Canberra Raiders have released a fresh statement off the back of the George Williams saga.
The NRL side have received a backlash in the UK for their handling of the situation, with current Raiders hooker Josh Hodgson also defending his now former team-mate.
But the Raiders, who said granting Williams an immediate release was in the best interest of both parties, have now backtracked, stating that the move was required to allow them to move on.
The statement read: "George’s final request for a release came on Monday evening. The following day George withdrew from training and the upcoming match against the Roosters.
"This decision prompted the club to offer George an immediate release given the stress this was evidently causing he and his partner, thereby giving them the opportunity to return home earlier.
"As a club, we have a duty to act in the best interests of the club, its members, sponsors and supporters. Sometimes the best interests of the Club do not match those of an individual. The club therefore determined that granting George an immediate release would allow us to plan better for the club’s future.
"We would like to reiterate that it was the club's overwhelming preference to keep George until the end of next season, as he is a good person, well-liked and a valuable member of our club. However, when this situation became untenable, we needed to act in the best interests of the club and our future."
Williams is now in dialogue to finalise his release and a return to Super League, with Wigan and Warrington battling it out for his signature.
