He is due to sign a 2 year contract with Toronto,that is a massive coup for them i wouldn't have minded him at Wigan for a couple of years to take lockers place as the main danger man in the team

Hope it works out for them, that's a massive amount of money to spend on anyone, never mind a 34 year old who hasn't played rugby league on years.

No other team in the comp could, would or should pay what Tonronto are paying him.

Toronto are desperate to build their story and he gives them that.

An actual world wide brand (which is what he is) to assist in the promotion of their club and draw fans from the significantly more established Union code in Canada is brilliant for them as a “franchise”. It will no doubt boost bums on seats and also revenue from advertising and shirt sales etc.

SL will also obviously benefit from this as a knock on effect, it’s a fantastic feather in the cap to boast him within our comps ranks.

Social media already buzzing about it.

It’s a massive coup and story.

It’s just typical that the story will no doubt be overshadowed in rugby news today with the announcement of the punishment fished out to Sarecens for their salary cap breaches over the last few years.

They're in a genuine relegation battle. -26 points with their international stars ruled out for a number of games due to player welfare codes of conduct. That with a 5m fine...dark days for Sarries.

The best part of the SBW deal is that it opens up everyone's eyes to the potential of the marquee rule.

I'm hoping a few of the other cashed up owners go big too.

Rmours are Toronto are also looking at Christian Wade. Wade has a good profile, known in RU from his playing days, and known in North America (to a degree) due to his NFL days with the Buffalo Bills, think he was on a development contract with the Bills.

Wade was one of the big stories of the preseason, and with Buffalo only being a hop across the border there'll be some local recognition for him around there.

They already ha d 1 marquee player in Ricky Leutele although Wade not count on the Cap in year 1 and only 50% in year 2 I believe so it is very possible he too could be a target.

Good on them. It’s a whopping deal but it gets people talking and brings exposure to the sport. Him being in the Toronto side will add numbers to English clubs gates, so they’re helping the wider sport. I’d love to think Toronto could be a long term prospect and at some point be joined by other clubs in a North American League but time will tell. In the short term I look forward to them being in super league.

To me age is irrelevant in the case of sonny bill as he has played all his union career in the backs so the amount of wear and tear on his body will be minimal compared if he had been in the forwards

Hope Toronto can expand their stadium - can see them having to turn people away next year.

Sonny Bill may well be a relative flop on the field (depends on his attitude) but it creates headlines and attracts attention. Good news story as long as it doesn't threaten the business side of the club in the long term. I suppose they're just like many clubs in that if one wealthy man walks away its panic stations until a replacement is found.

Signed for $10 million, 2 year deal. Wow. https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/sonny-bill ... ocial-WWOS

Signed for $10 million, 2 year deal. Wow. https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/sonny-bill ... ocial-WWOS

I do hope it works out for Toronto. Last season they looked very much a championship squad and whether SBW will change that I don't know but doubt it. They have to recruit a few more quality players to assemble a SL squad.
Not being a fan of the current P & R system and seeing London yo-yo I do hope beyond hope that this doesn't happen to the Wolfpack.
His signing will certainly create interest and hopefully bring larger crowds too.

It’s fantastic for SL as a whole. I applaud Toronto for doing what they are doing. I just hope that as a side effect it helps kick start AMNRL to improve standards and drag themselves up to a level where Toronto could switch back to and we could have 3 professional leagues

Also reports of Toronto chasing Manu Tuilagi.

I'm loving this. They're putting RL in the spotlight with their signings and who they're targeting. Shame the RL fail to develop their own stars; the only 'British stars' who play in Britain are RU players.