. The issue that is not clear is whether they were "compliant" because they were cheating the cap through undisclosed TPAs.

[Botman]

Also if the Sharks built that premiership winning squad through illegal means, then the premiership should be stripped

Like hypothetically a club, say ours, could pay a bunch of players under the table in 2019, hundreds and thousands under the table and undeclared, then again we'll give them some money in 2020 with the arrangement that in 2021, they'll get less which will allow us the "cap space" to sign George Williams
If he's a superstar and we win the comp in 2021, whether we're under the cap in 2021 doesnt really **** matter, does it? The only reason we have the sqaud to do it was because we cheated in years prior.

We've cheated to get there. Our accomplishments are stained and gained unfairly. We should be stripped

The Storm absolutely should NOT have their title returned, but this Sharks thing stinks to high heaven.

[gerg]

Agreed. It's no different to sides that have been busted saying they'll all take a pay cut to stay together. It's not really a pay cut if you've received more than you otherwise would by cheating.

Maybe the NRL isn't going too hard after the Sharks because they've finally realised that most clubs are cheating in one way or another.

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[-PJ-]

I'd ring George and get a vibe but it's long distance...

[Wiki Special]

If the Sharks had players in their squad in 2015/16 receiving illegal payments in 2015 (or 2016/17 receiving illegal payments in 2017) they absolutely should lose their Premiership. Those illegal payments would have kept them at the club for the 2016 season.

[Botman]

Agreed. It's no different to sides that have been busted saying they'll all take a pay cut to stay together. It's not really a pay cut if you've received more than you otherwise would by cheating.

Maybe the NRL isn't going too hard after the Sharks because they've finally realised that most clubs are cheating in one way or another.

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If it's nefarious id suspect it's operational first and foremost and sentimentality there after.
Going hard after them could honestly send the club broke and then they'll have to scramble to put Perth or whoever in.
Secondly, that was, in australian sports (though i think most non Cronulla fans found that team very unlikable) terms a good news story... the team who'd never done, finally doing it... there was some pretty wild emotional scenes of former players and fans etc... so maybe that's playing a part.

Occams Razor, it's almost certainly just old school incompetence and poor decision making/process.

[Dusty]

Also if the Sharks built that premiership winning squad through illegal means, then the premiership should be stripped

Like hypothetically a club, say ours, could pay a bunch of players under the table in 2019, hundreds and thousands under the table and undeclared, then again we'll give them some money in 2020 with the arrangement that in 2021, they'll get less which will allow us the "cap space" to sign George Williams
If he's a superstar and we win the comp in 2021, whether we're under the cap in 2021 doesnt really **** matter, does it? The only reason we have the sqaud to do it was because we cheated in years prior.

We've cheated to get there. Our accomplishments are stained and gained unfairly. We should be stripped

The Storm absolutely should NOT have their title returned, but this Sharks thing stinks to high heaven.

Sign me up for one of these


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[Brew]

How has he been going? I saw Wigan lost the other day and some fans on social media were ripping into Williams and saying he is not up to it.


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[-TW-]

I read somewhere he's playing like a busted **** ATM, the contract stuff is really affecting him

[Seiffert82]

Sounds like a perfect Raiders recruit then. Cut out the middle man and go straight to **** form ala Austin and Harrison.

[MrPosh]

How has he been going? I saw Wigan lost the other day and some fans on social media were ripping into Williams and saying he is not up to it.


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There's not a harder set of fans to please - anywhere in sport - than Wigan.

He's been OK - nowhere near their best player, but certainly not the worst. However, as a very highly paid player he is, naturally, a target.

With Hardaker being a like for like replacement for Tomkins, Wigan are really only down one player this year and he seems to be the difference between winning a Grand Final and losing to London and Huddersfield. A certain John Bateman.

[Brew]

When was the last time an English half came to Australia and done well?


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[edwahu]

When was the last time an English half came to Australia and done well?


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When was the last time one did and went badly? The only one I recall was Thorman 10 years ago.

The closest to a half moving recently is Hodgo.

[Keghead]

Did anyone happen to see the air tackle that he did? He just totally mistimed it and tackled nothing with a flying leap. I’m not one to hang it on players but jeez it looked comical.


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[valiant_raider]

When was the last time an English half came to Australia and done well?


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Widdop

[Northern Raider]

When was the last time an English half came to Australia and done well?


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Widdop

So basically the most recent one. Can't think of too many English halves that have joined the NRL.

[yurithe1]

When was the last time an English half came to Australia and done well?


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Widdop

So basically the most recent one. Can't think of too many English halves that have joined the NRL.

Does Widdop count? He moved to Australia when he was 16 and hadn't played professionally when he was in England.

Anyway, I can only think of Dave Boulton, who helped Balmain win the '69 GF, and Tommy Bishop who captain-coached Cronulla in the early '70s. I never saw either of them play live because I was too young, but I've seen enough highlights footage to suggest that Bishop was a quality halfback.

I did see Ellery Hanley play in the halves though, but he was at 5/8th.

[Postman Pat]

Did anyone happen to see the air tackle that he did? He just totally mistimed it and tackled nothing with a flying leap. I’m not one to hang it on players but jeez it looked comical.


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[Northern Raider]

When was the last time an English half came to Australia and done well?


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Widdop

So basically the most recent one. Can't think of too many English halves that have joined the NRL.

Does Widdop count? He moved to Australia when he was 16 and hadn't played professionally when he was in England.

Anyway, I can only think of Dave Boulton, who helped Balmain win the '69 GF, and Tommy Bishop who captain-coached Cronulla in the early '70s. I never saw either of them play live because I was too young, but I've seen enough highlights footage to suggest that Bishop was a quality halfback.

I did see Ellery Hanley play in the halves though, but he was at 5/8th.

I vaguely remember Andy Gregory playing here.

[LimeGreenMachine]

Looked it up 9 games in 89 for the Steelers

Jonathon Davies , more a fullback but did play in the halves
Ellery Hanley , also played multiple positions , including in the halves

[LimeGreenMachine]

Shaun Edwards too, the one who took out Clyde in the test match

[sprintman]

Segeyaro will be desperate for a team. Should be cheap

[FuiFui BradBrad]

Segeyaro will be desperate for a team. Should be cheap

Unless he’s keen to re-start his Barista goals

[Raiders666]

Isn't 3 hookers enough?

[Keghead]

Did anyone happen to see the air tackle that he did? He just totally mistimed it and tackled nothing with a flying leap. I’m not one to hang it on players but jeez it looked comical.


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