In my present career I meet lots of people from the USA and Canada, I was very surprised at first by the amount of them who play rugby, albeit the Union version, ( I am hoping this venture by the Wolfpack will convert a few to league) .
My point is that rugby has been played 'over there' for donkeys years, and yes was seen by most of the public as a poor relation to their football,only played by guys who had failed to make the grade but wanted a run out every week, all the people I meet are very knowledgeable about the laws and subleties of both codes of rugby and tell me there is a decent following of both codes.
One of the veterans I have enjoyed crossing paths with in this part of the world is an ex Canadian International by the name of Eddie Evans, and a more diehard enthusiast about the sport of rugby you will find hard to meet.
My point is do not dismiss this as some 'fad' by a few people with more Money than sense, like L B C , I hope Wolfpack are a success and spread the gospel according to league.
Like others previously mentioned, with the squad assembled by them it is going to be hard for the teams in C 2 and some cricket scores should be expected, this will not help the game short time, but how much bitching would there be if they were put straight into the Championship, remember the uproar about Catalan!
A final point, the likes of Fu fu and Beswick might have gone for a final hurrah, but do not underestimate the strength in depth of the local boys.
This is my humble opinion of course, detractors welcome.

A big problem I see. Will the championship 1 clubs be able to raise a team to go to Canada. As most of the championship players will have other more important jobs which will come first as they will be the players main source of income. Time off from these jobs may not be possible for some players. Which could leave the club short or very under strengthed.

It's possible that a couple of players might struggle, but employers of part-time sportsmen know that there will be occasions when they need time off work. Everyone knows when the games in Canada are, so it should be possible to schedule time off given the advance notice available.

I'm not a fan of this initiative at all, but it's creating a bit of interest which is no bad thing. If it sparks off interest in professional RL in Canada and even the USA, then that's a good thing, but I just can't see the transatlantic experiment continuing given the expense involved. France works (it's an affordable holiday if folk plan it in), but Canada?

I do wish them well. Cricket scores if they have a stable team, but there could be a few surprises if they have a few injuries. Assuming they're promoted, I suspect that the Championship (which is getting more competitive) may be more of a challenge than they imagine.

They went to Toulouse. It's still a Thursday to Sunday trip.

I accept York arrived shorthanded but there were different issues there - registration and eligibility.

They will not take anybodys place they are starting at the bottom and will have to work their way up. If ther get promoted it will be deserved as it will be if they get promoted to superleague. There are plenty of "heartland" clubs that are a million miles from getting to super league for many reasons, and not one of them reasons is Toronto wolfpack

Every employee has x amount of annual leave they can take and every self-employed person has the ability to take leave. The fixtures have been out a number of weeks already, giving players ample time to book any dates off where necessary.

As someone else has said above, these employers know that they employ a part-time sportsperson and with that will come times when they have to leave early or take impromptu days off.

The chance for these lads to go on a FREE trip, to one of the best cities in the world, to play rugby league, with a bunch of their mates - is one I imagine most will grab with both hands. If they're making themselves available for trips to Whitehaven, Hemel, Workington etc, they'll be available for a trip to Toronto.

Thurs - Travel. Depart (for example) 12noon UK time, and you're there for 3pm local time.
Friday - captains run (2/3 hours max).
Saturday - Game Day
Sunday - Travel home. Depart 8am local time, and you'll arrive back in the UK for 9pm.

Plenty of time to sample what the city has to offer, as well as professionally preparing for the match.

Yer but again I ask who will be the sacrificial lambs who get the chop from SL to make way for them and then will drop like a stone????

No team will be sacrificed, team swill get relegated for finishing bottom that's how promotion and relegation works as hull kr made way for leigh this season, or are you outraged over that also, we're hull kr sacrificed or were they just not good enough last year? I personally was never a fan of stopping promotion n relegation and feel that is what has done more damage than anything, not being able to be promoted for years n years has resulted in a gulf between SL and the championship.

