Name Tony Williams Salary 600,000 AUD (2014) Weight 118 kg | Height 1.92 m Role Rugby Player | |
Parents Ufitonga Williams, Tony Williams snr. Siblings Maata Williams, Enitipeta Williams, Leroy Williams Similar People Des Hasler, Geoff Toovey, Phil Gould, Steve Folkes, Chris Anderson | ||
Tony Williams (born 12 December 1988) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Cronulla Sharks of the National Rugby League. An Australian, Tongan, New South Wales State of Origin and NSW City Origin representative, Williams primarily plays as a second-rower, but can also fill in at wing and five-eighth and centre. Williams previously played for the Parramatta Eels in 2008, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles between 2009 and 2012, where he won the 2011 NRL premiership and Canterbury Bulldogs between 2013 and 2016.
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Tony williams t rex highlights
Background
Born in Sydney, New South Wales. He grew up in Liverpool for the majority of his life in his family home. Williams is of Tongan descent and attended Liverpool Boys High School and Westfields Sports High School, while playing his junior rugby league for the Cabramatta Two Blues. He was then signed by the Parramatta Eels.
2008
Williams started the 2008 season playing in the Parramatta Eels NYC team and signed with Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles on 27 May 2008, a week before making his NRL debut. In Round 13 against the Canberra Raiders, Williams made his NRL debut for the Eels on the wing in the Eels 30-12 win at Parramatta Stadium. In Round 15 against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Williams scored his first NRL career try in the Eels 16-14 loss at Remondis Stadium. On 3 September 2008, Williams was named at centre in the 2008 NYC Team of the Year. Williams finished his debut year in the NRL with him playing in 10 matches and scoring 4 tries for the Parramatta Eels in the 2008 NRL season. Williams was named in the Tongan squad for the 2008 World Cup where he not only played lock but also took on the responsibility of being the Tongan goal kicker with success. Williams played in 3 matches, scored 1 try and kicked 10 goals.
2009
In Round 5 of the 2009 NRL season, Williams made his club debut for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles against the Wests Tigers at centre in the Sea Eagles 23-10 win at Brookvale Oval. In Round 11 against the Gold Coast Titans, Williams scored his first club try for the Sea Eagles in the 18-17 loss at Cbus Super Stadium. Williams played some of the year in the Queensland Cup playing for the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles being awarded the Duncan Hall Medal after being judged the grand final's best-and-fairest player, scoring a try in the Sea Eagles 32-18 win over Northern Pride. Williams finished the 2009 NRL season with him playing in 12 matches and scoring 9 tries in his first year with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
2010
Williams finished the 2010 NRL season with him being the top-scorer for the Sea Eagles with 16 tries in all of their 25 matches. Williams was selected in the New Zealand Kiwis squad for the 2010 Four Nations. However, Williams declared his desire to play for both Australia and New South Wales. Williams was selected to play for the Prime Minister's XIII against Papua New Guinea on the wing in the 30-18 win in Port Moresby.
2011
Williams played in the centres for the first two games of the 2001 season and then missed the next 3 through injury. When he returned to the side, Manly coach Des Hasler permanently moved Williams from the wing to the second-row and his form blossomed. Over his next 18 games, Williams started from the interchange bench 12 times and in the second-row row 6 times, including starting in the Sea Eagles 2011 NRL Grand Final 24-10 win over the New Zealand Warriors on 2 October 2011. Williams finished the 2011 NRL season with him playing in 20 matches and scoring 6 tries for the Sea Eagles. At the end of the 2011 season, Williams shoulder charge on North Queensland Cowboys forward Tariq Sims at Townsville's Dairy Farmers Stadium in Round 8 was featured on the NRL's official website as one of the "Best shoulder charges of 2011". Following Manly's Grand Final win, Williams was named in Australia's 2011 Four Nations squad. Williams made his test debut off the bench for Australia in a test against New Zealand in the Kangaroos 42-6 win at Hunter Stadium. Williams scored his first international for Australia against New Zealand in the Kangaroos 26-12 win at Halliwell Jones Stadium. Williams played in 4 matches and scored 2 tries, including playing off the interchange bench in the Four National final against England in the Kangaroos 30-8 win at Elland Road.
