How can a player leave the country without fulfilling his contractual obligations to his club?

Question

In Australia right now, there's a general feeling of anger, shock and disappointment in Rugby League player Sonny Bill Williams leaving the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and joining a Rugby Union team in France.

Just when he told so many young players about the importance of sticking with their team and working with them to overcome obstacles. When my 11-year old son heard about it, he just said, 'Oh the b*****d!'. Rightfully so, he was one of his biggest fans for years and even got his jersey signed by this player.

It shouldn't be all about money. Maybe in his mind, money was an essential factor, but loyalty to his team mates and fans should have been considered also in his decision.

He didn't have much of my respect already, I thought he was over-rated, but he's lost the little regard I had. If he's brought back to Australia to face the legal implications of his actions, he won't have many people to greet him at the airport, only security guards to escort him to court.

Answer 1

sbw is the only one to blame in this bulldogs drama.the club shown him a 5 year contract and they were planning ahead with sbw is the playing the biggest part of it.because sonny is much loved with the supporters especially the young ones.who would like to follow his footstep in the future and be like him.iTS up to him to accept it or reject the contract.but he did signed it  not under duress.so most of the nrl players signed contracts for 2 years or less.but he did signed a very long contract.with bound  him to do so.now he is not happy and wants out.the problem is he left without the club knowing it.if he publicly declared that he is not happy with the club and wants out then my sympathy goes with him and many more of his supporters.but he just left.so whatever happened to him from now on being sued by the club and winning the court action against him.then be it .because the club had the right to do so.he is stupid for signing the 5 years contract in the first place.if sonny bill won the battle against the bulldogs.then we wont see him no more in australia.as he is selling his house then he has no intension of living here for good.just imagine sonny bill sitting in the french riviera siffiung french champagne eating snail and frog legs.thanks for those short memories of you sonny but the club must goes on.

Answer 2

because david gallop doesn't remember anything he learnt in law school?

SBW is also accustomed to being pandered to and has hence developped an amazingly exaggerated sense of his own importance. for a young guy it makes sense and with his club going down the tube he's clearly too embarassed to stick around.

i have no problem with players leaving to play union but unilaterally jumping on a plane is both cowardly and selfish.

the nrl clearly is threatened by cashed up union clubs but until they sort out sponsorship bonuses independant of the cap, rep bonuses and rewards for club loyalty, theres nothing stopping more players doing the same thing.

its unlikely he'll personally appear in court and unfortunately its unlikely the dogs will have the energy and money to fight it out. also if the IRB doesnt help, getting an injunction while he's over there already may be all too much trouble.

in any case, if he doesnt wanna be there then he's going to put in substandard performances and his atttitude won't help anything. let him go and hope that administration gets their act together to stop more players being able to do the same thing.

rant over.

Answer 3

get over it u wankers!SBW wasnt overrated, the money on offer shows he isnt u dumb b*****d! u tell me whos a beta 11 than him. u doggy fans are just worried about yourself and the team.WHAT ABOUT WHAT SONNY WANTS! that contract is a piece of paper now he can wipe his *** wit it.lol. IF YOU STAY HERE ON A 5 YEAR CONTRACT WORTH 2 MILL WHY WOULD YOU SIGN A 2 YEAR CONTRACT FOR 3 MILL ONLY A LIAR WOULDNT TAKE IT!

LIKE DAVID PEACHY SAID PLAYING LEAGUE IS A BUSINESS DARREN LOKYER WIL BE THE LAST ONE CLUB PLAYER EVER!GET OVER IT YA MUTTS!

Answer 4

It is disappointed what he's done but let him go .....team mates would probably be sad a bit but they do understand . Sonny's life and family is 1st to him not the team mates or the game or the kids so . He only breached his contract people, he did not killed anyone so bark up at Dr Patel and monsters like him . They should only fine him for the breaching of the contract contract and banned him for two years from the NRL and thats fair . Sonny can then move on and play his career in France or Union .

