NRL: Steve says price must be right for Sonny Bill return

Warriors prop Steve Price. Photo / Greg Bowker

New Zealand Warriors prop Steve Price won't get excited about Sonny Bill Williams' mooted return to the NRL until he hears his former Bulldogs teammate pledge his desire for a comeback to the 13-man code.

Williams, who is off contract at French rugby club Toulon in May, has attracted interest from the All Blacks, the New Zealand Warriors and Newcastle Knights.

But Price said there were plenty of hurdles to jump before Williams could be cleared for a return to the NRL.

Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah has indicated the club will make a bid for Williams but Price said the players haven't spoken at length about it.

Scurrah admits the Warriors are at long odds to sign Williams, even if the Bulldogs agreed to a deal to release the 24-year-old from a clause preventing him playing for another NRL club before 2013.

"I haven't heard Sonny say anything," said Warriors veteran prop Price.

"Unless you hear him say he wants to come back to the NRL, I don't think you can get too excited about it.

"But Wayne has asked the question and you can't get an answer unless you ask some questions.

"I think a lot of things need to happen before it goes any further.

"If he does come back it'll be good for the game.

"If he can recreate the type of form he had before he left, I'm sure everyone will be pretty excited."

Williams walked out on the Bulldogs in August 2008 to join Toulon on a deal reportedly worth $1.5 million a season. He'd be forced to take a hefty pay cut to play in the NRL again.

"He's been over in France where there's no salary cap and he's paid euros," Price pointed out.

"He might be coming back to New Zealand dollars, which is not that strong against the euro.

"There'd be a fair bit of hype if he did come back to the NRL but a lot of things have to happen before then.

"I think the only person you can find out from is Sonny, not (Bulldogs chief executive) Todd Greenberg or his manager."

Price concedes many Bulldogs fans will be angry to see Williams play in the NRL but said enough water had gone under the bridge.

"I'm sure if he had his time over again, he would've done it differently," said Price.

"I was disappointed with what happened because I liked playing with him as a teammate and he was a tough opponent to play against.

"I was very sad to see him leaving the game I love."

- AAP