Toronto’s squad

[Tommygilf]

17 minutes ago, Cameron Highlander said:

Tommy, I'm not a whiz at posting internet links and the like into pieces.......blame too many birthdays.  But the following is from a Canadian Press article "Coach Paul Rowley leaving Toronto Wolfpack" dated November 10, 2018.

"Paul Rowley’s record as coach of the Toronto Wolfpack was excellent. And yet the former England hooker is no longer with the transatlantic rugby league team despite taking a blank piece of paper and turning it into a team with a 49-8-2 competitive record

In a statement Saturday, the team maintained the split was mutual.

Brian Noble, Toronto’s director of rugby, said Rowley had asked to "review his position" at the end of the 2018 season when his contract was up."

The Bolding and Underlining of the last five (5) words are by me.  I'm not going to get into a back-and-forth about the meaning of phrases like "mutual agreement" and "released from contract" in the Paul Rowley case.  Regrets if you wanted to do so.......

Tbh mate I didn't, it was a churlish remark aimed towards an infantile post - I've always wished the Wolfpack well (even been to a few games over here). I will take up on things like the idea of promoting from within and long term planning as being some kind of revelation in either our sport or indeed our continent - let alone when that is an impossibility for a 3 year old club and is demonstrably factually inaccurate. 

Apologies if it came across in a way not intended. 

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, Kayakman said:

It was for 2 years and two years was what it was for.

Our achievements are fully homegrown.  We are based in Toronto, Ontario, CANADA.  Our home field is Lamport Stadium in Toronto.  We are the only fully professional RL club in Canada and we can't wait to kick some English ass yet again this year!

Did you agree with them moving Rowley on when they did? 

[Cameron Highlander]

12 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Tbh mate I didn't, it was a churlish remark aimed towards an infantile post - I've always wished the Wolfpack well (even been to a few games over here). I will take up on things like the idea of promoting from within and long term planning as being some kind of revelation in either our sport or indeed our continent - let alone when that is an impossibility for a 3 year old club and is demonstrably factually inaccurate. 

Apologies if it came across in a way not intended. 

No problem Tommygilf.    All is cool.  Roll on the start of the season.

[Dave T]

Why would he be released from a contract that had ended? 

[TboneFromTO]

7 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Did you agree with them moving Rowley on when they did? 

No.  Two league championship leaders shields.   I think he got let go a little soon. Unless he wanted to leave (but that's for him to tell).  I thought he got the business end of the stick, not the rugby end.

But I mean. B Mac is a good upgrade from the guy

[Kayakman]

12 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Did you agree with them moving Rowley on when they did? 

Define 'them'....then I will attempt to answer your question.

[MZH]

Just now, TboneFromTO said:

No.  Two league championship leaders shields.   I think he got let go a little soon. Unless he wanted to leave (but that's for him to tell).  I thought he got the business end of the stick, not the rugby end.

But I mean. B Mac is a good upgrade from the guy

Success is relative. In season one the team was so far ahead of the competition that they would have won promotion without a coach. They could have decided the match day 17 by drawing names out of a hat and made everything up as they went along and still won the league easily. 

In season two the goal was promotion to SL and they were strong favourites to do it. They failed. Rowley didn't achieve anything that literally any other coach couldn't have achieved, given what was at his disposal. 

He wasn't a good appointment from the start. B Mac is way ahead of him and making that change was a good move. 

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, Kayakman said:

Define 'them'....then I will attempt to answer your question.

The Royal Family

[Kayakman]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

The Royal Family

Well if the Royal Family didn't want Rowley as coach...well.....it is their country': don't they collect alot in rents?

[RayCee]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

The Royal Family

"They' or 'them' have taken players and coaches from the UK. Now 'they' want the Royals too. Not doing a bad job of it by all accounts. 

[Allora]

8 hours ago, aj1908 said:

Super league is a sport.isnt it ? See?

He was are the operative words.

[aj1908]

50 minutes ago, Allora said:

He was are the operative words.

So he stopped.being a good player right after the union world.cup finished?

 

[aj1908]

6 minutes ago, NOS4A2 said:

SBW was an average squad player in his last couple of years in Union. He played 1 game as a sub, started another and was subbed off and didn't feature in a third pool, game in Japan (1 game was also cancelled). He played 15 minutes at the end of the QF they had won by half time and was brought on with 25 minutes left in the semi-final loss to England. In total he payed 120 minutes over 400 available game minutes. 

If he'd remained in Union, it would have been in France or Japan, with the latter more likely and probably thinks all his Ramadans have come early with the money claimed he's on at Toronto.

 

It's 6+ years since he played League. His is without doubt one of the cross code greats and I'd have no problem mentioning him in the same sentences as greats like Brad Thorn and Jason Robinson, but at 34yrs of age and with the level of travel he'll be required to do, it is my opinion that the money being spent by Toronto on his would have been better used in signing another half dozen SL grade players, because their squad looks paper thin. 

I wish him and the club well in 2020, but I can't see further than panic buying come May and a flirting with relegation that could spell the end of the club come October.

this is such a weird post.

[aj1908]

5 minutes ago, NOS4A2 said:

How so?

I pointed out that in my opinion he was "average" in his last stint in Union and that it had been close to 6 years since he last played League I followed this up by saying (again in my opinion) that his salary would have been better used by bulking their squad up to about 30 rather than putting all their eggs in a 34yrs old basket.

Nothing weird about it at all.