Answer 5

I think if SBW wants to play in France, let him, but make him PAY OUT his contract to the Bulldogs. Whatever his deal was over the 5 years, he should pay it to them as to pay his way out of the contract. I myself am a Roosters supporter and did have a laugh at the Bulldogs bad luck, but then I thought, "What if Braith Anasta did that to us?" and that changed my mind completely. I feel terrible for the Bulldogs at the moment. The most disappointing thing about all of this is that SBW had commitments to charities and he just walked out on them, like they meant nothing. These kids get themselves so excited about meeting Sonny Bill and his deserted them. Thank goodness for Greg Bird in this situation. SBW is young yes, and has a huge career in front of him, he is only 22, to say that he had to go where the money is, is a joke! And to you Anthony Mundine, i don't ever remember asking you for your opinion, in fact, I would prefer never to see your stupid face again. You are calling the media "Leeches" yet you are using SBW to get yourself some extra publicity, so you tell me who the leech is? You are certainly not a role model for children. Also Anthony, plumber, carpenters etc offer a service and have to complete courses to do their jobs so they are entitled to uncapped pays, SBW has never worked more than 80 minutes a week, if that!! We need plumbers and carpenters mate, we don't need footballers!

Answer 6

He's a low dog. He signed a 5 year contract to get the best deal for himself. Then does this in the first year! If he wasn't happy with the money, negotiate further at the time or sign a shorter contract so you can move on (in the right way). The game doesn't need unloyalty like his.

Answer 7

Good on you Sonny, you have to put your family first. Yeah there is all this hype to stay loyal to your club, but in the end we all work to earn money and take care of your family and loved ones.

If I was offered more than double my wage to work elsewhere I'd definately do the same.

Good Luck in France

Answer 8

He was 1 of mine and probably most ppls favorite player, its hard 2 defend what he did, he is a coward and a hypocrite. The interviews he had with Phill gould ealryier this year about being loyal, honest ect ect was all for what???? thats what im most dissapointed about. And yea i lost the Elimiator by 25 points which cut me deep, because he did a runner

Answer 9

A contact is not worth the paper it is written, when players or coaches are sacked mid term do we all kick up a stink..No this is just the reverse, sure the timing and the sneaky way SBW went about it wasn't right but this has been going on for years in sport , business, politics, and it ain't gonna stop now

Answer 10

If I were in his position, I would do the same thing. How long is his career going to last anyway? Who cares if he can't play in Australia anymore? For the money and for his own future, he should play in France. It's his future. Its not like he's going to go to jail for it.

Answer 11

according to news reports this morning , he has been ordered back to face the music

Answer 12

Its a dog act.

Forget the fact that you should be loyal to your team and your fans and the game. Pretend its not all about money and 'Money Bill Williams' is still a dog.

He broke a contract and in doing so, made every other contract thats been signed in the league worth about the same as a piece of toilet paper. Its wrong.

The NRL or the courts wont be changing much about the situation. No court in the land can force you to play for a club you dont want to play for. All the NRL can really do is ban him from playing in the NRL and given 'Money Bill Williams' recent actions i dont think he cares if he gets banned or not.

This is yet another indication that the game is going to c**p. It shows that its all about money, and it has been for a while. This is just a display of what its like when it becomes all about money on a player level rather than a club/league level.

Ever since Norths got the punt the game has gone to h**l in a handbasket.

Bring back the bears!!!

Sorry, i got off topic there for a sec but i remain a passionate Bear.

Answer 13

instead of just walking out he could've gone to the doggies management and talked to them about his contract telling them he was unhappy just being open and honest with them would've been alot better than doing a runner. people keep saying its about money  if the dogs win in court where is sbw going to be then no pay at all possibly. a contract is a legal document which he broke and he should and most likely be punished for breaking.

Answer 14

it certainly is a low act, he has be supeoned to court, but Anthony (the mouth) Mundine drove him to the airport.

We are huge doggie fans, but I have absolutely no respect for this man what so ever, regardless of whatever he says, he had commitments and doesn't follow them through.

I agree with you he was over-rated, and actually injured most of his career, although when he did put in the effort he could do well.  but yet he has the hide to put Willie Mason down, and yet what SBW has/is doing is worse.

In my personal opinion, NRL should sue him, and he should never ever be allowed to play in Australia again, once he is over in France, New Zealand can have and keep him.

He can't be true to himself, how is it that he can be true to anyone?  He lacks motivation, morals, respect and team spirit.

He had other commitments with some other school kids, but a member of the Sharks filled in, now that's what I call a hero.

$onny Who???

Answer 15

I am a Bulldogs fans. And it was very hurtful what $BW had done to all involved.

He is claiming that salary cap was hindering him from earning his full potential.. his head gone bigger than all of us combine! And indeed he is an overrated player...

Walking away under contract from your club, your teammates and your fans for money is just so wrong in every sense of the word... its just show how greedy some people are and never get contented of what they got. In saying that there is nothing wrong in aiming for better pastures but then do it in an ethical, morally acceptable way, not breaching your contract and abandoning your teammates.

$BW, shame on you...