Paul Gallen and Sonny Bill Williams will work alongside each other for Channel Nine’s coverage of the NRL Grand Final, just months after a heated behind-the-scenes confrontation.
But the broadcaster has reportedly decided to set the feud between the two aside, with both Williams and Gallen set to continue in their role as analysts for the premiership decider between Parramatta and Penrith on Sunday at Accor Stadium.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Nine has made the decision despite Gallen hoping he would no longer have to work on-air with the former All Blacks star.
Paul Gallen (left) and Sonny Bill Williams (right) will work together for Nine on Sunday
The two former rugby league greats-turned-boxers have long traded barbs over a potential bout, which has never materialised largely because the pair couldn’t reach an agreement over the terms of the deal.
Gallen and Williams resumed their verbal sparring in July while part of Nine’s coverage of the game between Parramatta and the Warriors.
During a post-match discussion, Williams suggested Gallen should agreed to a deal with a 60-40 split in favour of the two-time Rugby World Cup winner.
‘You know the deal bro, you know the deal. Sign it brother,’ Williams said.
Gallen (left) and Williams (right) traded barbs on air in July while covering a game for Nine
The confrontation continued behind the scenes, before Gallen abruptly walked off
Gallen and Williams were then showed having an animated discussion behind the scenes, which only ended when the former Cronulla star abruptly left.
The former Cronulla captain has since claimed that he never received an offer for the fight and that Williams had ‘made up’ the story, branding the Kiwi star ‘lame’ and ‘boring’ for seemingly suggesting a fight between the duo was on the cards.
We worked together a couple of weeks ago after we had that blow-up off camera and then when I walk back in he walks over and shakes my hand like he wants to be my friend,’ he said.
‘Then the next time he speaks to the media, he comes out with rubbish that has never happened. […] Don’t be fake. Just don’t talk to me.’