 

Instead of an off the cuff dismissal, why not counter with an alternative stance. It's how debate works.

The all his ranadans at once was funny I'll give you that 

If sbw is an aversge union player in.the best tesm at a worls cup then i guess 95 percdnt of union players are below average 

I think sbw could've made it back in the nrl so super league should be a breeze 

Eh gutters?

[Mr Frisky]

6 minutes ago, aj1908 said:

 

I think sbw could've made it back in the nrl so super league should be a breeze 

Eh gutters?

Yet time and time again top NRL players come to SL and struggle... we send above average players to the NRL and they become world beaters.. Hodgson ( not even in the top 3 in his position in SL) but suddenly one of the best in the NRL - same as Whitehead, George Burgess etc etc

[aj1908]

9 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Yet time and time again top NRL players come to SL and struggle... we send above average players to the NRL and they become world beaters.. Hodgson ( not even in the top 3 in his position in SL) but suddenly one of the best in the NRL - same as Whitehead, George Burgess etc etc

They flourish in a better environment obviously.

Look.at.the respective salary caps to.show the difference in player quality 

How did the man of steel go in nrl

[Kayakman]

1 hour ago, NOS4A2 said:

How so?

I pointed out that in my opinion he was "average" in his last stint in Union and that it had been close to 6 years since he last played League I followed this up by saying (again in my opinion) that his salary would have been better used by bulking their squad up to about 30 rather than putting all their eggs in a 34yrs old basket.

Nothing weird about it at all.

 

Instead of an off the cuff dismissal, why not counter with an alternative stance. It's how debate works.

He single handily dismantled the Canadian team when he knew the decision makers were watching....he still has the ability to easily switch into a higher level....he has still got it.

[frank]

All this negativity about the Wolfpack is a bit over the top.The inclusion of Williams may lift the rest of the team , let's leave it for a few games until things sort themselves.

[aj1908]

35 minutes ago, NOS4A2 said:

New Zealand were the third best side at the World Cup. Kiwis play their centers in union differently to the way NH union sides do and SBW was used as an offloading battering ram against weaker sides and as a bench impact off-loader in the final 20 minutes against tired or tiring opposition. 
I do not agree that he would have walked into the NRL with ease and I honestly believe that he is not as good as the 6 or 7 other payers that Toronto should have lined up during 2019 in preparation for SL 2020. As it is, they have a paper thin squad and will be in deep trouble should injuries occur. 

This isn't negativity regarding Toronto per say by the way. It is just my opinion about Toronto's Squad in a thread about Toronto's Squad which is how a forum works. 

I've been watching rugby league for 30 years.  Williams.can still play nrl.  Roosters would've loved.him 

[aj1908]

6 minutes ago, NOS4A2 said:

all supposition, as he was courted by Argyle and nobody could compete with the numbers he was offered. I fancy the Roosters will go just fine this year without him and it would seem the bookies agree.

Your posts aren't supposition ?

When he carves up super league I'll.remind you 

If you are still.here of course 

[aj1908]

2 minutes ago, NOS4A2 said:

I've never claimed they were anything other than my opinion. You on the other hand claim he will be a star of SL and would have been scooped up by the Roosters in a very off-hand manner.

I'd love him to rip up SL, but if a 34 year old out of the game for 6 years does do that, it's a sad reflection of the standard of our comp rather than his prowess (in my opinion of course).

Why would I not be here? Because I have a different opinion to you?

You seem to know a lot about rugby union and don't like Toronto 

You work it out 

[aj1908]

1 minute ago, NOS4A2 said:

I know a fair bit about any number of sports and I am unsure of what benefits Toronto Wolfpack being in the English game have delivered so far.

Why would I be "not here" ?

Because I am knowledgeable about multiple sports and prefer to think things through rather than blindly accept that Toronto are a great thing?

There was a squash match played in a NYC railway station recently. Does my knowing that make me a "squash troll"? Liverpool FC are looking to be on target to end a 30 year drought. Am I a soccer Troll? Australia and India are at 1 a piece in their current cricket series.....does this mean I am a cricket troll?

This is a thread about the squad at Toronto and I have debated that in my opinion, the squad is thin and SBW isn't worth the cash he's apparently being paid, but all you seem to want to discuss is my opinion and play pin the tail on the Donkey which I find very strange.

SBW was an average bit player over the last 5 years at the All Blacks. He had a specific role (one that Burgess was supposed to replicate at England). Rugby League is not as forgiving as Union and it is my opinion that 6 or 7 other players bolstering the squad would have been a better way to spend £2.5 million a year. Why not debate this instead of acting like a self appointed regulator?

 

I'll get back do.you later 

I'm.busy reading the thread about Sarries being relegated.and maybe going broke

Potentially.we.can get Farrell back 

Wolfpack should.go for him

Getting the current england captain would.be a msssive win for rugby

[Dave T]

9 hours ago, Kayakman said:

Define 'them'....then I will attempt to answer your question.

The club. I thought that was obvious. 

[Allora]

5 hours ago, aj1908 said:

I'll get back do.you later 

I'm.busy reading the thread about Sarries being relegated.and maybe going broke

Potentially.we.can get Farrell back 

Wolfpack should.go for him

Getting the current england captain would.be a msssive win for rugby

 

[Kayakman]

6 hours ago, NOS4A2 said:

Canada RU scored 2 tries all tournament. I could have dismantled them on my own and I've not laced boots for for a decade now.

I think you might be putting yourself on a bit of a pedestal...you asked for proof; proof was given.