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Coup ... Sonny Bill Williams has extended his NRL stay until at least the end of 2014. Source:Getty Images
Rugby league has their man - Sonny Bill Williams will stay in the NRL for another year.
The Daily Telegraph can today exclusively reveal Williams will spurn the All Blacks for 2014 and sign a new one-year contract with the Sydney Roosters.
It is understood the deal would be worth about $1 million.
Influential Roosters chairman Nick Politis has personally involved himself in coercing Williams into staying.
There were grave fears Williams, 27, would return to rugby union next season after just one year at Bondi Junction.
It is though expected that Williams will play Super Rugby in New Zealand again in 2015, the same year as the next rugby union World Cup.
The new 12-month extension at Bondi hasn't formally been signed but should be announced in coming weeks, unless there is a last-minute major hurdle.
Roosters management are understood to be flexible about Williams wanting to further his boxing career.
A source close to Williams said: "It will be done. He will be at the Roosters next year."
Williams looks to being enjoying his football this year - and why shouldn't he? Since round one this year, Williams has been simply amazing for the Roosters.
He has made 40 tackle busts this year in 15 games and run for an average of 103 metres a game and completed nearly 25 tackles per match.
In his half a season back in the NRL, Williams has earned a place in the game's top 10 current players.
His performance against Manly at Allianz Stadium on Monday - where he set-up three tries from five-eighth - was top-shelf.
Asked what the game would do to keep Williams in rugby league, NRL chief executive Dave Smith said: "We want people in our game like Sonny Bill and of course we want him to stay. He's one of many wonderful athletes in our game, you got 'GI' (Greg Inglis), Sonny Bill the list is endless.
"It would be great to keep people like Sonny in the game and I think it's really important for the game."
Luke Ricketson, who played 301 first grade games for the Roosters, said: "We are desperate to keep him. The impact he has had on the club - on and off the field - has been gigantic.
"He has come back from rugby union fine tuned and is the complete footballer."
Immortal Andrew Johns said last week the NRL should "bend the rules" to keep Williams in the game.
NRL officials feared Williams would rejoin former NRL star Israel Folau in rugby union.
After Monday night's match, Williams was reluctant to discuss his future.
"Still no talks at the moment," Williams said. "For me, I just keep humble, keep working hard.
"I know that if I do the business on the field things will happen off it and fall into place. I just keep it simple like that.
"I don't worry about the salary cap ... I just do my thing, work hard and try and earn the boys' respect through how I play or how I carry myself."
Roosters coach Trent Robinson said he wanted to give Williams time to settle his future.
"I'm not putting pressure on it because I know there's going to be a lot of pressure from outside," he said.
"I'm coaching him for the time that he's here and that's this season at the moment. We definitely hope he decides to stick around but we haven't even talked about it yet.
"We need him in our game. Sonny's added huge value to the Roosters and also to our game."
TAB Sportsbet have the Roosters paying $5 for the NRL title, equal second favourite with Melbourne but behind Souths.
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