Rugby League: Sonny Bill Williams could star in Netflix show with new league team

All Blacks second five eighths Sonny Bill Williams finding a gap in the bronze final. Photo / Mark Mitchell

It could be a case of Netflix and Bill.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that as part of Sonny Bill Williams' reported $10 million deal with the Toronto Wolfpack, he'll get a share of the club and a starring role in a Netflix series which the Wolfpack hope will run over three seasons.

There's also speculation the Super League side has turned its attention to securing NFL hopeful Valentine Holmes and England rugby internationals Manu Tuilagi and Ben Te'o.

NRL players have also apparently begun cold calling the club as they follow the whiff of cash.

Toronto CEO Bob Hunter is expected to ask for the competition's salary cap to be altered as a result.

A spokesperson for the Toronto Wolfpack has told NZME that an update on the situation is likely to come later in the week.

#BREAKING: @Danny_Weidler reveals two MASSIVE Rugby League stories.

Sonny-Bill Williams is heading BACK to Rugby League; and the @sydneyroosters have WITHDRAWN their offer to Latrell Mitchell. #9News pic.twitter.com/ytGDC3ssxj

— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) November 5, 2019

Williams played for the All Blacks in the recent Rugby World Cup but will return to the code where he launched his career as a teenager with the Bulldogs in the NRL.

New Zealand lost to England in the semifinals of the World Cup but defeated Wales in the third-place playoff.

News of the deal comes after Toronto's head coach Brian McDermott revealed in October his team had received word Williams was interested in joining the team.

The Toronto team is on the lookout for big-name signings following their promotion from the second-tier Championship and were keen on signing the All Blacks star.

The record deal would see Williams earn around four times the wages paid to NRL superstar Daly Cherry-Evans ($10 million over eight seasons) and AFL superstar Lance Franklin ($10 million over nine seasons).

The 34-year-old won the Rugby World Cup with New Zealand in 2011 and 2015 and last played professional rugby league with the Roosters in 2014.

Other rugby league and union teams were rumoured to be in the hunt for Williams' signature after his contract with New Zealand Rugby ended following the All Blacks' win over Wales.

Toronto has a competitive advantage over interested rivals of being able to sign Williams as a Super League marquee player where just $300,000 of his salary will be included in the team's salary cap.

McDermott said recently his team wanted to bring in a David Beckham-type player to do for the Wolfpack what the former Manchester United favourite did for LA Galaxy — and that Williams fits the bill.

"Sonny Bill Williams has shown interest in us and that's what it is at the moment," McDermott said last month.

"He's currently busy with the World Cup so I wouldn't ever dare to suggest that he is more than interested in coming but the answer wasn't a 'no' once we made contact so that's something we'd like to follow up."

The Wolfpack, a Canadian franchise, is funded by Australian mining billionaire David Argyle and will make its debut in the Super League next year after winning promotion by beating Featherstone Rovers.

- With news.com.au