The General 'Toronto Wolfpack' Discussion Thread

[Robin Evans]

15 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

My opinion

OK. My opinion may differ

[thirteenthman]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

4. Sky clearly like Toronto, they based half their marketing for the 2020 season on them. Fev is a different prospect as its essentially more of the same of what SL already has, only smaller in profile - not that there is anything wrong with that but lets not pretend reality is any different. Sky are bothered about image, profile, and popularity driving viewership. In that sense I'd argue that beyond Saints, Leeds, Wire, Hull and Wigan, they don't really care who's in so long as they don't turn up as part timers.

I'd suggest Sky liked SBW rather than Toronto. If Fev had been promoted and signed SBW, he would still have featured prominently. 

[Robin Evans]

1 minute ago, thirteenthman said:

I'd suggest Sky liked SBW rather than Toronto. If Fev had been promoted and signed SBW, he would still have featured prominently. 

That would have made me chuckle.

[Oldbear]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

1. The RFL have allowed and backed 2 teams from Canada entering. The more controversial position comes to Super League

4. Sky are bothered about image, profile, and popularity driving viewership. In that sense I'd argue that beyond Saints, Leeds, Wire, Hull and Wigan, they don't really care who's in so long as they don't turn up as part timers.

In respect of 1, why does the RFL want a team or teams from Canada, do they honestly know or was it purely motivated by Perez approaching them. 
 

I suspect you are right about Sky’s view as to who makes up the league, it’s really all down to selling ads during breaks, which in turn is driven by viewing figures. Will more casual sports fans tune in to Leeds v Toronto? Probably providing

1. they even know the game is happening, as I live in Canada I don’t know how Sky promotes its programming these days

2. the game is competitive, no one bar the committed fan tunes in for blow outs and Toronto pre Covid was far from competitive.

[Oldbear]

58 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

3/ The majority of RL fans want what’s best for the game which is obviously for it to spread to as many places as possible. For some fans though it will always be club first. 
 

4/ Same as the first answer Sky want Toronto provided they provide games for them. Without that they aren’t a great benefit to Sky apart from a bit of a novelty and maybe some big name signings. 

With regard to 3 I honestly think that answer varies depending which club you support. As Gubrats has so often eloquently put, everyone is in favour of expansion until it’s your teams position that’s threatened.

Sky wants competitive games, I’m sure they were bitterly disappointed with Toronto’s SL showing pre Covid, the casual sports fan isn’t attracted by blow outs and I’m sure that whether TWP are allowed back, or someone else is promoted the thought in the minds of Sky execs is that the 12th team, whoever that may be needs to be competitive. 

[Oldbear]

25 minutes ago, thirteenthman said:

I'd suggest Sky liked SBW rather than Toronto. If Fev had been promoted and signed SBW, he would still have featured prominently. 

I agree, Sky thought games featuring SBW would see increased viewing figures, which means you can charge more for those half time ads, where it sort of backfired was that TWP were not competitive. What Sky really wants is a competitive team with a big name to promote, if they are given that do they really care where that team is located?

[thirteenthman]

8 minutes ago, Oldbear said:

I agree, Sky thought games featuring SBW would see increased viewing figures, which means you can charge more for those half time ads, where it sort of backfired was that TWP were not competitive. What Sky really wants is a competitive team with a big name to promote, if they are given that do they really care where that team is located?

SBW's fame transcends the RL bubble, something SL and Sky were eager to latch onto. For Sky, big names and competitive games produce more viewers which drives subscriptions.

[Kayakman]

1 hour ago, PhilCarrington said:

Regulation change by whom - the UK government or the RFL ?

Burroughs did well when he moved to Skolars, shame they couldn't keep hold of him.

RFL

[CanadianRugger]

4 hours ago, Keith989 said:

Really? I had no idea this was the case. With this in place, why are we even bothering talking about the WP developing players?

It's been the case since the inception.  It's why Ngawati left the first time and Burroughs also left.  Paul Rowley even mentioned that Burroughs would have started every game had he not been considered an import.

Canadian and American players are considered the exact same as Aussies & Kiwis in the RFL and get no exceptions even though they may be playing for a Canadian club.

This has been mentioned numerous times on this forum but the usual suspects go silent and ignore this fact.  They then proceed to moan about how Toronto isn't developing players.

[Keith989]

8 hours ago, CanadianRugger said:

It's been the case since the inception.  It's why Ngawati left the first time and Burroughs also left.  Paul Rowley even mentioned that Burroughs would have started every game had he not been considered an import.

Canadian and American players are considered the exact same as Aussies & Kiwis in the RFL and get no exceptions even though they may be playing for a Canadian club.

