Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

All the news on the Canberra Raiders NRL team, all in one place

Moderator: GH Moderators

User avatar
afgtnk
Laurie Daley
Posts: 10712
Joined: April 7, 2007, 1:45 am
Favourite Player: Crotic

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by afgtnk »

Was genuinely on the path to becoming the best halfback we've had since Stuart. A crying shame how this has all turned out. Would it have been different without Covid? Probably. We'll never quite know.
User avatar
gerg
Laurie Daley
Posts: 12613
Joined: June 24, 2008, 4:22 pm

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by gerg »

But I thought he was faking to get to a different NRL side?

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

Shoving it in your face since 2017
User avatar
Seiffert82
Mal Meninga
Posts: 27845
Joined: March 17, 2007, 12:24 pm
Favourite Player: Bay56

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Seiffert82 »

Would have made a great NRL 5/8 in a team that had a genuine halfback.

Dunamis Lui was interviewed the other day and made a comment about how good it was to have Sam Williams out there telling the boys where to be and getting stuck into players who weren't doing their job.

We weren't ever getting that from George Williams. It showed on the field.

Great player. Limited kicking game and wasn't a genuine 7. It's a pity it ended this way.
User avatar
BJ
Steve Walters
Posts: 7687
Joined: February 2, 2007, 12:14 pm

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by BJ »

Actually Dunamis threw the traditional halfback pass to Wighton for the first try last week. I’d forgotten about it until I saw a replay.

Lui and Sam Williams combined well a few times too. They both looked like they were enjoying themselves.
User avatar
Seiffert82
Mal Meninga
Posts: 27845
Joined: March 17, 2007, 12:24 pm
Favourite Player: Bay56

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Seiffert82 »

Yeah, it was hard to get a genuine measure on the game as we were playing an appalling excuse for an NRL team, but the boys looked to be genuinely having fun for the first time in what seemed like forever.
User avatar
GreenMachine
Jason Croker
Posts: 4264
Joined: April 13, 2005, 2:22 pm
Favourite Player: Laurie Daley

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by GreenMachine »

Classy statement from George.
Genuinely think he’s a good bloke and would make a great 5/8th rather than halfback.
I think his manager has a lot to answer for and it’s unfortunate we’ve had this play out so poorly for everyone involved.
Wish him the best with personal life.
User avatar
BadnMean
Steve Walters
Posts: 7594
Joined: May 13, 2013, 5:30 pm
Favourite Player: chicka

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by BadnMean »

GreenMachine wrote: June 18, 2021, 7:47 am Classy statement from George.
Genuinely think he’s a good bloke and would make a great 5/8th rather than halfback.
I think his manager has a lot to answer for and it’s unfortunate we’ve had this play out so poorly for everyone involved.
Wish him the best with personal life.
Funny isn't it. I rate him as the best half we've had since Jason Smith -who may have wore 6 (i cant remember) but ran the show really. And yeah, you can see he's really a running half not an organiser and most all his highlights from ESL are left side dominant. Pretty good player, slightly wrong fit for us.

Thanks GWilly, all the best.
Last edited by BadnMean on June 18, 2021, 9:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
The Nickman
Mal Meninga
Posts: 51011
Joined: June 25, 2012, 9:53 am
Favourite Player: Hodgo
Location: Rockhampton, Central Queensland

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by The Nickman »

afgtnk wrote: June 17, 2021, 7:02 pm Was genuinely on the path to becoming the best halfback we've had since Stuart. A crying shame how this has all turned out. Would it have been different without Covid? Probably. We'll never quite know.
Still fits in nicely in third spot behind Aiden Sezer though.

Best of luck in the future, Georgey boy.
The Nickman
Mal Meninga
Posts: 51011
Joined: June 25, 2012, 9:53 am
Favourite Player: Hodgo
Location: Rockhampton, Central Queensland

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by The Nickman »

Seiffert82 wrote: June 17, 2021, 9:10 pm Would have made a great NRL 5/8 in a team that had a genuine halfback.

Dunamis Lui was interviewed the other day and made a comment about how good it was to have Sam Williams out there telling the boys where to be and getting stuck into players who weren't doing their job.

We weren't ever getting that from George Williams. It showed on the field.

Great player. Limited kicking game and wasn't a genuine 7. It's a pity it ended this way.
On the left too, he just wasn't a right side player and our whole right edge suffered as a result the last season and a half.

