Just Heard on fox Sports Sonny Bill has left the Bulldogs and Australia apparently to join Tolouse RU side although the second part is a rumour. Could any Super league clubs be able to afford him.

the same sonny bill who is 1 year into a 5 year deal with the bulldogs and is tied into a contract with ''aboslutely no get out clauses'' according to the dogs GM.

SBW is a great player, but he has some serious box trouble!

Not saying the dogs are happy about it but he aint in Australia

he is at the hull semi final tomorow as a guest of Berrigan

He's gone for the challenge of the French Rugby Union 2nd Division.

I dont want him in SL the guys trouble and Im sick of him. He seems to think he's bigger than just about everything despite being a crock.

Sonny Bill AWOL

Sonny Bill AWOL

RL in Australia seems to be struggling at the moment from raids like this and the threat of Aussie Rules. The game in Australia hasnt got the money to increase the salary cap and loads of clubs are already complaining that they need more money to even survive. The Super League wars and the way that news corporation basically own the game and can get TV rights for far less than they are worth is holding the game back. Until this situation is sorted out and League can get the TV deal that it deserves, which should be at least comparable to AFL (Before the Super League wars it was always more but since as been far less) then they will not be able to become a nationwide game and fight Union raids like this, or the AFL for that matter. RL in Australia need a new TV deal and complete ownership of the game in Australia before things can improve.

It is not like Gasnier or SBW have gone to Union for the international game, which is what Union fans always claim that Union has over League. They will not be picked for their countries whilst playing in France. They have gone for huge money and there is very little that League can do in the short term. Even Union players from the Southern hemisphere and the British Isles are going to France, and abondoning the chance of playing for their countries, for the huge amounts of money on offer. The Rugby Union clubs in France are largely propped up by sugar daddies in charge of the clubs which are seen as prestige symbols, a little like premier league football here. Crowds in general are small and it is these sugar daddies that are funding these huge wages.

The new manager of SBW, Khoder Nasser (who also manages former NRL player turned boxer Anthony Mundine), does not get a penny of SBW's current contract. In fact he is not even an accredited agent with the NRL.

However if SBW signs a contract with a French RU club, new agent Khoder Nasser pockets his commission from the massive new contract.

Very interesting.

Toulon would still have to buy out SBW's contract and give the Bulldogs a fee to purchase a replacement.

Say he is on $200,000 AUSD (I know he's not) that's $1million plus the fee to bring in a replacement.

He is worth it, but he still shouldn't retire after only playing 70 games in the NRL and 7 for the Kiwis.