The General 'Toronto Wolfpack' Discussion Thread

[Tommygilf 7,786]

32 minutes ago, binosh said:

Lets hope Ottawa learn from this and do much better job.

I wholeheartedly hope so, but the Super League have themselves stated they see no benefit (zero) in Canada.

[thirteenthman 397]

12 hours ago, briggyq said:

The cynic in me says Hetherington only sided with the Wolfpack because of his dislike for Elstone.

 

But im in a cynical mood tonight

Funnily enough, I was listening to the Six to Go podcast with John Davidson (recorded the day before the TWP decision was made) and he alluded to something similar. He also said there may be something similar going on with the Saints chairman who may be less than impressed with Mr Elstone as well, despite being one of the movers that brought him back to the sport. 

One of the things that also stood out was John Davidson's disdain for the standard of RL journalism in this country. He was the only journalist to flag up the financial issues surrounding TWP, despite it apparently being well known within the game. He also made the very good point about the lack of objective scrutiny of the governance of RL in general by RL journalists. 

[Hela Wigmen 2,802]

1 minute ago, thirteenthman said:

Funnily enough, I was listening to the Six to Go podcast with John Davidson (recorded the day before the TWP decision was made) and he alluded to something similar. He also said there may be something similar going on with the Saints chairman who may be less than impressed with Mr Elstone as well, despite being one of the movers that brought him back to the sport. 

One of the things that also stood out was John Davidson's disdain for the standard of RL journalism in this country. He was the only journalist to flag up the financial issues surrounding TWP, despite it apparently being well known within the game. He also made the very good point about the lack of objective scrutiny of the governance of RL in general by RL journalists. 

He’s been utterly brilliant throughout the “Toronto Years”, not just cheerleading for them but actually offering a different perspective and telling a different story, which is what journalism is all about. Davidson is the best journalist we have over here by some distance. 

Since learning of Leeds’ approval, I did wonder if McManus’ vote went the same way for a similar reason. Both Hetherington and McManus aren’t particularly reserved, so we’ll watch this space but if it’s what Davidson has heard, it’s likely to be true. 

[binosh 167]

It states on twitter via John Davidson that the 3 who voted for Toronto did so to "unseat" Elstone.

Two things, this further re-enforces the fact it was the right decision to refuse re-entry for Livolsi and secondly it appears we are about to have a large Civil war within British Rugby League.

Will this be a breakaway moment?

[Blind side johnny 6,551]

18 hours ago, Dave T said:

They were built on an apparent billionaire funding a club. When that billionaire went bust and walked out of SL, they went then. 

We can keep twisting the truth to make out its the existing clubs that are at fault, but the management of this club has been unsavoury at best. 

 

Yep. Dreams do have a nasty habit of colliding with reality, sadly.

[Tommygilf 7,786]

10 minutes ago, binosh said:

It states on twitter via John Davidson that the 3 who voted for Toronto did so to "unseat" Elstone.

Two things, this further re-enforces the fact it was the right decision to refuse re-entry for Livolsi and secondly it appears we are about to have a large Civil war within British Rugby League.

Will this be a breakaway moment?

I suppose you could look at it that way. 3 of the 6 biggest clubs in the game have just voted against the Super League's express wishes with the backing of the national governing body.

Maybe the RFL thinks the best of the Championship and League 1, Leigh, Fev, Bradford, Halifax, Widnes, York, Toulouse, Doncaster/Sheffield, London, Newcastle, Ottawa, plus Leeds, Catalans and Saints and a revived Toronto might be enough of a head turner to persuade sky away. After all, there is a TV deal to be signed this year.

[ATLANTISMAN 1,145]

17 minutes ago, SL17 said:

Your point being?

My point being (Read the entire response) you were wrong 

 

P 

[DI Keith Fowler 349]

7 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I suppose you could look at it that way. 3 of the 6 biggest clubs in the game have just voted against the Super League's express wishes with the backing of the national governing body.

Maybe the RFL thinks the best of the Championship and League 1, Leigh, Fev, Bradford, Halifax, Widnes, York, Toulouse, Doncaster/Sheffield, London, Newcastle, Ottawa, plus Leeds, Catalans and Saints and a revived Toronto might be enough of a head turner to persuade sky away. After all, there is a TV deal to be signed this year.

Cool we're having our own Super League war 25 years later. 

[Tommygilf 7,786]

Just now, ATLANTISMAN said:

My point being (Read the entire response) you were wrong 

 

P 

Tell him what you really think

[Tommygilf 7,786]

Just now, DI Keith Fowler said:

Cool we're having our own Super League war 25 years later. 

Its got potential for that. Whether we'd be stronger as a result of that who knows.

[DI Keith Fowler 349]

Just now, Tommygilf said:

Its got potential for that. Whether we'd be stronger as a result of that who knows.

Did ratings go up as a result of the war in Australia overall? And stay up after the reconciliation? All publicity is good publicity...

