Bulldogs doing deal with Toulon
August 15, 2008
FORMER Labor party senator Graham Richardson is the secret powerbroker behind a $750,000 compensation payment to the Bulldogs for the release of Sonny Bill Williams to play rugby union in France.
It has been revealed that Richardson negotiated the settlement late Fridaynight as the intermediary in talks between the Bulldogs and Toulon.
A guarded Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg said he was hopeful of finalising the settlement over the weekend. The ex-Senator initiated negotiations on Thursday night when he phoned Greenberg and chairman George Peponis.
Greenberg spoke with Richardson at regular intervals yesterday, following Williams’ decision to comply with the NSW Supreme Court injunction and sit out his rugby club’s recent trial match.
The backdown represented a clear victory for the NRL and the Bulldogs.
It illustrated Williams and his advisors did not want to risk jail in Australia or seizure of their assets by breaching the Court’s order. Sydney-based Richardson, a famed Labor numbers man, was being used to relay information from France to the Bulldogs.
Negotiations gained pace on Fridaynight with Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal issuing veiled threats against the Bulldogs to speed up a settlement.
Boudjellal warned of “very bad consequences for the Bulldogs and (NRL)” if a deal was not reached to allow Williams to legally play – a remark interpreted by Greenberg as a threat to make accusations about the club’s compliance with the salary cap.
“We’ll say no more today about the way Sonny Bill got on with the Bulldogs or about the way the club was managed from the inside because negotiations are under way,” Boudjellal said.
“We are hoping for a positive issue because, if not, there are a lot of things that can come out into the open and have very bad consequences for the Bulldogs and (NRL).”
The tough-talking Frenchman has also threatened to sue the Bulldogs for “moral harassment” under French law in relation to their attempts to serve Williams with court documents.
Greenberg shrugged off Boudjellal’s blackmail attempt, insisting the club has “nothing to hide” about its salary cap position.
“The Bulldogs have been honest, open and transparent in these discussions with Sonny Bill Williams and his management,” Greenberg said.
The club wanted a sizeable payout based on the formula of Barcalys Premier League transfers, particularly given its multi-headed claim for damages against Williams.
League boss David Gallop said he was pleased that the parties seemed to be close to settling.
“It’s not ideal but the big issue for us was obtaining the injunction and the fact that he complied with it by not playing then entering into negotiations with the Bulldogs.
“It’s a substantial sum but it was never going to finish completely satisfactorily.
“Walking out mid-contract is still a shock to most people in the game.”
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