Hazem El Masri Wouldn’t Let Sonny Bill Back Into The NRL

Sonny Bill Williams has officially signed with the Sydney Roosters but his return to the NRL hasn’t been welcomed by all. Time heals all wounds but it’s clearly not been time enough for the NRL’s greatest point scorer Hazem El Masri with the widely respected Canterbury Bulldogs great becoming the first of Sonny Bill’s ex-teammates to speak out against the code-hoppers return to the 13-man game. And he didn’t hold back.

For me, the way he left the game, if that was up to me I wouldn’t let him back in the game,” El Masri told Ten News. Pressed as to whether, despite personal differences, he was happy to see the enigmatic back-rower return, El Masri replied “I’m not going to lie to you – not really. I hated the way he left. He left all his teammates behind and took off. That’s not what I am about. I’m all about someone being honest and direct with us.”

While it’s of little surprise that former teammates are still a little raw about Sonny Bill’s shock defection four years ago, El Masri’s sentiments are an ominous warning to Roosters fans expecting an immediate turn around for the boys from Bondi Junction. With the non-negotiable boxing clauses and the likelihood that he well return to the Rugby Union at season’s end, it’s certainly not a given that Sonny Bill’s new teammates will warm to the mercurial mercenary and accept him in as part of the team.

It’s not as though Sonny Bill was renowned for being a team player in his NRL days as El Masri points to after he was asked if he had received an apology from Williams. “Not to me, not to a lot of guys there. Maybe a couple of guys he did. I know he’s been flying in and out, trying to make up his mind. Whether he wants to box, rugby, whatever. What’s next? Is it netball, tennis, god knows what it is?”

For sports fans unburdened with the grudges that many Bulldogs supporters are entitled to hold, the next chapter in Sonny Bill’s career will be interesting to say the least. Coming off as a cocky douchebag after he walked out of the NRL, Williams’ belief in his own ability has been justified with successes that even he himself would not have predicted. Many of us wanted to see him fail and the fact that he hasn’t, and conversely prospered, points to a depth of character that we assumed was not there.

Respected for his fairness and understanding, the spurned El Masri left the door open for reconciliation “I hope he settles down because I love watching him play.” I doubt he’ll settle down, but plenty of fans are looking forward to his return to the field. And maybe there is still a few waiting for him to fail?

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