I want to be a Bulldog for life: Sonny Bill

Glenn Jackson
March 9, 2007

New Zealand international back-rower Sonny Bill Williams has declared he wants to be a Bulldog for life after re-signing with the Bulldogs in a five-year deal believed to be worth over $2 million dollars today.

Williams was initially offered three-year deal for $1.5 million but asked Bulldogs officials this morning for the extended deal which will see him at the club until the end of 2012.

Williams said he made the decision to remain at the club after a heart-to-heart with his father last night.

"I pretty much came to this decision last night talking to my old man. Growing up we didn't have much and with the signing after five years I'm pretty sure I will have some for myself and some for my family,'' Williams said.

"It was a big decision and I always wanted a five year deal.

"I have not been sleeping too well the last couple of weeks.

"I don't want to go through this ever again. I want to get myself and my family a good future."

Meanwhile, the battle to sign Lote Tuqiri is now a two-horse race after Cronulla yesterday withdrew their interest in the dual international, leaving fellow NRL club South Sydney and the Australian Rugby Union to fight for his signature.

Sharks coach Ricky Stuart telephoned Tuqiri's business manager, Les Ross, to inform him the club was pulling out of the race to sign the Waratah and Wallabies back-line star, adding another twist to the long-running soap opera his contract negotiations have become.

The move came soon after the ARU handed Tuqiri their final offer, a four-year deal believed to be worth just over $3 million.

As part of the ARU deal, Tuqiri has offers on the table from both the Waratahs and the Queensland Reds. However, officials said the latest offer was less lucrative than the initial one given to the 27-year-old last November, which was rejected by the player.

The Sharks had been attempting to secure external sponsorships to prop up their deal, but could only offer the former Bronco about $500,000. With that in mind, and the feeling of Sharks officials that Tuqiri would stay in rugby union, they pulled their offer.

"Rugby union have dragged things on for a long, long time but he's still exploring all his options," Sharks chief executive Greg Pierce said.

"I tend to think [staying in rugby union] is the decision he looks like heading towards. At this stage, we've got to move on. We've been trying to get an answer for three weeks, maybe longer. Les was great, Lote's been great, but, unfortunately, things have just dragged on for too long. The fact they're still going on even though they've messed him around … we think that's the way he'll go.

"Financially, we can't match their offer. We have other players Ricky is keen to re-sign, plus the season is about to begin, so our energies would be better placed elsewhere."

Despite the Sharks' prediction, Souths co-owner Peter Holmes a Court, who met with Ross several times this week, was not deterred, saying: "I've got the same reaction that I've had, which is we're working hard to make sure that when he makes a decision, we're there."

It is understood the Rabbitohs will be in a position to make Tuqiri a concrete offer on Monday, the same day given as his deadline to sign with the ARU. Yesterday, the NSWRU sought to have that deadline extended until Wednesday.

However, last night, the ARU was sticking to the Monday deadline, with chief executive Gary Flowers saying the offer would be withdrawn should Tuqiri not provide an answer. "It's not meant to be threatening," Flowers said. "We have always said we wanted to be consistent on this."