[ATLANTISMAN 1,145]

Just now, Tommygilf said:

Its got potential for that. Whether we'd be stronger as a result of that who knows.

It certainly is interesting, only surprise for me yesterday was Wigan not voting for TR however wasn't it Ian that appointed RE so I guess there is loyalty there nothing wrong with that.

P

[Robin Evans 4,727]

2 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Its got potential for that. Whether we'd be stronger as a result of that who knows.

Sounds daft.... but then so have many other things... daft has a habit of occurring in horrible fashion.....

 

Edited November 3, 2020 by Robin Evans

[Damien 12,831]

4 minutes ago, DI Keith Fowler said:

Cool we're having our own Super League war 25 years later. 

In the Super League war some big clubs were on both sides. If such as scenario came to pass here then all of the big clubs would firmly be on the same side, there would only be one winner.

[Tommygilf 7,786]

2 minutes ago, Robin Evans said:

Sounds daft.... but then so have many other things... daft has a habit of occurring in horrible fashion.....

 

I think daft (putting it nicely) is one thing we have in huge quantities in RL!

[The Lad 124]

The decision that was made was the right one, you can't expect to be late paying plays, not keeping up to the schedule, dropping out of the season and be welcomed back. 

For me the red flags were there when in 2017 all Brian Noble could say was how great it would be to travel to canada, saying nothing about  financial  benefits.

As far as Ottawa or New York are concerned I think it will be more of the same, I would be very surprised if any north American team has learned anything from this four year waste of time.

[binosh 167]

Now that there is no chance of them getting paid you will probably see a more publicly vocal set of Toronto players giving some home truths. 

[fighting irish 1,734]

I'm waiting for Brian McDermott's comments.

[The Rocket 1,486]

1 hour ago, DI Keith Fowler said:

Did ratings go up as a result of the war in Australia overall? And stay up after the reconciliation? All publicity is good publicity...

The Super league war was an absolute disaster for Oz Rugby League, up till that point we were arguably the biggest code in Australia and on a roll, twenty lost years trying to sort it out. Many fans walked away disillusioned, ironically it was our attractiveness as a code that made Murdoch think he could take it to the world.

Having said that, having just about hit rock bottom like we did with two comps running simultaneously, the mergers and rationalisation that we endured may be just want you need as well now, or like we almost did, you could die.

 

[EastLondonMike 1,790]

Just listening to the Golden Point podcast from the 23rd September with Brian Noble. Reminder if any needed it of the positives the Wolfpack bought. 

Also reminded me that while every club in the UK had the advantage of the furlough scheme, they did not. Where would SL be now without Furlough?

[The Future is League 3,050]

2 hours ago, The Lad said:

The decision that was made was the right one, you can't expect to be late paying plays, not keeping up to the schedule, dropping out of the season and be welcomed back. 

For me the red flags were there when in 2017 all Brian Noble could say was how great it would be to travel to canada, saying nothing about  financial  benefits.

As far as Ottawa or New York are concerned I think it will be more of the same, I would be very surprised if any north American team has learned anything from this four year waste of time.

So if any British clubs do the same in the future you will be in favour of kicking them out then, yes or no.

[briggyq 48]

3 hours ago, thirteenthman said:

Funnily enough, I was listening to the Six to Go podcast with John Davidson (recorded the day before the TWP decision was made) and he alluded to something similar. He also said there may be something similar going on with the Saints chairman who may be less than impressed with Mr Elstone as well, despite being one of the movers that brought him back to the sport. 

One of the things that also stood out was John Davidson's disdain for the standard of RL journalism in this country. He was the only journalist to flag up the financial issues surrounding TWP, despite it apparently being well known within the game. He also made the very good point about the lack of objective scrutiny of the governance of RL in general by RL journalists. 

Yes I listened to it too he didn't hold back did he over the journalists did he?

Edited November 3, 2020 by briggyq

[redjonn 1,310]

37 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

So if any British clubs do the same in the future you will be in favour of kicking them out then, yes or no.

Depends on the precise reasons.

If for instance they fulfilled the minimum number of games (15 seems to be a figure this season), reasons for not being able to fulfill a particular fixture (say players in Covid isolation, etc etc

If their are financial aspects, say not paying players then yep some sort of sanction -  points deduction for instance as distinct from only the points deduction that a club is prepared to accept... etc etc

[thirteenthman 397]

13 minutes ago, briggyq said:

Yes I listened to it too he didn't hold back did he over the journalists did he?

Indeed. It's understandable if other journalists were aware of what the issues were at TWP, but no-one else was willing to actually put it into print. He copped a lot of grief on Twitter as a result from people who presumably thought he just had it in for TWP. 

[Big Picture 1,874]

Toronto Wolfpack doomed to transatlantic failure thanks to rotten foundation says Neil Davidson in The Toronto Star.