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George Williams is homesick, Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has confirmed.

Stuart and the Raiders are trying to support Williams and hope he stays to see out his contract, which runs until the end of 2022.

News he is homesick will inevitably lead to speculation linking him with a return to hometown club Wigan, particularly as Jackson Hastings is leaving for Wests and Thomas Leuluai is expected to retire.

Williams' partner Charlotte is pregnant and due to the pandemic, family members have been unable to visit.

We’re in constant communication with George and making sure he’s OK," Stuart told the Sydney Morning Herald. “It could now be a case of George have family come out for the final year of his contract. We want him to be comfortable and we will explore anything we can do to make life easier for the final year of his deal.

“George is a big part of this club and we don’t want him going anywhere.”

Williams, who hasn't commented on the reports, didn't mention being homesick in his BBC column at the weekend but did write about his excitement at becoming a dad for the first time.

"It's really exciting," he wrote. "Obviously, rugby league is my job and we put so much effort and time into that, most of my life has been to get where I am today, but this news has given me a different focus.


There's more to life than rugby league. It's opened my eyes."

Williams is a Wigan academy graduate who broke into the first-team in 2013 and was later handed the No.6 shirt by Shaun Wane. Several NRL clubs expressed interest in him over the years and Wigan made him a marquee player to keep him until the end of 2019, when Canberra paid a six-figure fee to sign him.

https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby- ... ms-3222512

Raiders confident of keeping homesick Williams

George is a big part of this club and we don’t want him going anywhere.”

The Canberra Raiders are confident halfback George Williams will see out the rest of his contract despite emerging reports of homesickness.

Reports earlier this week from Nine News’ Danny Weidler detailed that the 26-year-old was considering a return to the UK after suffering homesickness brought on by isolation from family due to COVID-19.

Williams and partner Charlotte, who is pregnant with the pair’s first child, have been unable to visit family abroad or have family visit due to Australia’s strict travel restrictions.

Speaking to NRL.com, Canberra CEO Don Furner said that he understood the challenges international players have faced over the last year.

“We relocate a lot of players from Queensland and New Zealand and England, and they get home sick from time to time,” Furner said.

“It certainly reared its head last year with COVID with a few of our guys.

“The difference is for our English players, they haven’t been able to get home because of the travel restrictions, and getting visitors here has been problematic for the same reasons for them to see their loved ones.

“George has told us that and we’re going to work through that.”

The Raiders expect the young halfback to see out the remaining 18 months of his current contract and have made no concessions regarding his current deal. However, the club has said that they will do more to help make the young family comfortable in Canberra.

Coach Ricky Stuart, who Williams approached about an early exit two weeks ago, said that the club will explore options to keep the 26-year-old happy.

“George came and saw me a fortnight ago and we’re now working through things,” Stuart told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“It could now be a case of George have family come out for the final year of his contract. We want him to be comfortable and we will explore anything we can do to make life easier for the final year of his deal.

“George is a big part of this club and we don’t want him going anywhere.”

The Raiders will face Knights on Saturday afternoon as they hope to keep themselves in finals contention and avoid a 5th straight loss.

https://www.zerotackle.com/raiders-conf ... rl-103955/

From that article, it states that George saw Ricky Stuart two weeks ago about an early release. Things have moved quite a bit in the Williams household.

Wigan RL said when George signed for the Raiders that they have first refusal should the player want to return to play in the UK. That perhaps works both ways.
With Hastings no longer here in 2022 and Leuluai probably having retired then George Williams would be a natural fit. We need a real quality 6 to replace Jacko and George is most certainly that.

The real crunch maybe as GW is quoted as saying is that he is due to become a father and that's changed his focus.
His domestic circumstances may well now be the defining factor in his future plans

They don't want to lose him because he's been an excellent player for them. What come around goes around and I'll 'just love it' it if we get George back and the arch aussie whinger is left crying into his lager.

We shall see of course but I always felt Williams would be back at Wigan once his Australian adventure was over

If he does come back I hope it's with a bit more "oompf" than JB at the moment....

It’s not a bad thing that IL and KR put a first refusal in with Wigan’s best players that go Oz.
I just get the feeling though the player that goes to Oz they probably think “it’s ok if I don’t make it over here I’ll go back to Wigan and I’ll be on a marquee salary”

Barney841 wrote: ↑Tue May 04, 2021 3:11 pm It’s not a bad thing that IL and KR put a first refusal in with Wigan’s best players that go Oz.
I just get the feeling though the player that goes to Oz they probably think “it’s ok if I don’t make it over here I’ll go back to Wigan and I’ll be on a marquee salary”

I'm just hoping if homesickness keeps kicking I'm then the raiders may stop pillaging our player roster.

Just need Sutton to miss gale force wind and rain and we couldn't get a decent prop

I wonder what Harry Rushden is thinking right now?

moto748 wrote: ↑Tue May 04, 2021 4:35 pm I wonder what Harry Rushden is thinking right now?

Is he playing?