Sonny Bill Williams will earn a reported AU$150,000 for his late-season arrival to the Sydney Roosters, according to reports.
The Daily Telegraph is reporting the All Black and Kiwis great will earn at least $37,500 a game for the final four rounds of the NRL season. That doesn't include potentialfinals games.
The newspaper reports the Roosters aren't in a position to an offer the Toronto Wolfpack player a deal next season if he wishes to remain in Australia as they don't have salary cap space.
Williams is set to arrive in Australia today and begin a 14-day quarantine before joining his old club for the remainder of the season.
Speaking to Channel 9's The Today Show, yesterday the 34-year-old opened up on phone calls with his mates at the Roosters which prompted his imminent return to the NRL.
"Everyone knows it's no secret I'm pretty close with the lads at the Roosters – Nick [Politis] and Trent [Robinson] – I keep in contact with them," Williams said.
"Trent gave me a call and enquired about what was happening over here and Nick hit me up and asked if I had a couple of months in me to come back."
Williams admitted he wasn't expecting the call and that he wasn't in peak playing condition.
"I had to be honest. I hadn't trained for a bit, I'd been on holiday mode. We actually booked flights for a little family European holiday.
"It's just the challenge [of playing in the NRL again] that I get excited about. It lights that fire inside of you."
Sonny Bill Williams. Photo / Photosport
In another interview with the Daily Telegraph before leaving for Australia, Williams admitted he was also nervous and had doubts about his Roosters return.
"I haven't been training; I started thinking about my age. At nearly 35 I've had a couple of injuries and surgery. Sometimes I question myself about what I'm doing. There was 24 to 48 hours and I was just lying in bed and thinking man, all these factors are stacked against me."
Williams said he's staying realistic about playing time with his former club.
"The biggest challenge is trying to make the squad," he said. "There's world-class players at the Roosters. I just can't walk in and take a spot.
"The other boys will have been in the competition for 14 or 15 weeks. It's a massive challenge."
It’s been a crazy few days in our household. One minute we’re settling the kids into schools over here, next minute we’re travelling home. No matter what the next chapter holds as long as we have Allah in our hearts we’ll be fine. #AlwaysAlhamdullilah#ExcitedForQuarantine 🥴🤣 pic.twitter.com/fPxLSzZl1p
— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) July 24, 2020
Meanwhile, his future with the Toronto Wolfpack is still up in the air after the Canadian club withdrew from the Super League midway through its first season in Europe's top-tier competition because of financial challenges caused by the pandemic.
Wolfpack chief executive Bob Hunter said he hopes Williams will return next season and it appears unlikely the cross-code star will terminate his $10 million Super League contract.
His NRL return was previously delayed as he required an exemption from the NRL in order to hold two league contracts at the same time.
Williams won the NRL title during a two-season stint with the Roosters back in 2013, where he scored 11 tries in 45 games.
After completing his mandatory quarantine, Williams would be free to make his first appearance for the Roosters in the August 22 clash with the Wests Tigers.