2012
In Round 3 against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks at Remondis Stadium, Williams was suspended for 7 matches for dangerous tackle on the Sharks hooker, Isaac De Gois, in the Sea Eagles 17-4 loss. When Williams returned from suspension he was selected in the New South Wales State of Origin squad. Williams made his origin debut in Game 1 off the interchange bench in the 18-10 loss at Etihad Stadium. Williams missed selection with a back injury for Game 2 but selected in Game 3 off the interchange bench in the 21-20 loss at Suncorp Stadium, resulting in Queensland winning the 2011 State of Origin series. On 4 June 2012, Williams confirmed he had signed with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on a $650,000 a year, 4-year deal through to the end of the 2016 season. Williams finished the 2012 NRL season with him played in 16 matches and scoring 4 tries in his final year with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. Williams was selected for Australia in the October Trans-Tasman test against New Zealand, playing off the interchange bench in the 18-10 win at 1300SMILES Stadium.
2013
In Round 1 of the 2013 NRL season, Williams made his club debut for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs against the North Queensland Cowboys at second-row in the Bulldogs 24-12 loss at Central Coast Stadium. In Round 8 against the Wests Tigers, Williams scored his first club try for the Bulldogs in the 40-4 win at ANZ Stadium. Williams was selected for NSW City at second-row in the 18-12 loss to NSW Country at Coffs Harbour. In Round 20 against the Parramatta Eels, Williams played his 100th NRL career match in the Bulldogs 40-12 win at ANZ Stadium. Williams was heavily criticized in 2013 with his form being branded lazy and not being worth $650,000 a year. Williams finished his first year with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs with him playing in 23 matches and scoring 5 tries in the 2013 NRL season.
2014
In February 2014, Williams was selected in the Bulldogs 2014 Auckland Nines squad. Williams was selected to play for NSW City in the City vs Country Origin at second-row in the 26-all draw at Dubbo. Williams was selected on the interchange bench for New South Wales in Game 1 of the 2014 State of Origin series on the 100th State of Origin match in the Blues 12-8 win at Suncorp Stadium. On 5 October 2014, in the Bulldogs 2014 NRL Grand Final match against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Williams played at second-row and scored a try in the Bulldogs 6-30 loss. Williams finished the 2014 NRL season with him playing in 27 matches and scoring 4 tries for the Bulldogs.
2015
On 23 January 2015, Williams was named in the Bulldogs 2015 Auckland Nines squad. After the Bulldogs 41-34 win against the Canberra Raiders in Round 11, Williams suffered a season ending pectoral muscle injury at training, ruling him out for the rest of the season. Williams finished the 2015 NRL season with him playing in 11 matches for the Bulldogs.
2016
On 1 February 2016, Williams was named in the Bulldogs 2016 Auckland Nines squad. In Round 5 against the Canberra Raiders, Williams played his 150th NRL career match in the Bulldogs 22-8 loss at Belmore Sports Ground. On 7 May 2016, Williams played his first game for Tonga in 8 years. Williams' Mate Ma'a Tonga team took on Samoa in the 2016 Polynesian Cup, where he played in the second row in the 18-6 loss at Parramatta Stadium. In Round 10, he was dropped to the Bulldogs' Intrust Super Premiership NSW team.
2017
Williams was signed by Cronulla for The 2017 season. For the first few games of the season, Williams spent time playing for foundation club and Cronulla feeder side Newtown in The Intrust Super Premiership NSW. Williams made his Cronulla debut in Round 9 of The 2017 NRL Season. It was later revealed that Williams was ruled out for the season after suffering a torn ACL.