Sonny Bill Williams 'humbled' to be named in NRL team of the decade

Five years after farewelled rugby league, Sonny Bill Williams' influence remains strong across the Tasman.

Set to be named in the All Blacks' Rugby World Cup squad on Wednesday, Williams has also been included in the National Rugby League's team of the decade.

Williams, who played just two NRL seasons this decade with the Roosters, made the bench in the chosen 17 picked by a panel of 23 'legends'.

He won a premiership with the Roosters in 2013 and stayed with them the following year before returning to the All Blacks for the 2015 World Cup.

"Grateful and humbled to be named by legends of the game in the NRL team of the decade," Williams wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

"A kid from Aotearoa being recognised by some of the greats has me buzzing. Alhumdulliah."

Williams - who became an NRL star in his initial stint with the Bulldogs from 2004-08 - was named on the bench alongside Paul Gallen, Luke Lewis and Jamie Lyon.

Two other current or former Kiwis internationals made the starting 13: Storm prop Jesse Bromwich and Cowboys lock Jason Taumalolo.

The Storm's 'Big Three' Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk all got the nod from a judging panel which included Immortals Mal Meninga, Andrew Johns, Wally Lewis and Bob Fulton.

The other benchmark side of the 2010s, the Roosters, had premiership captain Boyd Cordner, dual international Williams, tryscoring machine Brett Morris and champion halfback Cronk in the all-star 17.

Premiership-winning coaches Phil Gould, Craig Bellamy, Trent Robinson and Ricky Stuart were also part of the panel along with Hall of Famers Peter Sterling, Darren Lockyer, Danny Buderus and Laurie Daley.