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IT'S the type of job the rest of us can only dream about. Unwanted Sydney Roosters forward Willie Mason is pocketing $1098 a day before tax ... for doing nothing.
When The Sunday Telegraph paid a visit to Mason's $3 million Clovelly beach pad last Friday, it looked like the big bloke was out and about. Then a little after 3pm he emerged, quick to rip off his shirt, grab a copy of The Daily Telegraph and start soaking up some rays.
This has been Mason's life since the Roosters granted the 2004 Clive Churchill Medal winner "personal leave" when the rest of the squad returned to pre-season training on November 2. Since then, Mason has embarked on a Japanese sojourn with agent Greg Keenan and been spotted enjoying a cold drink around Bondi.
The Roosters signed the former Bulldog on a back-ended three-year contract, which is poised to earn him $400,000 next season. And Mason wants the deal honoured. But while Mason was working on his tan at Clovelly, across town the rest of the Roosters players were finishing a gruelling one-hour sweat session in their newly refurbished gym at the Sydney Football Stadium.
This all leads to the question: Where will Mason be playing his football in 2010? Henson Park, with the Newtown Jets, is starting to look like a very real prospect for the former Test forward.
Mason has told friends that if that's the way the Roosters want to play it, then so be it. Unless he's getting paid $400,000 to go somewhere else, he's got a contract with the club and he will do what he's told.
When Roosters chief executive Steve Noyce was questioned about the possibility of Mason playing for the Jets, he said: "We haven't gone that far yet. We'll just keep monitoring the situation as we need to.At this stage, he's been granted extended personal leave until January 9, so that's just over three weeks away."
"That's where we're at. He's got a contract with the club, obviously. Last time I had some dialogue with Greg Keenan he was chasing up a couple of clubs in Japan."
Despite reported interest from Japanese rugby union, Mason's hope of playing there appears to be going nowhere fast. It's understood just one club, Kobe Steel, is showing mild interest in Mason, due to its relationship with Keenan.
In the NRL, Melbourne Storm chief executive Brian Waldron and his St George Illawarra counterpart Peter Doust have both slammed the door on a likely move to their respective clubs. These were the only two NRL clubs said to be interested.
Which leaves Mason sunbaking on his balcony in Clovelly and pocketing a weekly pay cheque of $7962 courtesy of the Roosters. By the time Mason is due to return on January 9, he will have basked in the tranquillity of 68 days off work.
Or if you factor in his six weeks on holidays after the Roosters collected the wooden spoon, his break stretches to 15 weeks. It's nice work if you can get it.
When The Sunday Telegraph paid a visit to Mason's $3 million Clovelly beach pad last Friday, it looked like the big bloke was out and about. Then a little after 3pm he emerged, quick to rip off his shirt, grab a copy of The Daily Telegraph and start soaking up some rays.
This has been Mason's life since the Roosters granted the 2004 Clive Churchill Medal winner "personal leave" when the rest of the squad returned to pre-season training on November 2. Since then, Mason has embarked on a Japanese sojourn with agent Greg Keenan and been spotted enjoying a cold drink around Bondi.
The Roosters signed the former Bulldog on a back-ended three-year contract, which is poised to earn him $400,000 next season. And Mason wants the deal honoured. But while Mason was working on his tan at Clovelly, across town the rest of the Roosters players were finishing a gruelling one-hour sweat session in their newly refurbished gym at the Sydney Football Stadium.
This all leads to the question: Where will Mason be playing his football in 2010? Henson Park, with the Newtown Jets, is starting to look like a very real prospect for the former Test forward.
Mason has told friends that if that's the way the Roosters want to play it, then so be it. Unless he's getting paid $400,000 to go somewhere else, he's got a contract with the club and he will do what he's told.
When Roosters chief executive Steve Noyce was questioned about the possibility of Mason playing for the Jets, he said: "We haven't gone that far yet. We'll just keep monitoring the situation as we need to.At this stage, he's been granted extended personal leave until January 9, so that's just over three weeks away."
"That's where we're at. He's got a contract with the club, obviously. Last time I had some dialogue with Greg Keenan he was chasing up a couple of clubs in Japan."
Despite reported interest from Japanese rugby union, Mason's hope of playing there appears to be going nowhere fast. It's understood just one club, Kobe Steel, is showing mild interest in Mason, due to its relationship with Keenan.
In the NRL, Melbourne Storm chief executive Brian Waldron and his St George Illawarra counterpart Peter Doust have both slammed the door on a likely move to their respective clubs. These were the only two NRL clubs said to be interested.
Which leaves Mason sunbaking on his balcony in Clovelly and pocketing a weekly pay cheque of $7962 courtesy of the Roosters. By the time Mason is due to return on January 9, he will have basked in the tranquillity of 68 days off work.
Or if you factor in his six weeks on holidays after the Roosters collected the wooden spoon, his break stretches to 15 weeks. It's nice work if you can get it.
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