Well then, there was simply never any hope was there? Why would they actively harm their chances of success by developing "foreign players" for their own team. A very simple solution, as I'm sure you know is to follow the MLR model, where Canadians are seen as a home grown player for all teams.

[Dave T]

I've provided the evidence on more than one occasion that Canadian players do not count on any competition player quota for TWP. 

That was changed. 

I'm beginning to think these 'errors' keep being repeated aren't entirely honest. 

[Dave T]

C1:4:2 QUOTA OF OVERSEAS PLAYERS
Each Club shall only be entitled to register, and declare in any Match Day Squad, the 
5 "overseas Players" (the “Quota”) save for those Clubs which are granted an 
exemption in such form as the Board shall decide.

For the avoidance of doubt, if any Club exceeds the Quota at any time, it shall not be 
entitled to replace any "overseas Player" whose contract has expired or who ceases 
to play for the Club for any other reason, until it complies with the relevant Quota, and 
it shall be guilty of Off Field Misconduct. The Board shall be entitled to remove the 
Player from the Register as set out above.

In the case of Toronto Wolfpack, the Board has determined that Players with 
Canadian, American or Jamaican passports shall not count towards the maximum 
number of overseas players which can be signed by the Club.

[Tommygilf]

3 hours ago, thirteenthman said:

I'd suggest Sky liked SBW rather than Toronto. If Fev had been promoted and signed SBW, he would still have featured prominently. 

Absolutely, but were a team like Fev going to sign SBW? No.

[TheReaper]

1 hour ago, Keith989 said:

A very simple solution, as I'm sure you know is to follow the MLR model, where Canadians are seen as a home grown player for all teams.

Something I've brought up a few times. If SL or the RFL truly wanted Canadian players brought through,  any quotas, salary cap exemptions etc should apply to all 12 teams.

Harry's precious competitive purity can't exist if teams have different rules... right?

[Gooleboy]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

Absolutely, but were a team like Fev going to sign SBW? No.

We didn't want him.

[Tommygilf]

2 minutes ago, Gooleboy said:

We didn't want him.

Tbf he wouldn't have fitten in with the part time ambitions

[Gooleboy]

2 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Tbf he wouldn't have fitten in with the part time ambitions

He said part time would have been perfect for him to fly back to NZ every week, but the Club decided against signing him. They have agreed to speak to him again if the Championship looks like starting up next year.

[Oldbear]

4 hours ago, thirteenthman said:

SBW's fame transcends the RL bubble, something SL and Sky were eager to latch onto. For Sky, big names and competitive games produce more viewers which drives subscriptions.

Plus you can charge more for half time TV ads.

[PhilCarrington]

10 hours ago, Dave T said:

C1:4:2 QUOTA OF OVERSEAS PLAYERS
Each Club shall only be entitled to register, and declare in any Match Day Squad, the 
5 "overseas Players" (the “Quota”) save for those Clubs which are granted an 
exemption in such form as the Board shall decide.

For the avoidance of doubt, if any Club exceeds the Quota at any time, it shall not be 
entitled to replace any "overseas Player" whose contract has expired or who ceases 
to play for the Club for any other reason, until it complies with the relevant Quota, and 
it shall be guilty of Off Field Misconduct. The Board shall be entitled to remove the 
Player from the Register as set out above.

In the case of Toronto Wolfpack, the Board has determined that Players with 
Canadian, American or Jamaican passports shall not count towards the maximum 
number of overseas players which can be signed by the Club.

Don't go bringing in facts that show that the RFL have changed rules to help TWP. That's not the done thing on this topic.

[GUBRATS]

8 hours ago, Gooleboy said:

He said part time would have been perfect for him to fly back to NZ every week, but the Club decided against signing him. They have agreed to speak to him again if the Championship looks like starting up next year.

You'd be better signing me 

[Quolls2020]

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/roosters-sonny-bill-williams-keeping-all-options-on-the-table/266205ed-3901-4b3c-8bfe-221f946f44b2
 

will he, won’t he.

[tms]

1 hour ago, GUBRATS said:

You'd be better signing me 

I've just phoned mark and james and told them your available WATCH this space! 

[GUBRATS]

7 minutes ago, POR said:

I've just phoned mark and james and told them your available WATCH this space! 

Save the number 13 shirt for me , ball playing loose , think Sculthorpe , but better

[Harry Stottle]

14 hours ago, bobbruce said:

3/ The majority of RL fans want what’s best for the game which is obviously for it to spread to as many places as possible. For some fans though it will always be club first.

Do you not consider ALL RL fans want what's best for the game, if in their opinion that doesn't include Toronto which my be of a different opinion to yours then so be it. 

The only thing that is obvious Bob is different people have different opinions. 

[Harry Stottle]

14 hours ago, bobbruce said:

My opinion

Beat me to it, I had not seen this when I answered.