NRL Rumour Mill Thread (Spoilers)

INJURED NSW Origin forward Tony Williams has become the first Manly star to join former coach Des Hasler at Canterbury after deciding to accept a four-year deal from the Bulldogs.
Williams, who is sidelined for up to eight weeks by a back injury sustained in Origin I, advised Sea Eagles teammates of his decision today before Canterbury made the announcement.
The 23-year-old second-rower has been grappling with his future for months and is understood to have only settled on a decision over the weekend.
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Parramatta were also keen to bring the Eels junior home but dropped out of the race for his signature several weeks ago and have now set their sights on fellow Manly forward Darcy Lussick.
After winning a premiership with Manly last season and representing Australia and NSW from the club, Williams was reluctant to leave the Sea Eagles - unnerving Bulldogs officials who feared a repeat of the Kieran Foran saga.
However, Williams has chosen to reunite with Hasler, who is credited with helping the 114-kilogram, 192-centimetre giant to unleash his full potential by switching him from wing to the second row last season.
The move proved a master stroke and Williams was a key member of the Manly side that beat the Warriors in last year's grand final.
He also gained selection in Australia's Four Nations squad and established himself as a strike weapon off the interchange bench - a role Blues coach Ricky Stuart chose him for in Origin I, despite Williams not having played because of suspension. Stuart admitted at yesterday's announcement of the team for Origin II that Williams was virtually irreplaceable.
''I don't think Queensland wanted to play against him,'' Stuart said. ''Tony Williams is a player who will be a great loss to the team because of his impact. The impact he had [in Origin I] was exciting and you have to remember that he hadn't played for eight weeks, so with some football under his belt there is no doubt that he has got a big career ahead of him in representative football and not just at this level.''
Williams will also reunite at Belmore with new Canterbury centre Krisnan Inu, who turned in a match-winning performance in just his second appearance for the Bulldogs on Saturday night against South Sydney.
The pair are good friends and grew up playing alongside each other at Cabramatta Two Blues, Westfield Sports High School and Parramatta junior representative teams.
Bulldogs halves Trent Hodkinson and Kris Keating were also junior teammates of Williams.
The addition of Williams will give Canterbury one of the biggest and most lethal forward packs in the NRL, with Sam Kasiano, James Graham, Greg Eastwood and Frank Pritchard also damaging in attack.
He is the first big-name departure from Manly this season after the club managed to secure the services of New Zealand Test centre Steve Matai and star halves Daly Cherry-Evans and Foran, who spurned a huge offer from the Bulldogs in a last-minute change of heart.
However, Williams was not on a large amount of money after extending his contract late last season in one of the last signings made by Hasler before he decided to quit the club for the Bulldogs.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/trex-to-scale-new-heights-at-canterbury-20120603-1zq7u.html#ixzz1wnjxeaMI​