The General 'Toronto Wolfpack' Discussion Thread

[Dave T 16,175]

Canadians are not quota players for TWP. 

I clarified this last week, people are conveniently forgetting it again this week. Fake news. 

[Kayakman 5,142]

5 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Canadians are not quota players for TWP. 

I clarified this last week, people are conveniently forgetting it again this week. Fake news. 

You may be only partly correct on this Dave.....please look into why Rhys Jacks had to be let go...it had something to do with that rule.

I still don't fully understand the whole thing.

[GUBRATS 3,818]

37 minutes ago, TIWIT said:

I do sometimes wonder because most Brits just see the game on TV - 10 seconds of action, 45 seconds of guys standing about, repeat for 3+ hours.

It seems easy on TV. It's not. It is a brutal, vicious game. Most pro football players can barely get out of bed the next day, they are that beat up. 

But that is how it is , they do more running celebrating than actual playing 

Don't tell me the big guys in the defensive and attacking lines can't get out of bed , looking at the size of them they must spend most of their lives there , at least when they aren't eating 

Interesting that around 60 odd % end up bankrupt within a couple of years retirement 

[GUBRATS 3,818]

44 minutes ago, Hull Kingston Bronco said:

Defences don’t work like that though - it’s all about analysis, pattern recognition and quick solutions vs. the attacking play. Even structured attacks are often running options rather than fixed routes - not a million miles away from League with pre-planned sets with less adaptation early on and option plays at the back end 

 

I think the real transition issue is more about aerobic capacity, and core ball skills. It’s bad enough with Union players who don’t hold the ball properly because not taught grip in school, let alone catch and pass efficiency under pressure. Would be even worse with gridiron-raised players 

Just getting used to a bigger ball would take ages , and as you say , no real need for aerobic fitness in gridiron , they wouldn't last ten minutes , and would take a long time to get it 

[dixiedean 839]

3 hours ago, scotchy1 said:

Thats a strange assertion. 

The NFL has Laurent Duverny-Tardiff a qualified doctor with a masters in surgery. 

RL had Gareth Hock. 

Unfair!

Mr. Hock has a long and varied experience  of re-arranging other people's body parts.

Edited February 4 by dixiedean

[dixiedean 839]

33 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Just getting used to a bigger ball would take ages , and as you say , no real need for aerobic fitness in gridiron , they wouldn't last ten minutes , and would take a long time to get it 

It's a bit like saying Usain Bolt, Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah are all world class athletes. Yes they are. But that doesn't necessarily translate.

I see US football as the 100 m, RU as summat technical like long jump, or pole vault, and RL as the 5000 metres.

If asked to switch would they give it a bloody good go? Of course. They are all super fit and used to working hard. They'd probably be better than your average honest trier.

Are they all dedicated, committed athletes? Well yes of course. Would they give their all out of professional pride and will to win? Absolutely. But it isn't that simple...

Edited February 4 by dixiedean

[aj1908 953]

i think playing home games in england is something longer term the wolfpack cant do as it gives other teams too much of an advantage.

having months now before they get an actual home game sets them behind the 8 ball big time

the other thing is eventually the club has to be based full time in toronto when it is properly established in super league

what worked in the champ and league one probabaly wont work in super league

Edited February 4 by aj1908

[The Great Dane 480]

1 hour ago, TheLegendOfTexEvans said:

Look at your international team and forget sevens.   Sevens players will get destroyed in Rugby League.

It's only recently that NRL clubs have started trying out 7s players, so there isn't a great pool of talent to measure from, but early attempts of trying to convert 7s players have been reasonably successful, arguably more successful then recent attempts to convert full 15 a side RU players.

With all due respect to the Wolverines, the average Canadian 7s team member is probably more professional and has much more experience playing at a higher standard of play than your average Canadian RL player, so being realistic if one was going to quickly make the jump to SL standard it's more likely that it'd be a Canadian 7s player than, again with all due respect, what is effectively a low level park footballer in a Canadian RL player.

So yeah it wouldn't be my first option if I was the Wolfpack, but if they need a winger/centre/fullback, which are the positions that 7s players tend to excel in, then trying a 7s player out wouldn't be a bad option so long as they can pull it off without breaking the bank.

[TIWIT 1,385]

6 minutes ago, The Great Dane said:

It's only recently that NRL clubs have started trying out 7s players, so there isn't a great pool of talent to measure from, but early attempts of trying to convert 7s players have been reasonably successful, arguably more successful then recent attempts to convert full 15 a side RU players.

With all due respect to the Wolverines, the average Canadian 7s team member is probably more professional and has much more experience playing at a higher standard of play than your average Canadian RL player, so being realistic if one was going to quickly make the jump to SL standard it's more likely that it'd be a Canadian 7s player than, again with all due respect, what is effectively a low level park footballer in a Canadian RL player.

So yeah it wouldn't be my first option if I was the Wolfpack, but if they need a winger/centre/fullback, which are the positions that 7s players tend to excel in, then trying a 7s player out wouldn't be a bad option so long as they can pull it off without breaking the bank.

Interesting take. Thanks.

[TheReaper 1,107]

NFL/CFL plays are 5-10 second bursts, so players train for that.  They've been in professional training environments for at least four years of college. They know how to accept coaching and train for a specific requirement.

Change those requirements, and provide the coaching, and they are some of the best suited athletes in the world to attempt it. As mentioned,  many play both ways, many play other sports at high levels ti the point they're even drafted by multiple leagues, and many are just plain smart and skilled people. Denying that is ignorance fuelled by stereotypes and lack of exposure. We've had crossover guys go from NFL and CFL to international 7s, and vice versa. 

