<big>Sonny Bill Williams' return price skyrockets to $2.5m</big>
Dean Ritchie From: The Daily Telegraph March 09, 2010 12:00AM
CANTERBURY chief executive Todd Greenberg yesterday dramatically bumped up his compensation price for Sonny Bill Williams to $2.5 million, with the club's fans and former greats split over whether the former Bulldogs star should be allowed to play at another NRL club.
The Daily Telegraph yesterday revealed the Bulldogs wanted $1 million from the New Zealand Warriors should the Auckland club sign Williams, who is off contract with French rugby club Toulon in June.
But Greenberg yesterday revised his payout figure, saying his club wanted $2.5 million to let Williams - under contract at Belmore until 2013 - play elsewhere in the NRL.
Asked was $1 million a fair compensation amount, Greenberg said: "I assume you are talking about $1 million for each year? We don't have a set figure in mind but no doubt it would be significant. How long is a piece of a string?"
Steve Mortimer, Canterbury's top dog, reckons that Williams should be forgiven for having walked out on the Bulldogs.
"I think he should be able to play [elsewhere] if the Dogs are compensated," Mortimer said.
"I think what he did will be hurting Sonny more than anyone else.
"Hopefully this has been a lesson in life for Sonny Bill. And I hope he has learnt from it.
"If he had hung in there and toughed it out, he would have got the rewards last year when the Bulldogs went so well.
"As I said, as long as the Bulldogs are paid, I would let him play.
"The door is always open."
Canterbury fans made their thoughts known in a Daily Telegraph online poll yesterday, with more than 75 per cent of respondents voting against allowing Williams back into the NRL.
Bulldogs Army supporters club member Darren Barrett was also against seeing Williams sign with the Warriors.
"I want him to come back to the Bulldogs - but only if he apologised to the club, the fans, teammates and sponsors for doing his midnight run," Barrett said.
"If he doesn't come here, then he shouldn't be allowed to go anywhere else.
"There was a lot of pain for Bulldogs fans when he walked out. When the going got tough, he simply said: 'I've had enough'.
"We weren't winning that year so he just left us."
Another Dogs fan to call the Telegraph yesterday said: "We have moved on - if we get the money then we should take it."
One blogger wrote online yesterday: "Don't do it Greenberg. Stuff the cash."
Another added: "I wouldn't let this brat even enter Australia."
The Warriors have stated that Williams would "put bums on seats" at their matches.
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