WITHIN four years, the Toronto Wolfpack had risen from League One to Super League before exiting the northern hemisphere game.
It was a whirlwind time in rugby league and one which often prompts people to look back and ask: ‘what happened?’
The Wolfpack, Canada’s first ever professional rugby league team, began in League One in 2017. By October 2019, they were in the first-tier.
After Covid-19 hit, however, the club withdrew from Super League before being denied re-entry during the 2020 season.
For former Toronto star, Gary Wheeler, he believes that rugby league missed a trick with the Canadian experiment.
“Definitely I think they missed a trick,” Wheeler told League Express.
“If you’ve ever had the chance to go out there you’d have seen why. The fans had really taken to the sport and really got behind it.
“Rugby league had previously tried to branch out into a few different areas but this seemed to be working in Canada and all eyes were on us in Toronto and they were investing well into it.
“The club got some big players like Sonny Bill Williams – not many teams can get him to play for them! I definitely think it was a missed opportunity.”
That being said, financial issues began to reign freely and Wheeler – as well as the rest of the Toronto side – have not been paid even three years on.
“I’m still owed money, it’s still ongoing,” Wheeler admitted.
“I can’t go into it too much, but it was the timing more than anything that made it so difficult.
“Covid had just hit and we were told we weren’t getting paid but it’s not like we could source another income from somewhere as the whole world was in shutdown.
“There was nothing out there for us but then obviously you’ve still got to pay your mortgage and bills. iIt was a tough time and the timing of it was really the hardest part.”