Not saying it would be easy, not saying the effort would pay off in a way that made financial sense. Most of all you need these guys to WANT to do it. You don't do that by nobody ever hearing of you or your sport.

[TIWIT 1,385]

28 minutes ago, aj1908 said:

i think playing home games in england is something longer term the wolfpack cant do as it gives other teams too much of an advantage.

having months now before they get an actual home game sets them behind the 8 ball big time

the other thing is eventually the club has to be based full time in toronto when it is properly established in super league

what worked in the champ and league one probabaly wont work in super league

The simplest solution to that is to start the season later. For a 'summer'  league to start the first weekend in February is ridiculous. Even a month later would make all the difference. Toronto in February can hit -30. In July, +30.

[SL17 796]

41 minutes ago, TIWIT said:

The simplest solution to that is to start the season later. For a 'summer'  league to start the first weekend in February is ridiculous. Even a month later would make all the difference. Toronto in February can hit -30. In July, +30.

You can’t start the season later. Emphasis is now on internationals.

[CanadianRugger 1,425]

1 hour ago, TheReaper said:

NFL/CFL plays are 5-10 second bursts, so players train for that.  They've been in professional training environments for at least four years of college. They know how to accept coaching and train for a specific requirement.

Change those requirements, and provide the coaching, and they are some of the best suited athletes in the world to attempt it. As mentioned,  many play both ways, many play other sports at high levels ti the point they're even drafted by multiple leagues, and many are just plain smart and skilled people. Denying that is ignorance fuelled by stereotypes and lack of exposure. We've had crossover guys go from NFL and CFL to international 7s, and vice versa. 

Not saying it would be easy, not saying the effort would pay off in a way that made financial sense. Most of all you need these guys to WANT to do it. You don't do that by nobody ever hearing of you or your sport.

Mike Pyke literally played Basketball, Professional Rugby Union and later Aussie Rules Football.

Jeff Hassler played Football and was an All-Canadian Running Back then played Sevens and was signed to Pro14 where he was on the dream team and was one of the best players in the league.

 

[TIWIT 1,385]

43 minutes ago, SL17 said:

You can’t start the season later. Emphasis is now on internationals.

Emphasis should be on the regular season first-and-foremost, then domestic cup competitions. International competitions should be played in the off season to maintain interest in the sport but not distracting from domestic play. Just my opinion of course but over here international play is of secondary importance to league play.

[SL17 796]

40 minutes ago, TIWIT said:

Emphasis should be on the regular season first-and-foremost, then domestic cup competitions. International competitions should be played in the off season to maintain interest in the sport but not distracting from domestic play. Just my opinion of course but over here international play is of secondary importance to league play.

We do have a World Cup coming up in this sport.. Should we postpone that so TWP can fall in to place?

Edited February 4 by SL17

[TIWIT 1,385]

Of course! Keeping TWP happy is all that's important.

[SL17 796]

45 minutes ago, TIWIT said:

Of course! Keeping TWP happy is all that's important.

Beating the Aussies is the most important thing.

Just in case you are missing something the link is..

Here

Edited February 4 by SL17

[aj1908 953]

3 hours ago, TIWIT said:

The simplest solution to that is to start the season later. For a 'summer'  league to start the first weekend in February is ridiculous. Even a month later would make all the difference. Toronto in February can hit -30. In July, +30.

Bmo field or.home games.shifted to later 

[Tommygilf 4,761]

3 hours ago, TIWIT said:

Emphasis should be on the regular season first-and-foremost, then domestic cup competitions. International competitions should be played in the off season to maintain interest in the sport but not distracting from domestic play. Just my opinion of course but over here international play is of secondary importance to league play.

I think this is a crucial difference between North American and the rest of the world in terms of sports - partly because most of the sports are NA centric and many Americans can barely recognise a world map. Even in the behemoth that is European club football, international competitions rank as the highest honour of players careers. Even in such a club dominated game such as RL, internationals form a key part of spreading the sport and are increasing in importance.

[GUBRATS 3,818]

5 hours ago, TIWIT said:

The simplest solution to that is to start the season later. For a 'summer'  league to start the first weekend in February is ridiculous. Even a month later would make all the difference. Toronto in February can hit -30. In July, +30.

Which tells us Toronto perhaps isn't suited to RL 

[Tommygilf 4,761]

2 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Which tells us Toronto perhaps isn't suited to RL 

Thats not a fair assumption 

[GUBRATS 3,818]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

Thats not a fair assumption 

When we have suggestions that the whole sport , both north and southern hemisphere needs to alter the season to accomadate one new club then it is IMO 

[Tommygilf 4,761]

Just now, GUBRATS said:

When we have suggestions that the whole sport , both north and southern hemisphere needs to alter the season to accomadate one new club then it is IMO 

We get such comments anyway and got them long before TWP. There have and always will be those who think its silly we have a "summer sport" who's season starts late Jan early Feb. Toronto just present an extreme case of how silly it is.

[CanadianRugger 1,425]

Season is fine but Challenge Cup games and more matches will need to be played in Toronto in the future.  Super League knows full well what the weather is like, I'm certain they can figure out the scheduling accordingly. 

[GUBRATS 3,818]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

We get such comments anyway and got them long before TWP. There have and always will be those who think its silly we have a "summer sport" who's season starts late Jan early Feb. Toronto just present an extreme case of how silly it is.

It isn't that the season is when it is , it's the overall length of the season that is the issue , yes it is too long , as always a financial issue , maybe NA expansion can change that , maybe it can't