Wayne Bennett is hoping to link up with Sonny Bill Williams

[Muffdaddy]

Khoder Nasser should be the referee with Ayoub as video ref.

[Guest]

They should let Choc Mundine & Quade Cooper play as well.

As long as Daniel Geale is on the opposition.

[Muffdaddy]

As long as Daniel Geale is on the opposition.

Well Geale would have to be in the All Stars side as he's not 'black' enough to be in the Indigenous side......
According to 'The Man' that is...

[Guest]

Master coach Wayne Bennett is hoping to link up with Sonny Bill Williams again, believing his All Stars team would be the perfect way for the Rugby World Cup winner to return to rugby league.

Williams is expected to honour a handshake agreement with the Sydney Roosters to arrive at Bondi Junction next year, although his boxing and rugby commitments mean his starting date is unclear.

If, as expected, an official announcement is made next month, he should be eligible for selection in Bennett's All Stars.

Bennett worked closely with Williams when he helped coach the Kiwis for the 2008 centenary test against the Kangaroos - Williams' last international before switching codes - and was hugely impressed.

"From my point of view, if he's eligible to play under the rules of the All Stars and he gets selected, I'd love to have him in the team," Bennett said of the season-opening festival game which will be played for the fourth time.

"It would [add interest], but he's got to make his intentions clear and secondly the Roosters have got to let him be available."

Bennett says it would be an ideal occasion to ease Williams back into the Sydney league scene after his controversial Bulldogs exit.

"Sonny Bill, if he came back to the game, it would be a good way for him to come back in.

"Sam Burgess came over in his first year here and finished up playing. That was a great thing for him because it helped him get accepted very quickly into the game. He came in here, met up with one player from every other club and they all realised what a good bloke he was."

Bennett has only good memories of his brief time with Williams in the Kiwis setup. "I enjoyed it. He's a very good person, I didn't have any problems with him and I enjoyed his company. He was highly respected in that group."

While most pundits expect Williams to make his return in round one - the Bulldogs and South Sydney are lobbying the ARLC to stage their first game against the Roosters - the chance to see the All Black play in the All Stars first would guarantee astronomical TV ratings and a sellout of Suncorp Stadium.

The first stage of voting for the All Stars team opened last weekend, with fans to decide which players should join Cameron Smith and Benji Marshall in the All Stars. In the unlikely event that Williams - should he be available - is overlooked, Bennett has the ability to name him as one of his two discretionary picks.

Ad Feedback Bennett, who has won seven premierships as a coach, is adamant Marshall plays his best football at No 6. "He's a five-eighth, not a halfback. Cooper Cronk played halfback for us last year and did a great job.

"[Marshall] is definitely a six, I don't want him playing at halfback. He's better playing at second receiver getting that ball when he wants it. He likes to sit back and wait for that moment and then grab it then."

- Sun-Herald

Maybe if he came to us 06 he could have!!!

[Guest]

Love the hate guys. Bennett farked us over and so we should repay the favour. Tell him yeah SBW will play, then pull him out at the last minute with an "injury", only for him to make a miraculous recover for round 1.

Go Easts.

Chook.

[novice chook]

It will be up to Scummy Bill as to whether he plays in the game or not, not anyone else. Remember, this bloke makes his own rules and the Roosters just bow and scrape to him for the privilege of having him in their squad.

If he is eligible and decides he wants to play then he will. Noone at the Roosters will stop him.

NC

[mightyrooster]

It will be up to Scummy Bill as to whether he plays in the game or not, not anyone else. Remember, this bloke makes his own rules and the Roosters just bow and scrape to him for the privilege of having him in their squad.

If he is eligible and decides he wants to play then he will. Noone at the Roosters will stop him.

NC

Lol, you really haven't warmed to $BW yet have you NC?

[Guest]

It will be up to Scummy Bill as to whether he plays in the game or not, not anyone else. Remember, this bloke makes his own rules and the Roosters just bow and scrape to him for the privilege of having him in their squad.

If he is eligible and decides he wants to play then he will. Noone at the Roosters will stop him.

NC

NC do you feel a leopard can change it's spots??..

[novice chook]

Lol, you really haven't warmed to $BW yet have you NC?

Nope - and never will. I've never liked the bloke since he first burst on the scene. Long before the walk out saga.

I've resigned myself to the fact he will be at the Roosters next year. I will supporting him with pixie claps and no more. I will be struggling to do that! I certainly can't see myself standing up and cheering for him - so I may well stand out from the crowd next season by being the only one sitting down!

NC

[novice chook]

NC do you feel a leopard can change it's spots??..

Quite frankly Horrie, no. Some people just camoflague them better than others in certain circumstances. A person is who he is - good and bad characteristics.

NC

[roosterproud]

sorry bennet we are too good for you so stay at the tinkler emporium. retirement is nih

[milanja]

It will be up to Scummy Bill as to whether he plays in the game or not, not anyone else. Remember, this bloke makes his own rules and the Roosters just bow and scrape to him for the privilege of having him in their squad.

If he is eligible and decides he wants to play then he will. Noone at the Roosters will stop him.

NC

Gee what a spineless and hollow club we support then.

[Guest]

I'd laugh if he played this game and did his ACL and missed the whole year and never got to put on the Roosters jersey. lol :P

[007]

I'd laugh if he played this game and did his ACL and missed the whole year and never got to put on the Roosters jersey. lol :P

I'll admit I'm not a fan of SBW but I certainly wouldn't wouldn't wish that on anyone especially whilst playing for the Roosters - think Cherrington who may well be something else if he gets his body right.

The only person I would wish harm to would be Isaac Luke for what he attempted to do Rangi Chase.

[Cockadoodledoo]

I'd laugh if he played this game and did his ACL and missed the whole year and never got to put on the Roosters jersey. lol :P

I am highly doubting any Roosters fan would be laughing.