'He has always been at the top': Canberra Raiders recruit George Williams tipped to thrive

Because George Williams has been there for every step of Sutton's journey, from junior football at Wigan St Patricks and Ince Rose Bridge to winning Super League titles with Wigan.

It is somewhat poetic that they will link up once more - this time on the other side of the world after Williams signed a three-year deal with the Canberra Raiders from 2020.

Two kids who grew up together with an eye on the bright lights of rugby league's biggest stage are on the cusp of a reunion.

"It's any kid's dream," Sutton said.

"You see professional people come to your schools and your clubs, and you speak to your friends and say 'that's what I want to do'.

"I reckon that's probably exactly what we were saying to each other.

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"We've played together, gone through the academy together. He's always been an outstanding player, he has always been at the top.

"We both signed professionally, he made his debut a few years before me and he has just never gone back.

"He has never taken a backward step, he has always been at the front. It shows a lot about him.

"Super League is a great competition, but you don't get the week in, week out competition you do over here. He'll want to test himself against the best halves in the world, and he's got a chance to do that, he's a great player.

"I've known him a long time. He's a great bloke and for him to come over here to the rest of the English boys, it's a great thing to have."

Williams joins Sutton, another former Warriors teammate in John Bateman, Elliott Whitehead and Josh Hodgson on the Green Machine's roster.

The 24-year-old is no stranger to any of them - he has played club football with Sutton and Bateman, and represented England alongside Bateman, Whitehead and Hodgson.

The Raiders have been in talks with Williams for months and a transfer fee was all that stood in the way of the club scoring the English international's signature.

But Canberra officials finally struck a deal with their Wigan counterparts to secure Williams' services.

The fate of Canberra's existing halves will be an intriguing subplot following Williams' signing, with Jack Wighton stamping his name on the club's five-eighth role.

Sam Williams is off-contract but may be re-signed, Aidan Sezer has another year to run on his deal while Ata Hingano is off-contract at season's end.

However the dominoes fall, Hodgson believes the Raiders have found themselves a playmaker perfectly suited to the NRL.

"He's a really good kid, pretty quit when you first meet him. It takes him a little bit to come out of his shell," Hodgson said.

"But once he comes out of his shell, he is a good lad. He doesn't shut up. He'll settle in really well.

"Once you get a couple of us, it helps you settle a little bit. When I first came, the first six months was just so hard.

"It's such a different environment when there is no English kids and you're trying to find your feet. You have so many questions, you don't really know what to do.

"Once you know a few blokes it makes it a bit easier to settle.

"He's a fantastic little player, I've played alongside him for England and I know what potential he has.

"The game over here will really suit him, he's very quick and he has got a great kicking game, especially short kicking game."

While Williams will look to force his way into Canberra's No. 7 jersey come round one next season, Sezer has a chance to stake his claim during the Raiders' run to the finals.

Sezer will again take the reins for the Raiders when they meet St George Illawarra in Wollongong on Sunday.

Nick Cotric is posied to make his return from an ankle injury while Wighton and Josh Papalii have been named to back up from the State of Origin series decider on Wednesday night.

The Dragons will make Canberra sweat with Tyson Frizell, Paul Vaughan, Ben Hunt and James Graham all named on an extended bench.

NRL ROUND 17

Sunday: St George Illawarra Dragons v Canberra Raiders in Wollongong, 6.10pm.

Raiders squad: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Bailey Simonsson, 3. Jarrod Croker (C), 4. Nick Cotric, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Aidan Sezer, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Josh Hodgson (C), 10. Dunamis Lui, 11. John Bateman, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Joe Tapine. Interchange: 14. Siliva Havili, 15. Corey Horsburgh, 16. Sia Soliola, 17. Ryan Sutton, 18. Sam Williams, 19. Michael Oldfield, 20. Royce Hunt, 21. Emre Guler.

Dragons squad: 1. Matthew Dufty, 2. Jonus Pearson, 3. Euan Aitken, 4. Timoteo Lafai, 5. Mikaele Ravalawa, 6. Corey Norman, 7. Darren Nicholls, 8. Jeremy Latimore, 9. Cameron McInnes, 10. Blake Lawrie, 11. Jacob Host, 12. Tariq Sims, 13. Luciano Leilua. Interchange: 14. Korbin Sims, 15. Reece Robson, 16. Patrick Kaufusi, 17. Josh Kerr, 18. Tristan Sailor, 19. Jason Saab, 20. James Graham, 21. Ben Hunt.