Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
Meet the new heavyweight
By Josh Massoudhttp://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,23855636-5006066,00.html
NRL wingers have a new heavyweight champion.
Meet Tony Williams - the 113kg man mountain who bulked up on triple McChicken burgers to the point where he made his debut last weekend as the biggest winger in the game's history.
In a brutal performance that won him the Eels players' player award first-up, Williams treated his Canberra opposites with extraordinary disdain.
Reviving memories of Parramatta great Eric Grothe, the 20-year-old brushed off four hapless Raiders in a barnstorming rampage down the left-hand touchline.
After unseating Grothe's son Eric Jr from Parramatta's line-up, Williams boasts the size and strength to eclipse even The Guru's menacing presence.
For starters, he weighs 24kg more and stands at 192cm. He can bench press 180kg and kick goals at 80 per cent too.
In a historical perspective, those stats obliterate any winger who has come before him. In a contemporary perspective, Williams is just 2cm shy of modern-day giant Israel Folau but weights another 10kg.
"I've got no idea how I got so big. I just eat a lot I suppose,'' the Cabramatta junior said. "At home, mum makes heaps of Tongan food - taro and corned beef. And I also eat a lot of Maccas. My favourite is a triple chicken burger with extra cheese. I also have two cheeseburgers on the side.''
Ronald should be so lucky. First-up opposite Bronx Goodwin, switched from fullback to mark Williams last Saturday night, was not.
"I hadn't seen him before, so to look up and see how big he is was a bit daunting,'' the 83kg Raiders speedster said. "He bumped a few of us off, and the coach wasn't real happy with it.''
Parramatta fans' joy at Williams' debut is tempered by his impending departure to Manly. The Sea Eagles swooped to sign him on a three-year deal believed to be worth $450,000 and Parramatta junior coaching staff were devastated to learn years of development work would be realised at Brookvale.
Under the NRL's controversial transfer rules, the Eels still had a chance to re-sign Williams before last Tuesday. Officials made eleventh-hour endeavours, but ultimately withdrew because it would have cost them three or four promising juniors to match Manly's offer.
Resigned to his departure, club insiders felt bitter-sweet about how Williams belatedly burst on to the scene after a quiet start to the season in the Toyota Cup.
"(My coach) Michael Hagan didn't really have to tell me why I wasn't playing NRL - I knew myself I had to get more involved,'' he said. "The more I get involved, the more I feel I can be unstoppable."
By Josh Massoudhttp://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,23855636-5006066,00.html
NRL wingers have a new heavyweight champion.
Meet Tony Williams - the 113kg man mountain who bulked up on triple McChicken burgers to the point where he made his debut last weekend as the biggest winger in the game's history.
In a brutal performance that won him the Eels players' player award first-up, Williams treated his Canberra opposites with extraordinary disdain.
Reviving memories of Parramatta great Eric Grothe, the 20-year-old brushed off four hapless Raiders in a barnstorming rampage down the left-hand touchline.
After unseating Grothe's son Eric Jr from Parramatta's line-up, Williams boasts the size and strength to eclipse even The Guru's menacing presence.
For starters, he weighs 24kg more and stands at 192cm. He can bench press 180kg and kick goals at 80 per cent too.
In a historical perspective, those stats obliterate any winger who has come before him. In a contemporary perspective, Williams is just 2cm shy of modern-day giant Israel Folau but weights another 10kg.
"I've got no idea how I got so big. I just eat a lot I suppose,'' the Cabramatta junior said. "At home, mum makes heaps of Tongan food - taro and corned beef. And I also eat a lot of Maccas. My favourite is a triple chicken burger with extra cheese. I also have two cheeseburgers on the side.''
Ronald should be so lucky. First-up opposite Bronx Goodwin, switched from fullback to mark Williams last Saturday night, was not.
"I hadn't seen him before, so to look up and see how big he is was a bit daunting,'' the 83kg Raiders speedster said. "He bumped a few of us off, and the coach wasn't real happy with it.''
Parramatta fans' joy at Williams' debut is tempered by his impending departure to Manly. The Sea Eagles swooped to sign him on a three-year deal believed to be worth $450,000 and Parramatta junior coaching staff were devastated to learn years of development work would be realised at Brookvale.
Under the NRL's controversial transfer rules, the Eels still had a chance to re-sign Williams before last Tuesday. Officials made eleventh-hour endeavours, but ultimately withdrew because it would have cost them three or four promising juniors to match Manly's offer.
Resigned to his departure, club insiders felt bitter-sweet about how Williams belatedly burst on to the scene after a quiet start to the season in the Toyota Cup.
"(My coach) Michael Hagan didn't really have to tell me why I wasn't playing NRL - I knew myself I had to get more involved,'' he said. "The more I get involved, the more I feel I can be unstoppable."
