Willie Mason (right) who copped abuse from Bulldogs fans after he left them to join the Roosters, says Canterbury fans hate Sonny Bill Williams even more. Source: The Daily Telegraph
FIVE years ago, furious Canterbury fans pelted Willie Mason with plastic bottles and abuse when he finally fronted them in Roosters colours.
An identical scenario awaits Sonny Bill Williams on Friday night, but Mason reckons his good mate should be prepared for an even more hostile reception from the Bulldogs army.
"They hate him more than they hate me," Mason said yesterday. "I've sort of made peace with Bulldogs fans since I left, but Sonny is yet to do so."
Not since Mason faced the Bulldogs that first time has a clash between a player and his former club seen so much hype.
And the twist is that Williams has been a central figure in the build-up to both grudge matches, lining up against Mason in 2008 for one of his final games with the Bulldogs, who were soundly beaten before more than 40,000 livid fans at ANZ Stadium.
Mason responded with a performance that Williams could only dream about, posting a double to leave the crowd bewildered and frustrated.
But the prop, who still talks to Williams once a week, reckons this version is a very different proposition.
"There was a huge deal made out of me and Sonny Bill, and the media will build this up in the same way," Mason said.
"But the big difference is that I was playing against so many of my best mates who I won a premiership with a few years earlier. There's no one at the Bulldogs who Sonny Bill played with at the club any more because he left five years ago. So there's not the same rivalry on the field.
Angry fans greet Willie Mason in his first game against the Bulldogs in 2008. Source: The Daily Telegraph
"It's more Sonny Bill versus the fans, but the thing is he's not playing the fans. He's been out of the game for five years and is going really well.
"He's a man of few words and lets his actions speak for themselves. I don't think he will be that nervous, because there's no reason to be nervous. He's not playing against his old teammates, whereas that's what I was most nervous about. So I don't reckon he'll give a shit (about the hype)."
Personal security guards have been booked to shadow Williams at Allianz Stadium, just as they were for Mason five years ago. But the presence couldn't prevent vile insults and projectiles being hurled in his direction.
"Other than State of Origin at Suncorp Stadium, that was the most hostile environment I've played in," Mason said.
"But it was a good experience because I kind of thrive off that kind of stuff and we played really well.
"Every time I hit the ball up I could hear them booing me.
"I felt it every single time - just like Origin in Brisbane.
"I played about 50 or 60 minutes and probably for the first time in my career I wanted to play the whole game. When I went to the bench they were absolutely giving it to me.
"It was pretty crazy. I had security around me but they still threw a couple of bottles."
Although their friendship endured a rocky patch when Mason left Canterbury in late 2007, he and Williams are on good terms. "We try and speak once a week about how the game is going," Mason said.
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