standing at 6'5 and weighing 115 kilos Willie Mason was a force to be reckoned with on the Rugby League field from his early days with the hunter Mariners to his standard performances with the Bulldogs and Beyond Willie Mason's career has been a roller coaster of triumphs and challenges his journey through various clubs including the roosters Cowboys and knights showcases a dynamic career full of Unforgettable moments and controversies despite the ups and downs Mason's impact on the Rugby League World remains undeniable reflecting a career marked by both remarkable achievements and memorable setbacks this is Willie [Music] Mason Willie Mason was born in Oakland New Zealand to a father of English descent to Nong and Samoan mother he moved to Australia at a young age and grew up in Toronto New South Wales where he played junior football for the Toronto mccy scorpions and the lakes United sea eagles in 1997 Mason began his professional rugby league career with the hunter Mariners playing in the lower grades until the club's closure at the end of the year this forced Mason to seek opportunities elsewhere and in 1998 he signed with the canery bankstown Bulldogs where he started in the under 18s Jersey flag competition the following year his progress was hindered by a leg fracture just before the bulldogs' Jersey flag Grand Final win despite this setback Mason made his NRL debut in 2000 during round 13 stepping in for an injured Darren Brit in a match against the penth Panthers and he quickly established himself as a regular first grader for Canterbury bankstown demonstrating his potential as a formidable player later that year Mason represented Tonga his mother's country of origin in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup marking his first Fay in International Rugby League and a couple years later in 2002 Mason's buring career was marred by controversy when he was reported to have run from a taxi to avoid paying the fair despite this incident his onfield performance earned him a spot on the Australian national team where he made his debut against Great Britain and scored a try the following year Mason continued to impress earning his debut for New South Wales in game three of the 2003 state of origin series it was also part of the 2003 kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France where Australia secured victory in what would be the last ashes series between the two Nations ever Mason's offield Behavior once again came under scrutiny when he tested positive for an illicit drug resulting in a $25,000 fine from his Club Mason's career in 2004 was a mix of triumphs and controversies he was involved in several off field incidences including forging another player signature and reportedly visiting a brothel after a heavy drinking session nevertheless Mason played a crucial role in cry bankstown success in the 2004 n World Grand Final where they triumphed 16 to 13 over the Sydney roosters and his outstanding performance in the final earned him the Clive Churchill medal for man of the match Mason also represented Australia in the rugby league TR Nations tournament and played in an International Friendly against the United States where he suffered a fractured ankle the 2005 season saw Willie Mason sideline for the first half due to the injury that he sustained from the year previous but he returned to play to the final nine games of the Season he also participated in the 2005 TR Nations tournament and in 2006 rumors emerged Mason was considering a move to the NFL with several teams reportedly expressing interest in him however he remained with Canterbury bankstown playing 20 Club matches in all three state of Origin Games in New South Wales where he was named man of the match in the opening game Mason also represented Australia in the try Nation series although his participation was overshadowed by a controversial incident during the New Zealand hucker which led to a fine and a one- game suspension in 2007 Mason's career continued to be a mix of high performance and off controversies he represented Australia in the Anzac test match and played in all three state of origin games for New South Wales however his behavior off the field including an altercation with Richie Williams and a confrontation with a journalist made headlines he was even voted the most hated player in a fan pole that year and by the end of the 2007 season media reports indicated that Mason was unhappy with the Bulldogs leading to speculation about his future with the club in November 2007 after a series of dis disputes with the club's management Mason signed a three-year deal with the Sydney roosters marking the end of his tenner with canery bankstown and the beginning of a new chapter in his rugby league career and Willie Mason's time with a Sydney rooster was yet again marked by both challenges and controversy and shortly after joining The Roosters in 2008 Mason and his teammate Anthony tupo were charged with urinating in a public place during a visit to pul mcari in February despite this early setback Mason continued to play for the roosters and in August 2008 he was named in the preliminary 46-man kangaroo squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup as well as the Tonga training Squad however his season was abruptly cut short when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the final regular game preventing him from participating in the roosters final campaign Mason's 2009 season with the roosters was equally tumultuous he missed the first game of the season after the roosters suffered a heavy defeat by the south Sydney rabbitov Mason returned in round two and contributed to a victory against the camber Raiders however in May 2009 Mason faced another controversy when he was fined $2,000 by the roosters for being photographed uradi in public yet again leading to his demotion to the Newtown Jets The Roosters ended the season in last place and with the arrival of new coach Brian Smith Mason was informed that he was not part of the club's future plans interest in Mason remained high with several Rugby Union and rugby league clubs including Japanese Rugby Union teams the French Super League team Catalan dragons and the Queensland red showing interest in signing him the roosters granted Mason extended leave to find a new club and while there were rumors of him joining the Newcastle Knights these were denied by the club ultimately Mason entered talks with the North Queensland Cowboys in February 2010 with the Cowboys poised to sign him had the Cowboys pass on the opportunity the Newcastle Knights were reportedly prepared to step in especially after losing prop Danny Winx in that same year Mason signed a one-year contract with the North Queensland Cowboys and he made his debut for the Cowboys Off the Bench in a close 30 to 24 loss to the Brisbane Broncos in round one of that same season following that year in 2011 Mason signed a three-year contract with Hull Kingston Rovers in September of that year however his time with Hull was cut short after 6 months due to Visa issues the club was forced to release him when he could not obtain a tongin passport which would have allowed him to bypass the overseas player quota and in April 2012 Mason would make his return to the NRL signing with the Newcastle Knights under Coach Wayne Bennett for the remainder of the 2012 season and he made his debut for Newcastle in a victory over the penth Panthers in round eight notably Mason's younger brother Rodney was also playing rugby league for the Newcastle Knights at the time and Mason resigned with the Knights for an additional two years in November 2012 however in 2014 he was involved in the drink driving incident on Australia Day which which led to a six-month driving disqualification and a $900 fine after his threeyear ATT with the Newcastle Knights Mason's career continued with the c Eagles where he signed a one-year contract starting in 2015 and his time at Manley was marked by an unusual incident where he was grabed by Newcastle player Corbin Sims on the genitals during a game which Sims later downplayed as a harmless gure between friends in 2018 Mason would later speak out about the poor conditions at Manley during his tener criticizing the outdated facilities and unprofessional environment he also highlighted the struggles placed by players including getting changed in their cars and sharing weights with multiple teams reflecting on the clubs' decline and ongoing challenges after playing only one season for the sea eagles Willie Mason concluded his professional rugby league career with the final stint in the Super League playing for the French Club cadal dragons after hanging up his boots Mason transitioned into a media and ambassadorial role and he now hosts a podcast sharing sights and stories from his career while also serving as an ambassador for the Canterbury Bulldogs the club where he made a significant impact earlier in his life Mason's post-retirement activities reflect his ongoing commitment to the sport and his desire to remain connected with the rugby league Community willly Mason's career was a roller coaster of spectacular achievements and challenging setbacks from his explosive debut with cry bankstown to his influential stints with the Sydney roosters North Queensland Cowboys and Beyond Mason's impact on the game has been profound his blend of raw power skill and Charisma left an undeniable mark on Rugby League inspiring countless fans and aspiring players alike even with the controversies and hurdles he faced Mason's Legacy is one of the sports most dynamic and memorable figures and Jaws [Music]