The General 'Toronto Wolfpack' Discussion Thread

[Oxford]

3 hours ago, Oldbear said:

I’m not sure anyone has any knowledge, it’s just suspicion based on a number of things like

1. Covid, the US hasn’t got a clue where it is with the virus, who knows what’s happening next there?

2. Concern over the finances, they will need a TV deal, can they get one (I suspect it will be far more difficult than Canadian teams will find in Canada, and that’s not going to be easy. I just don’t see American TV audiences tuning in to a sport that they have zero knowledge of, especially if their team does not dominate from the get go. Americans only take sports seriously if they can dominate them and short of being allowed to sign a complete NRL squad, that ain’t happening for many, many years, if ever.

3. Need I say it, but Ricky Wilby?

The effects of Covid are much more likely to be economic in terms of sport, people are worried about getting crowds back but what crowds we have may not be able to attend as, on the whole,  they'll be the most affected.

They don't "need" a TV deal and this has been part of the lack of understanding by the RFL and SL over this, it will always be far roo long a game for TGG to be able to cope & work on.

I was afraid that Ricky Wilby might be an issue for some.

 

[Quolls2020]

It is getting  Closer
 

https://www.thestar.com/sports/2020/10/21/financially-troubled-toronto-wolfpack-likely-to-learn-fate-in-early-november.html
 

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/article-financially-troubled-toronto-wolfpack-likely-to-learn-fate-in-early/

[Manx RL]

8 hours ago, Oldbear said:

If LiVolisi gets the nod to re enter, you should send him your resume. Those kind of qualities would already make you 100 times better than Martin Vickers!

Simply not being Martin Vickers makes someone 100 times better than Martin Vickers.

[Dave T]

15 hours ago, TIWIT said:

And your answer to my last question is...

I'm not sure why you keep asking that question, as though it's a zinger. It's a basic question with a basic answer. The answer is that if TWP cannot get a suitable owner in to run the club, then they won't get paid, and TWP will go belly up like many other businesses. 

But it is silly to make this whole decision based on the fact that some players would be paid. The proposal needs to be right, otherwise we just end up in this same situation in 12m time - something that we have seen in RL and many other sports in the past. 

People getting paid doesn't trump everything else, otherwise there would be no discussion, a new owner would simply offer to pay the players and then they would get the thumbs up, which is miles away from the level of due diligence we need.

[Oxford]

10 hours ago, TIWIT said:

But I'm stuck in a hospital bed so what else can I do for fun but argue?

Yeah when was in that same position I argued with the entire world or in other words hope you're better soon.

 

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

I'm not sure why you keep asking that question, as though it's a zinger. It's a basic question with a basic answer. The answer is that if TWP cannot get a suitable owner in to run the club, then they won't get paid, and TWP will go belly up like many other businesses. 

But it is silly to make this whole decision based on the fact that some players would be paid. The proposal needs to be right, otherwise we just end up in this same situation in 12m time - something that we have seen in RL and many other sports in the past. 

People getting paid doesn't trump everything else, otherwise there would be no discussion, a new owner would simply offer to pay the players and then they would get the thumbs up, which is miles away from the level of due diligence we need.

I'm not sure anyone, especially SL and its clubs were going to consider the players wages as primary concern. However, the negativity from SL ( which could easily match it with stuff on here!) due dilligence may be the last consideration in their rejection.

[Harry Stottle]

10 hours ago, Robin Evans said:

I've been in bed since Sunday with a 39°c temp, a raging uti, peeing marmite  a cough and I've done a covid swab today. 

I took the test on Monday, and came back positive Tuesday, I will go along with your symptoms and add in a throat that feels as though if has been scrubbed with a wire brush.

Good luck Robin.

[Harry Stottle]

10 hours ago, TIWIT said:

You are essentially correct and I pretty much agree. Perhaps I shoudnt have combined the two because as you note they are two different issues.

But I'm stuck in a hospital bed so what else can I do for fun but argue?

