New Zealand's Sonny Bill Williams voted rugby league's International Player of the Year ahead of World Cup final He added: "Hopefully, like I said to them straight away, I said, one more week, and hopefully I can put in another strong performance for the brothers and hopefully we can do it for the Kiwis." Williams' initial departure from the NRL's Cantebury Bulldogs for Toulon in the French Top 14 was smeared in controversy, and the Sydney Roosters second-rower's reputation went into nosedive in Australia and New Zealand. He said his return to league had been all about earning the respect which he had lost. I wasn't really teary until I saw the boys do the haka. That means the world to me. All I want is respect and I felt after the way I left the game I lost a lot of respect," Williams said. But this year just the way I tried to carry myself, I just tried to get across the real me, and I felt like I earned a lot of respect. But the biggest thing for me was earning the respect of my fellow players and coaches and I think that was why I was a little bit emotional. The 28-year-old Muslim is the first Kiwi to win the International Player of the Year award, which has been won by Australian players since its inception in 2008 - Billy Slater (2008, 2011), Jarryd Hayne (2009), Todd Carney (2010) and Cameron Smith (2012). He beat off competition from Kangaroos star Greg Inglis and Scotland playmaker Danny Brough to win the award. "I probably haven't won a lot of awards but definitely it's always nice to be recognised, and such a massive award like this - I was quite shocked, to be honest, but it was just a nice feeling to be recognised," Williams said. Player of the Year: Sonny Bill Williams (Sydney Roosters and New Zealand) Coach of the year: Trent Robinson (Sydney Roosters and Australia) Rookie of the year: George Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs and England) Referee of the year: Ben Cummins (Australia) Spirit of Rugby League Award: Maurice Oldroyd Team of the year (Only one player is picked per position): Full-back: Greg Inglis (South Sydney and Australia) Winger: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Sydney Roosters and New Zealand) Centre: Jamie Lyon (Manly) Stand-off: Danny Brough (Huddersfield and Scotland) Scrum-half: Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly and Australia) Prop: Sam Burgess (South Sydney and England) Hooker: Issac Luke (South Sydney and New Zealand) Second row: Sonny Bill Williams (Sydney Roosters and New Zealand) Loose forward: Corey Parker (Brisbane and Australia)