Not George's fault, just another thing that can be chalked up to our poor overall attacking structures and shape.
User avatar
greeneyed
Don Furner
Posts: 145095
Joined: January 7, 2005, 4:21 pm

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by greeneyed »

GreenMachine wrote: June 18, 2021, 7:47 am Classy statement from George.
Genuinely think he’s a good bloke and would make a great 5/8th rather than halfback.
I think his manager has a lot to answer for and it’s unfortunate we’ve had this play out so poorly for everyone involved.
Wish him the best with personal life.
I don’t think it had anything to do with his manager (Andy Clarke in England). The manager just carrying out instructions.
Image
User avatar
Seiffert82
Mal Meninga
Posts: 27845
Joined: March 17, 2007, 12:24 pm
Favourite Player: Bay56

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Seiffert82 »

The Nickman wrote: June 18, 2021, 8:56 am
Seiffert82 wrote: June 17, 2021, 9:10 pm Would have made a great NRL 5/8 in a team that had a genuine halfback.

Dunamis Lui was interviewed the other day and made a comment about how good it was to have Sam Williams out there telling the boys where to be and getting stuck into players who weren't doing their job.

We weren't ever getting that from George Williams. It showed on the field.

Great player. Limited kicking game and wasn't a genuine 7. It's a pity it ended this way.
On the left too, he just wasn't a right side player and our whole right edge suffered as a result the last season and a half.

Not George's fault, just another thing that can be chalked up to our poor overall attacking structures and shape.
Basically comes down to picking the wrong person for a particular role.

As you say, he was a running half who played on the left hand side. We already had one of those on the books.

His Raiders highlights are based around quick darts into the line and some nice short kicks for his outside men. He is a decent backer-upperer too.

Meanwhile, we have Josh Hodgson trying to play both hooker and halfback in the absence of a genuine 7.

I have been very critical of Hodgo in that regard, and he was doing it with Sezer too, but it was getting worse with Williams.

That's why we had a very talented spine who looked entirely **** most of the time IMO. Wrong person, wrong role.

It's a bit like putting a top notch accountant into an engineering role just because the job opening is there and they know the business pretty well. Then you wonder why after 6 months all your bridges start to fall apart.
User avatar
yurithe1
David Furner
Posts: 3587
Joined: March 16, 2008, 10:27 am
Favourite Player: Jordan Rapana
Location: Canberra

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by yurithe1 »

Who knows how things might have turned out if his GF hadn't become pregnant.

I thought he was a solid pick-up, despite the transfer fee, and could understand why the Raiders wanted to him to stick around for the remainder of his contract.

Never mind. Back to watching the Super League to see who might be the next bloke in a lime green jersey to make people sit up and take notice.
Some people talk about the weather. Others do something about it.

MEMBER NO.: 4500 (before they changed the numbering system).
User avatar
yurithe1
David Furner
Posts: 3587
Joined: March 16, 2008, 10:27 am
Favourite Player: Jordan Rapana
Location: Canberra

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by yurithe1 »

BadnMean wrote: June 18, 2021, 8:48 am
GreenMachine wrote: June 18, 2021, 7:47 am Classy statement from George.
Genuinely think he’s a good bloke and would make a great 5/8th rather than halfback.
I think his manager has a lot to answer for and it’s unfortunate we’ve had this play out so poorly for everyone involved.
Wish him the best with personal life.
Funny isn't it. I rate him as the best half we've had since Jason Smith -who may have wore 6 (i cant remember) but ran the show really. And yeah, you can see he's really a running half not an organiser and most all his highlights from ESL are left side dominant. Pretty good player, slightly wrong fit for us.

Thanks GWilly, all the best.
By the time Smith joined the Raiders (2005-06), he had the silkiest smooth passing game I'd ever seen in my life. It still is to this day and I've been following the game since 1974. By that time, he was 33/34-years-old and his experience and class shone through. He was brought in at 5/8th to mentor Todd Carney who was still learning how to be a halfback.
Some people talk about the weather. Others do something about it.

MEMBER NO.: 4500 (before they changed the numbering system).
User avatar
BJ
Steve Walters
Posts: 7687
Joined: February 2, 2007, 12:14 pm

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by BJ »

We all know the off field skills Jason Smith taught Carney.
User avatar
yurithe1
David Furner
Posts: 3587
Joined: March 16, 2008, 10:27 am
Favourite Player: Jordan Rapana
Location: Canberra

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by yurithe1 »

According to Brent Read "George Williams, I believe, is on a plane (on Friday morning) back to England and the expectation is that he will sign with Warrington. Warrington is where Gareth Widdop is".
Some people talk about the weather. Others do something about it.

