Page 19 - Rugby League World (February 2020)

PHOTOGRAPHY: SWPix; ARCHIVE SUPER LEAGUE

“If I’m going to be a part of the team that started If we can tap into the potential,
in League 1 and goes all the way to Super League and
maybe wins something, or comes close to winning
something, that would be a massive achievement,” we’ll be showing the world that
Kay said. “With the club only being three years old, I
think it would be a massive achievement for the club Rugby League is a sport to be taken
as well, and I think it would pave the way for more
expansion teams to follow suit and join us.” seriously. I think that the way forward for
Second-row forward Andrew Dixon, another
original squad member, also takes great pride in
helping take the club from where it was at the start to Rugby League is in North America. ”
where it is now.
“To start something off is something I’ve never done
before,” Dixon said. “I’ve always played for clubs that London and Melbourne Storm in the NRL, being able
have been around for a long time, and my heritage to produce talent at the highest level takes time.
numbers have been in the thousands. To start it off is "I started playing when I was nine," said Dixon. "If a
really special and is something I’ll remember for the kid who was nine picked up the game of rugby because
rest of my career. he saw the first Wolfpack game, he’ll only be 12 now.
"Teams in Super League pretty much perform each These kids need to be playing the game for 10 years
and every week because they all have good players. It’ll before you start seeing kids coming through."
be a challenge, a good challenge really, but I can’t wait Dixon, Kay and Wallace all speak about how special
to get my teeth into it." it is to hear kids tell them after games that they've
Since day one, the Wolfpack have had a lot of joined an amateur club, or that a new club has formed.
doubters, and social media is littered with negativity "To see kids get that same sort of buzz that I had as a
surrounding the club, but that's not something that kid is great," added Wallace. "I want to see the game grow,
bothers the players. and the more kids playing Rugby League the better."
"There’s so many positives, but yet everyone wants Rugby League didn't really exist in Toronto before
to point out the negatives," said Wallace. "If [they] the Wolfpack started up, but the sport has grown
change [their] mindset and have an open mind, massively in the short time it's been around, as shown
[they'll] see that what we’re trying to do is a good thing. by the nearly 10,000 people that packed Lamport
"You can’t please everyone, and there’s always going Stadium for the Championship Grand Final.
to be someone who’s not too keen on the idea." "I don’t even think the club has reached its
One of the biggest points of contention is that the
O e o t e b ggest po ts o co te t o s t at t maximum potential, I don’t even think we’re even
a
ad
s
s
a
e
Ca
y
t
quad,
we ca tap
quad,
e
e
t
s
s
a
Wolfpack don't have any Canadians in their squad, but
t
v
do
Wolfpack don't have any Canadians in their squad, but 50% there," said Kay. "If we can tap into the potential a50% t e e, sa d Kay. w to t e pote t
as
bee
as
of the Maple Leafs and Raptors and how many fans
aptors and how many fans
as has beenn the case with other expp
as has been the case with other expansion clubs like e pansion clubs likepa of the Maple Leafs and Ra
as
c
ot
e
w
t
e
t
e
e
they get, we’ll be showing the world that Rugby
they get, we’ll be showing g the world that Rugby
a sport to be taken seriously,
League is a
League is a sport to be taken seriously,
ink that’ll open up the door
and I think that’ll open up the door
and I thi
e North American teams.
to more North American teams.
to more
I think k that the way forward
I think that the way forward
ugby League is in North
for Rugby League is in North
for Ru
rica."
America."
Amer
The Wolfpack's history has been
he Wolfpack's history has been
Th
a rollercoaster thus far, and there's
a rol llercoaster thus far, and there's
er a dull moment in Toronto.
never a dull moment in Toronto.
neve
That's set to continue in 2020 as
That's s set to continue in 2020 as
hey look to make an immediate
they look to make an immediate
th
impact in Super League.
impact in Super League. RLW
THE WOLFPACK ORIGINALS: LEFT TO RIGHT: BLAKE WALLACE, GREG WORTHINGTON, LIAM KAY, ANDREW DIXON, GARY WHEELER AND ADAM SIDLOW
JOURNEY