No team has the right to be in super league same way every team has the opportunity to win their place in super league irrespective of where they are from

They have started at the bottom with aspirations of getting into super league and a backer who will do his best to get them there and has the funds to do so, but the club also has the potential to be self sufficient selling 5k season tickets to a championship 1 team is a good start and with the success of being promoted will only increase attendances.

I find it funny singling out Toronto for no real justified reason they have been given no special treatment whatsoever when Bradford are going to be liquidated and a brand new club will be given a spot in the championship......

Why would it be any different if Fax were to be promoted?

100% AGREE .UP THE CANUKS.

They all know the fixture date,clubs should know now who's going or not.

Thing is i'm used to my employer and forget other people don't have the same problems when it comes to booking hols. It's a nightmare at my place of work to try and get the hols you need especially if it falls in in school holidays.

Clubs play in Toronto once a season, all expenses paid. That means that a player would need to take 1 maybe 1 and a half days off work. Once a year. Every player has looked at this fixture as soon as its come out because this is the scenario - either (a) Travel to Toronto with all your mates to play rugby staying in a hotel and having time to prepare for a game as a full time professional club would with a captains run Friday and video and and full days preparation for a game Saturday at 5pm or (b) work on a rooftop or in an office or on a building site Thursday and Friday knowing your mates are all over in Canada and then watching them on Premier Sports on Saturday whilst you're at home. There is not a single player in Champs 1 or 2 that would sit and moan that 'We don't get back til late Sunday and I'll be jet lagged for work Monday'.

Look at Darts 15 years ago - and now. There are people across the country shouting about what a game RL is, it's popularity in the South West is massive, for example. Gloucester have recently had a RL v RU Masters match and there is another very soon. Wigan and Saints have ties down there. The spectacle of RL is phenomenal but it is marketed completely wrong and those that direct the sport, and unfortunately a large percentage of fans are stuck in the past and won't budge. Toronto is a fantastic step forward and will cost clubs nothing other than time - which they are all more than happy to give. There is no negative, and if it doesn't work, Toronto go away and no-one is any the worse off. But there is constant moaning about 'why would you bring them in rather than Manchester Rangers who are in the heartlands'. Because they haven't the pull to get full Live TV coverage for the country, because they don't have a large budget to grow the team, because they will never sell over 7500 season tickets (which the wolfpack are now up to), because they don't have the marketing and vision of an innovative staff.

I read yesterday, again negative comments, about why RL would have Prince Harry as its Patron??? "he's never shown any interest in RL" "he's always at Twickenham" "We don't want to copy RU" "We don't want acceptance by the establishment"

Everything that is wrong with RL. Harry loves the sport of rugby. He loves the camaraderie, the contest, the challenge. He is arguably, the most popular royal with those under 40 and wants to be involved in RL. He has a worldwide appeal. And we want to tell him to do one?

Love him or loathe him, Barry Hearn has taken a non-entity and turned it into a spectacle. And we have a game light years ahead of a darts match.....it's not rocket science.

Whilst iappreciate not a lot can be decided after one training session, but, Toronto looked very sharp on Saturday at the College.
They are a typical Nobby side with a big aggressive pack,and the very useful Bob Beswick once again pulling the strings.
I am not a betting man and know little about it but it wouldn't surprise me to see the Wolfpack go all season without a league defeat amassing a large talley of points.
Conversely (just bought a pair at £75) being as we say not negatively but realisticly saw nothing from us that over enthused me.
But hey, I will be there.
Simply my humble opinion.

Halifax John, from reading your post and maybe trying too hard to read something into it, were Fax being lazy or not showing what they have already in the bag, who knows what spies were about just 'having a gander at Wolfpack, but also seeing what Fax were about,
I hope it is RM playing it canny and not they have not got a clue with the season being so close to opening.

As in your words " just my opinion"

O/T. Has any one given thought as to what will happen when Wolfpack get a home tie in the early rounds of the Challenge Cup, will it be them picking up the tab for expenses or will The fat controller pay out of central coffers, because sure as eggs are scrambled they will get the marketing opportunity, not to say the draw is manipulated in any way of course!