Get well soon TIWIT, I mean that most sincerely.

[TIWIT]

8 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

I took the test on Monday, and came back positive Tuesday, I will go along with your symptoms and add in a throat that feels as though if has been scrubbed with a wire brush.

Good luck Robin.

Well I don't have Covid - sometimes I wish I did - but I hope you both recover soon with few consequences. 

[TIWIT]

14 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Get well soon TIWIT, I mean that most sincerely.

Thanks. I've been here so long now I'm even starting to like the food.   

[ckn]

5 posts removed. Play nicely.

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, Oxford said:

 

I'm not sure anyone, especially SL and its clubs were going to consider the players wages as primary concern. However, the negativity from SL ( which could easily match it with stuff on here!) due dilligence may be the last consideration in their rejection.

To be fair, their application didn't meet the requirements by the deadline, they could easily have had their application rejected at that point. The fact that the request by the new guy for more time was agreed is a positive. 

It doesn't support the commentary that everything is negative. If it was so negative, they'd have been rejected by now. 

[Kayakman]

5 minutes ago, Dave T said:

To be fair, their application didn't meet the requirements by the deadline, they could easily have had their application rejected at that point. The fact that the request by the new guy for more time was agreed is a positive. 

It doesn't support the commentary that everything is negative. If it was so negative, they'd have been rejected by now. 

Its actually going quite well and is positive in nature....its all going to work out....a top class fella is on top of things (Hunter) and the prospective new owner is a behind the scenes type of guy who wants the on field team to be the focus.

Things are looking up!  We are rounding the curve.

Run With The Pack!

Edited October 22, 2020 by Kayakman

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, Kayakman said:

Its actually going quite well and is positive in nature....its all going to work out....a top class fella is on top of things (Hunter) and the prospective new owner is a behind the scenes type of guy who wants the on field team to be the focus.

Things are looking up!  We are rounding the curve.

Run With The Pack!

I was worried that it was going to be a no at that first step, so the fact they allowed the extension has to be a positive and suggests they are open to a re-admission here. 

I hope you are right about Hunter being more involved, as he absolutely gives me more confidence.

[Oxford]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

To be fair, their application didn't meet the requirements by the deadline, they could easily have had their application rejected at that point. The fact that the request by the new guy for more time was agreed is a positive. 

It doesn't support the commentary that everything is negative. If it was so negative, they'd have been rejected by now. 

That was a bit of evidence that they were willling to listen, certainly. But the stories eminating from almost every RL media outlet confirmed a general outlook that appeared to have already both made the decision and for a majority of clubs not being in favour.

The thing that confirms my pessimism though is TWP asking for a slice of the cake and chairmen/women never like having less of central funding.

They're a bit like when you visit a family at lunchtime  and everyone holds their hands and arms around their plates in case their sibling nicks a sausage or chip.

 

Edited October 22, 2020 by Oxford

[Kayakman]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

I was worried that it was going to be a no at that first step, so the fact they allowed the extension has to be a positive and suggests they are open to a re-admission here. 

I hope you are right about Hunter being more involved, as he absolutely gives me more confidence.

If the truth be known Hunter should be put in charge of the SL and get rid of this Elstone guy....

[Robin Evans]

Just now, Kayakman said:

If the truth be known Hunter should be put in charge of the SL and get rid of this Elstone guy....

Elstone is marmite it appears, but I have no idea if he's doing his job well and to his brief, or not.

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

2 hours ago, Dave T said:

I was worried that it was going to be a no at that first step, so the fact they allowed the extension has to be a positive and suggests they are open to a re-admission here. 

I hope you are right about Hunter being more involved, as he absolutely gives me more confidence.

I really don't get this Hunter adulation. It was after he joined that things really started to go pear shaped and he was the CEO during the period of non payment of wages and when they were being elusive in putting forward their 'application' for SL before last season's MPG; and continues to be afaik. Continuing in that role for months while such was going on suggests he was complicit in the act.