MEMBER NO.: 4500 (before they changed the numbering system).
User avatar
Seiffert82
Mal Meninga
Posts: 27845
Joined: March 17, 2007, 12:24 pm
Favourite Player: Bay56

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Seiffert82 »

BJ wrote: June 18, 2021, 11:37 am We all know the off field skills Jason Smith taught Carney.
:lol: indeed.

An interesting chapter in the halcyon days of the Matt Elliott regime.

Right up there with Jason Bulgarelli getting commercial quantities of ecstacy delivered to Raiders HQ.

Good times. Gooood times.

But yeah, Jason Smith had a hell of a passing game.
User avatar
greeneyed
Don Furner
Posts: 145095
Joined: January 7, 2005, 4:21 pm

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by greeneyed »

yurithe1 wrote: June 18, 2021, 11:39 am According to Brent Read "George Williams, I believe, is on a plane (on Friday morning) back to England and the expectation is that he will sign with Warrington. Warrington is where Gareth Widdop is".
He definitely flew out of Canberra this morning.
Image
User avatar
gangrenous
Laurie Daley
Posts: 16586
Joined: May 12, 2007, 10:42 pm

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by gangrenous »

GE threw tomatoes the whole way to the airport
Elcaptcroker
David Grant
Posts: 704
Joined: September 5, 2016, 11:09 am
Favourite Player: Jarrod croker

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Elcaptcroker »

yurithe1 wrote:
BadnMean wrote: June 18, 2021, 8:48 am
GreenMachine wrote: June 18, 2021, 7:47 am Classy statement from George.
Genuinely think he’s a good bloke and would make a great 5/8th rather than halfback.
I think his manager has a lot to answer for and it’s unfortunate we’ve had this play out so poorly for everyone involved.
Wish him the best with personal life.
Funny isn't it. I rate him as the best half we've had since Jason Smith -who may have wore 6 (i cant remember) but ran the show really. And yeah, you can see he's really a running half not an organiser and most all his highlights from ESL are left side dominant. Pretty good player, slightly wrong fit for us.

Thanks GWilly, all the best.
By the time Smith joined the Raiders (2005-06), he had the silkiest smooth passing game I'd ever seen in my life. It still is to this day and I've been following the game since 1974. By that time, he was 33/34-years-old and his experience and class shone through. He was brought in at 5/8th to mentor Todd Carney who was still learning how to be a halfback.
Was 33/34 but looked 49


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
gangrenous
Laurie Daley
Posts: 16586
Joined: May 12, 2007, 10:42 pm

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by gangrenous »

Sounded 80
User avatar
bonehead
Laurie Daley
Posts: 17436
Joined: March 1, 2005, 5:29 am
Location: Smelling The Shiraz

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by bonehead »

I'm still disappointed he's gone

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

Edrick The Entertainer
User avatar
gangrenous
Laurie Daley
Posts: 16586
Joined: May 12, 2007, 10:42 pm

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by gangrenous »

He’s still here mate. He got paroled.
User avatar
Lui_Bon
Jason Croker
Posts: 4155
Joined: June 3, 2009, 4:07 pm

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Lui_Bon »

Sounds like GW ran away after dumping on us in tomorrow's Daily Telegraph.

Biggest laugh of the night at the Broncos game, in bay 57, was the song "George Williams... is a coward". Now it may not be true but the fans there didn't seem to disagree...
User avatar
simo
Ricky Stuart
Posts: 9574
Joined: March 12, 2013, 7:50 pm
Favourite Player: Keghead

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by simo »

Haha thats so weak. Twitter thank yous followed by a daily tele whinge fest and run
Dont delete this GE
User avatar
GreenMachine
Jason Croker
Posts: 4264
Joined: April 13, 2005, 2:22 pm
Favourite Player: Laurie Daley

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by GreenMachine »

We’ll, we all know Ricky loves a good Textsas exchange…
User avatar
greeneyed
Don Furner
Posts: 145095
Joined: January 7, 2005, 4:21 pm

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by greeneyed »

George Williams breaks his silence on his messy Canberra Raiders exit



George Williams has broken his silence on his messy Canberra Raiders exit. On the day it came to a head, the day after another request for a release, Williams sent a text saying he needed a day off. He was asked to call coach Ricky Stuart.

