Tony Williams has impressed teammates in his return from NSW Cup purgatory, taking full advantage of interchange backrower Adam Elliott’s hamstring injury to play a pivotal role in the Dogs’ round 14 win over St George Illawarra.
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Sidelined since round nine after being dropped to NSW Cup – and then copping a hamstring injury of his own – it wasn’t just T-Rex’s “Hand of Dog” that had the players talking.
“If he can play like that every week he’ll be one of the best forwards in the game,” hooker Michael Lichaa said Tuesday.
“That’s what he was on the weekend.
“When he came on the field he changed the whole momentum of the game.
“To be honest he probably wasn’t playing the best footy he’s ever played before he was dropped but he’s come back and proved what he can still do and I’m sure he’s going to keep doing that for us.
“You don’t really know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone. Being dropped might have scared him a bit, I’m not too sure to be honest, but it was hard to watch him out of the team for the couple of weeks that he was.”
Williams notched up 190 metres in his 53-minute stint against the Dragons, calling it “the best game I’ve ever played for the club” afterwards.
“I know for a fact I’ll only get better,” he said. “I know it’s in there and hopefully I can improve.”
Williams was rumoured to be shopped around to a number of clubs, including his former club Manly, but with his $600,000 price tag talks didn’t go far.
With Josh Jackson and David Klemmer both backing up from rep duty and the Bulldogs at home to the Origin-weary Broncos, the former NSW and Test rep may have one more chance to resurrect his career this weekend.
