Sonny Bill Williams: Australian host calls for All Blacks legend to be sacked

Story by Colin Newboult

Sonny Bill Williams has come under fire from prominent radio host Ray Hadley, who has called for the All Blacks great to be sacked.

The Australian presenter, who is employed by the same company as the 38-year-old, has taken exception to his colleague’s social media activity.

Hadley is a 2GB presenter and former rugby league commentator for Channel Nine, and he was critical of Williams sharing a post by ‘influencer’ Andrew Tate.

Tate is a self-proclaimed misogynist and is currently facing criminal charges in both Romania and the United Kingdom.

Williams shared a tweet from Tate following an attack on a Sydney bishop, who was allegedly stabbed multiple times by a 16-year-old boy.

That prompted Hadley to criticise the cross-code great, who currently works as a pundit for Stan Sport.
That channel is part of the Nine Entertainment network, which is the group that also owns 2GB, and the radio host believes that Williams should be sacked.

“I don’t know how this bloke has continued to be employed by the network that employs me,” Hadley said.

“That’s a decision for people who are a higher post than me. It’s embarrassing he’s employed by this organisation. I’m embarrassed to be in the same camp as him.

“I’d say to the Nine board that employs me – you should be embarrassed as well, led by Mr (Peter) Costello, that you still employ him. How he sustains his job given his monosyllabic efforts on TV, I’ll never know, let alone his dim-witted approach on social media.”

Hadley also called for Williams’ position to be reviewed last October after his comments surrounding the Gaza conflict.

The ex-All Black had shared a post from American commentator Khaled Beydoun which sparked controversy.

“It’s embarrassing for me and other people connected with this radio and TV network that he’s employed by, and I think that the CEO of the company should review his employment prospects,” Hadley said at the time.