“I rang Ricky and he told me he needed me in,” Williams said. “I said ‘I get that and I know you need your halfback at training but I needed to be off today. I’m just being dead honest’.

“He said ‘right, OK’ and that was that. He didn’t seem happy. Ricky then text me saying ‘do you feel up to playing this weekend’. I wrote back saying ‘I’m sick of pretending everything is OK when it’s not’. And then I never heard from him ever again.

Read more: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport ... a7b8cdb907
Image
Bay53
Steve Walters
Posts: 7533
Joined: March 11, 2007, 9:35 pm

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Bay53 »

You just can’t help but think this could have been handled differently.

Sadly yet another relationship that Covid has destroyed.
User avatar
Crash Ball
Glenn Lazarus
Posts: 373
Joined: March 27, 2021, 2:30 pm
Favourite Player: Mal Meninga

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Crash Ball »

George needs to take a bit of accountability for his own situation.
User avatar
Seiffert82
Mal Meninga
Posts: 27845
Joined: March 17, 2007, 12:24 pm
Favourite Player: Bay56

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Seiffert82 »

No wonder we looked like a headless chicken out there.

What a disaster this episode has been. Not Orford level terrible, but pretty bloody ordinary in its own way.

I wish him all the best, but I'm quite happy to see him leave.
Billy Walker
Laurie Daley
Posts: 12395
Joined: April 29, 2017, 7:22 pm
Favourite Player: Ashley Gilbert

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Billy Walker »

simo wrote: June 19, 2021, 7:13 am Haha thats so weak. Twitter thank yous followed by a daily tele whinge fest and run
I think he has done two very separate things that aren’t mutually exclusive. Firstly he has thanked the club, his teammates and the supporters and said he genuinely appreciates the opportunity and support he received.

He then expressed his disappointment and annoyance at a couple of people within the club who he doesn’t feel treated him fairly.

I don’t know where the truth lies in the whole matter but I don’t he has made contradictory statements on Twitter and in the Telly.
User avatar
greeneyed
Don Furner
Posts: 145095
Joined: January 7, 2005, 4:21 pm

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by greeneyed »

We probably won’t ever know for sure, and there’s always at least one other side to a story, but I will say mistrust rarely comes about because of one phone call and text message.
Image
Billy Walker
Laurie Daley
Posts: 12395
Joined: April 29, 2017, 7:22 pm
Favourite Player: Ashley Gilbert

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Billy Walker »

greeneyed wrote: June 19, 2021, 11:35 am We probably won’t ever know for sure, and there’s always at least one other side to a story, but I will say mistrust rarely comes about because of one phone call and text message.
Very true - I also think there are two possible reasons for the Telly story.:

(1) He’s trying to recapture some high moral ground so he isn’t the villain should he ever return to the NRL; or

(2) He is genuinely upset about how he was treated and feels he has an axe to grind.

If it is the first reason it speaks poorly of George’s character but if it’s the second you have to conclude the club could have handled this a lot better.
Begbie
Laurie Daley
Posts: 14381
Joined: February 25, 2008, 3:02 pm
Favourite Player: Smash Williams

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Begbie »

greeneyed wrote: June 19, 2021, 11:35 am We probably won’t ever know for sure, and there’s always at least one other side to a story, but I will say mistrust rarely comes about because of one phone call and text message.
It was the straw that broke the camels back.
User avatar
Botman
Mal Meninga
Posts: 41997
Joined: June 18, 2013, 4:31 pm
Favourite Player: Elliott Whitehead

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by Botman »

Both sides handled this poorly
One is a 26 year old footballer and the other is a collective organisation of at least a dozen people who between them should have been able to navigate this

Happy to put it behind us
User avatar
simo
Ricky Stuart
Posts: 9574
Joined: March 12, 2013, 7:50 pm
Favourite Player: Keghead

Re: Canberra Raiders and George Williams agree on release

Post by simo »

Botman wrote: June 19, 2021, 11:45 am Both sides handled this poorly
One is a 26 year old footballer and the other is a collective organisation of at least a dozen people who between them should have been able to navigate this

Happy to put it behind us
And it was behind us when his exit deal was settled and he made his twitter post. This article stinks of an unnecessary parting shot while ben creaghing out of the country
Dont delete this GE
Post Reply