[TheReaper]

26 minutes ago, Les Tonks Sidestep said:

I really don't get this Hunter adulation. It was after he joined that things really started to go pear shaped and he was the CEO during the period of non payment of wages and when they were being elusive in putting forward their 'application' for SL before last season's MPG; and continues to be afaik. Continuing in that role for months while such was going on suggests he was complicit in the act.

The guy can't give money he doesn't have. The guy has actual major league management experience, it would probably be way worse without him.

[ATLANTISMAN]

18 minutes ago, TheReaper said:

The guy can't give money he doesn't have. The guy has actual major league management experience, it would probably be way worse without him.

21 years at MAPLE LEAF and before that CEO ROGERS CENTRE thats been 2 serious positions why on earth he is hanging on at the TW only he knows.

 

Paul

 

 

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, Les Tonks Sidestep said:

I really don't get this Hunter adulation. It was after he joined that things really started to go pear shaped and he was the CEO during the period of non payment of wages and when they were being elusive in putting forward their 'application' for SL before last season's MPG; and continues to be afaik. Continuing in that role for months while such was going on suggests he was complicit in the act.

It's a good point, and much of my opinion is based on what he says to the media, he gives the impression to me that he knows what they need to do but Argyle was still far too hands on and running the show in reality. 

He has a good CV, he speaks sense, and tbh I thought it was clear he has been frustrated by Argyle for quite a while, it's like he knew he was trying to manage a spoilt man child. 

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

36 minutes ago, Dave T said:

It's a good point, and much of my opinion is based on what he says to the media, he gives the impression to me that he knows what they need to do but Argyle was still far too hands on and running the show in reality. 

He has a good CV, he speaks sense, and tbh I thought it was clear he has been frustrated by Argyle for quite a while, it's like he knew he was trying to manage a spoilt man child. 

Yet he was prepared to carry on as they dug the hole they were in deeper and deeper, leading the business and effectively holding the spade. I'm afraid simply making the (sort of) right noises for someone in his position just doesn't cut it for me and if he's as savvy as made out he'd know he was banging his head against a wall with Argyle - as they say 'actions speak....'

[GUBRATS]

18 hours ago, Robin Evans said:

I've been in bed since Sunday with a 39°c temp, a raging uti, peeing marmite  a cough and I've done a covid swab today. 

So it's your fault South Yorkshire is in tier 3 ?

[Oldbear]

1 hour ago, Les Tonks Sidestep said:

Yet he was prepared to carry on as they dug the hole they were in deeper and deeper, leading the business and effectively holding the spade. I'm afraid simply making the (sort of) right noises for someone in his position just doesn't cut it for me and if he's as savvy as made out he'd know he was banging his head against a wall with Argyle - as they say 'actions speak....'

Unless he could see Argyle was on the way out, and he was hanging around so that he was in pole position to advise the new owners (and of course hope they listen). As others have said his resume is excellent, he was trained by one of Canada’s richest and most successful businessmen and I think he’s a much better person for the RFL to deal with than the all controlling man child that Argyle turned out to be. I know nothing about the new guy, but surely he must actually realize that Argyles style is not the way to go.

[Oldbear]

10 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

I took the test on Monday, and came back positive Tuesday, I will go along with your symptoms and add in a throat that feels as though if has been scrubbed with a wire brush.

Good luck Robin.

So sorry to hear that Harry, hope you have a speedy recovery and no lasting side effects, like I said for Robin and TWIT, this forum needs you guys healthy and able to contribute.

[TIWIT]

8 hours ago, Kayakman said:

Its actually going quite well and is positive in nature....its all going to work out....a top class fella is on top of things (Hunter) and the prospective new owner is a behind the scenes type of guy who wants the on field team to be the focus.

Things are looking up!  We are rounding the curve.

Run With The Pack!

I just hope we're the Pack and not a fox being chased by ravenous SL hounds.