[uDon't even go there





[/u

What do you think the word "Grooming" generally means nowadays?

It doesn't mean a shhh.....and a shave anymore.

This ridiculous man Livolsi is just having a laugh.

See above. "Wolf" isn't a great word and "Grooming" is even worse. The Canadian is just is taking the proverbial. Try to avoid the trolls if you come back to me

Just read this.......

[i"Eric Perez, the founder of the Toronto Wolfpack said that aside from fielding a team in the RFL’s League 1 next year, the Aces would set up [uan academy[/u for Canadians which would produce players for other clubs as well as the new franchise.

“By approving our relocation to Ottawa the RFL has shown a firm commitment to advancing rugby league in Canada. We hope to build a sustainable legacy of winning, and some shiny silverware to TD Place Stadium.“We’re starting in 2021, we’ll be in League 1 – just like the Toronto Wolfpack started in 2017 in League 1.....

“Our goal is to one day do what they did………….”[/i

How about that last bit for a quoute



Anyway they are up to 16 imports now but I can't seem to find any news on this large RL academy he is setting up......... Anyone got any information? For the sake of factual and measured debate I think it's very important we don't lose sight of what these North American clubs promise, and compare that to what they deliver?



silent h

What one overseas club has done is form and reach Super League in a 4 yrs timescale, which wasn't achieved by many clubs formed over 100 years ago and despite being situated along the M62, and having an opportunity to play players from the heartlands AND have press and television money for many of those years.

If only you didn't suffer from selective amnesia you would easily recall certain M62 clubs promising the governing body certain things to gain a Super League licence only to enter administration a number of weeks after gaining the licence.

You would also be able to recall certain club owners failing to pay the players.

You would also recollect the clubs you have slagged-off for not having academies.

Perhaps examining how there appears to be a ceiling on attendances for certain clubs along the M62 - despite success on the field - and limited opposition - and how the standard of play can get anywhere close to the NRL should occupy your mind instead of allowing your one-eyed xenephobia to be an obsession.

I agree with most of what you say but your 4 yrs was because they had a lot more money then the other clubs in league 1 and the championship so if I had their money to buy who I want I could do the same and so could you

You might have done it in three years



They rode the rules that were changed from a salary cap of what was it? £300K for the championship to £1.Million, and then changed again after Beaumont complained to £1.8 Million, and then on top of that were marquee allowances. Still got done by London in their own backyard.........

Therein lies the problem. Investment along the m62, not enough of it.

True in the main. However, given Toronto's relative finances during a 4 year period I could take over Wigan Athletic & make them a Premiership Football Club !!!
*try doing that on a Sam Alladyce Bolton budget !!!

Well it's not at all true.

You could use the Argyle method to make professional Rugby League "work" in Mongolia.

I am sure a multi-Billionaire could build a ground in Ulan Bator, he could build a hotel to accommodate the teams, and he could spray free tickets to the local populace.....

NO hang on, he could PAY fans to attend the games.

Games in which the "Home" side are all on £1Million a match each with players travelling on a private luxury jumbo jet.

Now that may sound absurd, but it's only a souped up, more expensive model than Mr. Argyle's "Working model"...............

But let's switch to what both Perez and the RFL defined as "working", which is also Superleague's definition......

That was the production of Canadian players and the capture of paying NATV deals.......

In the end something like £30,000,000 was spent by a Billionaire who had plenty more to spend but got an invite to go to Melbourne storm. On the definition of "working" Mr. Perez himself formulated in agreement with the game here, no...Of course it did not "work".........

Which actually makes the posters assertion not true at all. Not even "In the main"..........

No kidding this time? Well you learn something new every day. How much investment is there for our game in Toulouse who should somehow knock another English club out of Superleague?

Plenty of real investment available in Newcastle yet you and many others don't seem to recognise it.

I recognize the great work that Newcastle are doing.

What you don't seem to understand is that they are a League 1 team and are years away from competing at Super league level.

That really wouldn't be a problem would it they just buy the players in, I'm sure I've seen a team do that before they would only have to make sure they pay them

Looks like LiVolsi & TW will be given further time to prepare / present their case for re-inclusion in SL.

How do you know?

Quote ="The Silent H"How do you know?'" Please see below. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/54297145

Quote ="The Silent H"How do you know?'" Please see below. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/54297145

They are no further away from playing Super League than Toronto are , especially as Toronto are 'currently' not a member of any league anywhere !

Newcastle are doing their growth more organically & have the finances & vision to succeed. I have known Mick Hogan since we were just lads at school & he is an intelligent, focused & driven chap who is driving the growth of RL in the North East. Newcastle most definitely could make Super League & within approximately 5 years or so.

As I've stated elsewhere ...

Robert Elstone has stated that TW's submission has fallen way short of SL's requirements for any possible re-entry to the competition.

Let's see what another 4 weeks brings ...

for a start off the could back pay the players

If, as has been reported this evening, the potential new owner wants exemption from relegation, it has to be adios!

Great post. Take no notice of Silent's utter nonsense.

In their first season under the guise of Gateshead Thunder they instantly came sixth in Superleague. How did TWP do in SL with three years preparation?

The limited investment money ran out for Gateshead/Newcastle that's all. The Current £Millionaire owner has the money, and lots of it, he also has the ground and the player development system.

He offers instant expansion of the professional game to magic Weekend land. [uWhy put on a magic weekend to encourage expansion to the North East then completely ignore it and let phoney NA clubs in?[/uSuperleague should be challenged on why they ignore Newcastle as it's real expansion.

Well to be fair what has happened is that his "bid" has turned out to be both disappointing and unacceptable.

So the powers that be are running a review of whether North America really does offer the game " expansion". That may indicate if Livolsi can't come up with any real plus points for Toronto coming back then he could end up helping to kill off Ottawa and new York as well who were both riding on Toronto's coat tails.

A point well made by the excellent Man Of Kent on TRL.

Any such review as to whether TWP still offer the game expansion has to take into account that they are up against a very wealthy North American Rugby Union. It's no good people like Peacock stating stuff like how good it is for Superleague to be played in Canada. He forgets the quid pro quo is Superleague is no longer played in London.

And if all three phoney clubs were in Superleague then not only would Superleague be no longer played in London, it would be no longer played in Greater Manchester/Salford or Wakefield for instance. So let's just go the whole hog Jamie and transfer all SL licences to North America

It's only reasonable to ask as the precedent was set with Catalan.

If you were about to invest significant money, wouldn't you ask?

In Catalans case the RFL were in charge of Superleague and they were parachuted straight in to SL.

Toronto have had three years to plan this, came into SL with a light squad and then paid stupid money to get SBW.

They then pulled out and have lost most of their players and 2021 signings due to the money situation.

So we give them a full UK TV rights money share, no relegation for three years and then any points deduction is in name only how then would we treat the next ‘heritage’ club that has problems ? -12, down a league and verge them on bankrupt?

This would prove my point that Rugby League is the most cock eyed sport of all.... one which if this happens I will stop supporting .... because it’s just plain CRAZY.

Oh btw do we support the black lives matter recent rioting,looting and shooting two cops in the USA ?? It’s time for this knee thing to STOP too !!!

He's not asking, he's making it a condition of investing. That's his right as it will be SL's not to accept his conditions should they choose.

I personally have no problem should Toronto continue but my opinion is that as a club 'reborn' under new owners, they should start again in a lower division.