Well the ‘nuts finally out of the kernel’ Gareth Carvell has thrown the players union behind the beleaguered Wolfpack.

Asking for central funding to save them, an organisation that haven’t paid their players since June and failed to yet refund tickets bought by UK supporters who wanted to travel to Canada to support their team.

In current times where the RFL has taken a £16 million pound loan to help safeguard the game and a new TV deal has yet to be agreed this seems to be a gamble with what is for Rugby League a large amount of money in excess of £2 million. ( 12.5% of the value of the government loan).

If we were a well funded and rich sport like soccer it would be a low risk investment, however in days when RL clubs including my own are struggling due to Covid and some have already drawn on the £16 million to survive through this period a sum that will have to be paid back this seems like a huge gamble to attract an owner for an ailing club currently losing its players and in reality any bond it offers is really worthless as proved with the current situation with Argyle.

Thus far the Toronto expansion has cost the RFL nothing however that will change if a deal like this is approved.

Without a NATV deal the clubs exposure will be limited to a local area as with Catalans who if we are ‘hand on heart honest’ even with a TV deal have failed to get the exposure in France and strengthen RL on National basis the whole point of inviting them into the league in the first place.

It seems inevitable that the ‘Pack will be back’ but this is an awfully big gamble by the RFL.

Maybe like the Hudds-Sheff and Hull -Gateshead mergers it’s a way to save face and bail out failing clubs.

But wouldn’t it be better for the RFL/Superleague to fund the players wages to the end of the season and then wash their hands of this mess ??

The whole episode is an absolute disgrace and the failure to pay players was the final straw.
There is no way Toronto Wolfpack should be allowed back, even if they had to start again at the bottom.

It was laughable they never got central funding in the first place.

This would be like a new franchise in Perth not getting funds from the NRL. Makes the competition a mockery.

Yeah it is pretty funny that they opted not to take the funding and now they find themselves in this position.

Toronto saying that they wouldn't take any TV monies as they wanted their own deal in N. America was a definite mistake on their part.
I dont think they were precluded from a share of the Sky monies, it was more a case of them opting out, which no doubt helped their smooth passage into "our" comp.
Mind you, those were the days when they were "awash" with money.
As for the players union stepping in to look after their members interests - what took them so long ??

Players Union should be worried about players as a whole. Sure push for the RFL to pay their wages it’s only right but the Pack doesn’t deserve to survive. PSG/Crusaders went down without help from the RFL.

TW turned the central funding down thinking a NATV deal would be more lucrative and all theirs no ones fault but their own.

My point is now after pulling out the deserve nowt...

If they come back into super league we will be a bigger joke then what we allredey are if and it’s a big if they are allowed back only in the bottom league not any other

Somehow the players union is trying to make me feel sorry for the mercenaries that went over for the big bucks, after reading McDermott's cringe worthy statement burnt bridges indeed

"Mercenaries"? Give it a rest they are players who have a short career.

The players that can't get other clubs should be helped out to keep them in the game and because its the right thing to do. In the past they've been able to pay players by advancing sky money when clubs have got into bother but obviously that's not possible with the Wolfpack.

That should be the end of them competing in England.

Does anyone know how the Aussie players stuck over here are getting on? Have they been able to get back or have they been able to avoid eviction?

Quote: Maccbull_BigBullyBooaza ""Mercenaries"? Give it a rest they are players who have a short career. The players that can't get other clubs should be helped out to keep them in the game and because its the right thing to do. In the past they've been able to pay players by advancing sky money when clubs have got into bother but obviously that's not possible with the Wolfpack. That should be the end of them competing in England. Does anyone know how the Aussie players stuck over here are getting on? Have they been able to get back or have they been able to avoid eviction?'" These two didn't wait long to jump ship did they https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/toronto- ... tre-22625/ https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/ ... all-blacks And you wonder why it didn't work

Quote: Maccbull_BigBullyBooaza ""Mercenaries"? Give it a rest they are players who have a short career. The players that can't get other clubs should be helped out to keep them in the game and because its the right thing to do. In the past they've been able to pay players by advancing sky money when clubs have got into bother but obviously that's not possible with the Wolfpack. That should be the end of them competing in England. Does anyone know how the Aussie players stuck over here are getting on? Have they been able to get back or have they been able to avoid eviction?'" These two didn't wait long to jump ship did they https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/toronto- ... tre-22625/ https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/ ... all-blacks And you wonder why it didn't work

Being overpaid to play in new territory seems to be the epitome of being a "mercenary".(not that it has worked out that way) and yes SL or The RFL should certainly help out those players.
Surely, we would expect this to happen if any other club. Allowing the players to become free agents and sign for other clubs should be the minimum.
Mind you, how many players do they now have left on their books, it cant be many ?

It seems pretty poor form on the part of their very wealthy former owner. Although it may not be his legal responsibility, its not great and just seems another extremely valid reason to preclude them from competing in SL next season - even though all of the noises seem to be that they will be back in

i'm also getting fed up of seeing McDermot's open begging letters basically saying that they're really, really sorry for all the brown stuff we (he) were shovelling and for the good of the game Toronto should be allowed back in.

They knew the situation before they joined and yes, covid has caused this. But equally, covid has shown the fragility and stupidy of it.

Regardless, I'm sure they'll be let back in with 'as long as you promise never to do it again'. If they are let in, they should be given a points reduction next season. If they want to play in the league, they need to abide by the previously set rules of the league regardless of location. Giving them assistance was OK, but after this, it can only go so far.

The majority of the comments on this thread are laughable. ''Kick Toronto out'' etc etc, no opinions of any substance and stereotypical.

If this was a Uk club, this thread would sound very different.