Ryan Sutton excited for George Williams’ first taste of NRL action

James Messenger 08 Mar 2020 3:15 PM

Ryan Sutton is confident that childhood friend and former Wigan team-mate George Williams can deliver the goods for Canberra this season.

Williams arrived at the club in the off-season and is now part of an ever-growing contingent of English talent plying their trade at GIO Stadium.

He will link up with Sutton, Elliott Whitehead, Josh Hodgson and John Bateman as the Raiders aim to go one better than last season, when they were losing grand finalists.

Sutton is confident Canberra have got the perfect player to replace star half-back Aidan Sezer, who has since embarked on a new challenge in Super League with Huddersfield.

“I’ve always known George, we played against each other at school, we’ve got mutual friends, so I have always been mates with him,” Sutton told nrl.com

“So, from 11 or 12 years old I have known him for and see what he does on a field from a kid to now.

“He’s a real talent and not only has he done at a club level, but he’s done it internationally as well so he’s going to be a really good asset for the Raiders.”

Sutton enjoyed a solid debut season himself in the NRL, making 20 appearances and scoring six tries.

Despite this, he was absent from Ricky Stuart’s Grand Final matchday squad.

The 24-year-old admits that playing in Australia alongside so many English-born players is surreal but says he is determined to maintain focus to keep his place in the team.

“To have somebody who used to live 20 seconds around the corner from you it’s pretty crazy,” Sutton said.

“Wigan is the smallest place in England but somehow we have got three of them in Canberra.

“You’ve got to pinch yourself sometimes, but we’re over here to do a job and we all know that.”

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