Toronto Wolfpack win first game

[East Coast Tiger]

The 18 trial players beat Brighouse Rangers 28-26.

That's pretty good for a group of players who haven't played together and many of whom haven't played a game of RL before. I don't know what level Brighouse play at but they'd be born and bred RL players in the middle of their season. I actually expected them to win this game comfortably.

Only five of the 18 will be offered contracts. Apparently this will be done tomorrow.

 

[Evil Homer]

I was at the match, one of the most enjoyable RL experiences for a while. Brighouse aren't a particularly good standard but as you say, they are an actual team of experienced RL players whereas the trialists were a bunch of inexperienced guys who came together on Monday. It also didn't help that they were all playing for contracts so pretty much none of their players even thought about passing the ball. I also think they had only one recognized halfback/hooker in the squad, and the conditions were a little heavy which again would've favoured Brighouse. So it was a pretty good effort to win. Around 1,000 in attendance including a lot of senior figures from various Super League/Championship clubs, it seems like plenty of people have their eye on this.

 

[morningstar]

Sounds like it was a great day. Who was your pick of the trialists?

 

[Evil Homer]

Sounds like it was a great day. Who was your pick of the trialists?

Casey Clark was the best player by far, which was expected given his credentials. Apart from him I thought the 17 year old Canadian Quinn Ngawati was probably the most impressive, and the former NFL player Corey Knox went pretty well to say it was his first experience of any type of rugby.

Like I said, the pitch was a little heavy and there was nobody really passing the ball which made it difficult for the athletic backs to stand out. The one time they passed the ball wide and created some space they cut through pretty easily and scored a good try. I would've liked to see what some of those guys could've done with a better track and a more organized team.

 

[IntRLEnthusiast]

This is developing into a great storyline for rugby league!! So many things are being done so well which has to be the case because the task is so big!

 

[East Coast Tiger]

If you look at the players they've signed already, the positions they probably need to fill are mostly three-quarters, so I suspect they expect a few of the "athletes" to fill those roles.

 

[Pommy]

I hope the tv show is going to be on here. Perhaps on the new Fox RL channel.

 

[langpark]

That's a brilliant attendance too! Great to give a small club like Brighouse a boost like that.

I think one thing that also no doubt helped the attendance, the fact that it's off-season. They have a bit of a monopoly on Rugby League at the moment. Brilliant stuff.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

That's a brilliant attendance too! Great to give a small club like Brighouse a boost like that.

I think one thing that also no doubt helped the attendance, the fact that it's off-season. They have a bit of a monopoly on Rugby League at the moment. Brilliant stuff.

It's not off-season for the amateur leagues that still play in winter

 

[langpark]

It's not off-season for the amateur leagues that still play in winter

It is off-season mate. The Pennine League play over winter still, I'm not sure anyone else does. Happy to be corrected on that though.

I'd be surprised if any more than 10% of amateur clubs still play in winter.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

It is off-season mate. The Pennine League play over winter still, I'm not sure anyone else does. Happy to be corrected on that though.

I'd be surprised if any more than 10% of amateur clubs still play in winter.

Pretty sure Brighouse play in the Pennine league don't they, or have a team in it. I don't know how many winter leagues there are left but there is some footy still on here and there if people want to see it, which we don't have, alas.

 

[Leigh Howlett]

Can't wait for Phil Rothfield to discover this story and talk it up for what it is, A good news story for once.

 

[langpark]

Did Brighouse charge an admission fee for this? It's unclear based on the posters I saw in the lead up to the match.

 

[Big Picture]

Pretty sure Brighouse play in the Pennine league don't they, or have a team in it. I don't know how many winter leagues there are left but there is some footy still on here and there if people want to see it, which we don't have, alas.

They are in the Pennine League http://www.pennineleague.co.uk/article/14962/brighouse-rangers-v-toronto-wolfpack, the second tier to be precise.

 

[deluded pom?]

It is off-season mate. The Pennine League play over winter still, I'm not sure anyone else does. Happy to be corrected on that though.

I'd be surprised if any more than 10% of amateur clubs still play in winter.

The Hull league still play in winter.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

This is extremely encouraging. I hope that the Sydney Roosters had a talent scout there. They would do well to have a North American talent in their team, because of all the Yanks who live in the eastern suburbs of Sydney..

 

[Golden point]

This could go a long way in proving the untapped talents across North America .those scouts from sl and nrl that are willing to do the legwork will reap the rewards as will the game with the world Cup coming to North America is 2025. Possibilities are endless!

 

[Sjrugby]

Wish there were highlights, simple YouTube search has nothing. Really crossing fingers the pack do very well , so the chances of an USA based team happens.

 

[Golden point]

Wish there were highlights, simple YouTube search has nothing. Really crossing fingers the pack do very well , so the chances of an USA based team happens.

The axemen would probably be an ideal candidate to step up if they had the financial backing of the wolfpack.

 

[Evil Homer]

The axemen would probably be an ideal candidate to step up if they had the financial backing of the wolfpack.

You could literally create a team anywhere from scratch if they had the same financial backing.