Politis' plan to keep Sonny Bill

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IF there is one man in rugby league who can convince Sonny Bill Williams to stay in the NRL next season it is Nick Politis - and the Roosters supremo says he hasn't given up hope of keeping the cross-code superstar at the Bondi club.

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But right now Politis says "it's 50-50'' that Sunday night's grand final showdown against Manly will be Williams' last appearance in a Roosters jumper.

"We'd like to keep him and we are going to try very hard to keep him,'' Politis said.

"I think it's 50-50."

Politis was the very first sponsor in rugby league and has been heavily involved at the Roosters since the 1970s - and in four decades he said there has never been a better buy than this guy.

"We've had Freddy Fittler before who was outstanding but you've got to say Sonny is up there with the best,'' he said.

"I have got to know him pretty well this year and he is just a unique guy.

"He does all the little things 110 per cent and he lifts all the other guys because they look up to him.

"They see how focused he is and how dedicated he is and they think this is how we have to be to be the best.

"So this has lifted the whole club.

"And he is a good person, too.

"He is a good character, he is very sincere.

"He cares about people, he genuinely cares.

"A lot of people make out they do but there is a bit of bulls*** in it.

"But this guy is no bulls***. He just genuinely cares about people.

"It is a great quality to have, it makes him a real class act.''

The TAB on Sunday installed Williams as the clear favourite in betting to take out the prestigious Clive Churchill Medal for man-of-the-match, with the Roosters $1.67 favourites ahead of Manly at $2.25 in what is shaping up to be one of the most physical and bruising grand finals in years.

The Kiwi superstar has proved beyond any doubt why the game needs to do everything in its power to keep him next year given the massive spike in the Roosters' crowds and his performances on the field have been nothing short of extraordinary in his first year back after five years out of the game.

Williams' effort again on Saturday night against Newcastle was magnificent and what made it even greater was the fact he was floored with a bad bout of food poisoning during the week and he wasn't cleared to play until hours before kick-off.

But once he got on the field he was just about unstoppable, offloading at will as the Roosters wore down the brave Knights who scrambled desperately early to stay in the match but in the end had no hope of stopping the onslaught.

In recent months most of the speculation has been that Williams will be heading back to play Super Rugby next year in New Zealand.

The cross-code superstar won the rugby title with the Chiefs last year and there was a report last week that Chiefs coach Dave Rennie has kept his final spot open for Williams, and that he was telling people he would be surprised if Williams does not return to New Zealand.

But Politis said no deal had been done and it wasn't likely to be finalised for a few weeks yet.

"At the end of the day he is going to make the call and he doesn't want to talk about it now because he wants to focus on this week.

"The NRL has said publicly and Dave Smith has told me they want to keep him.

"They are going to come back and tell us what the changes are going to be to the salary cap."

Asked if the NRL had done enough to assist with the process, Politis said Smith in particular had been proactive: "He has helped a lot.

"The NRL have realised what he has brought to the game.

"Smith has been pretty good since he took over.

"At least he has acknowledged him and contacted him and spoken to him and I think that helps a lot because, you know, Sonny is very proud.

"The first few weeks (after he returned) I think he was a little upset at the way he was being treated but Dave Smith has turned it around so it is going to help the process."

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