Toronto : Wed Jan 23, 2019 10:46 am  

Noting that all Toronto games will be live on Sky this season, I looked on the Toronto website to check dates and KO times.
Toronto's first 11 fixtures comprise 8 away and 3 at home.
The three 'Home' games are:
- Widnes (venue and KO TBC and played in the UK)
- Batley (venue and KO TBC and played in the UK)
- Sheffield (venue and KO TBC and played in Europe).
I assume the above is to allow Toronto to get away from their Canadian winter.

The first Home game played in Toronto is against Swinton on Sunday 28 Apr KO 14.00 (Toronto time), 19.00 (UK time). They then continue to play their remaining Home games in Toronto - all of these games after the Swinton fixture are scheduled for Saturday's with KO 13.00 (Toronto time), 18.00 (UK time).

Their last home game is against Leigh on Sat 7 Sept - Toronto will have been at home for the previous month (4 consecutive home games) whilst our boys will land with the full effects of jet lag the day before they are expected to play.

Toronto will play 8 of their last 11 games at home.

What a complete joke - the fixtures continue to be arranged around the needs and wants of Toronto. Brian Noble must be laughing his socks off at how easy it is to walk all over the numpties at the RFL.

It appears that all Championship teams will lose money this season as a result of reduced home attendances with their home game against Toronto being screened live on Sky. It also looks like these live games are proceeding with the same KO time as the other Championship fixtures on the same day - potentially reducing the attendances at all the other games also. Competing KO times aren’t allowed in football where all televised home teams also receive cash from Sky. It appears that it is OK for RL run by the muppets at Red Hall.

I sincerely hope Toronto get promoted this season and await the reaction from their opposing Super League teams when they are treated similarly in 2020.

Re: Toronto : Wed Jan 23, 2019 10:53 am  

Furthermore they are not taking part in the Challenge Cup which will add to their advantage in the League

Re: Toronto : Wed Jan 23, 2019 11:33 am  

Brian Wood wrote:

Furthermore they are not taking part in the Challenge Cup which will add to their advantage in the League

...or the 1895 Cup. I think someone calculated that Widnes (for example) could potentially play about half a dozen or so more games than Toronto, this coming season.

Toronto, politically, now say they want to participate in the Challenge Cup, but the RFL has refused them, pointing out that the competition is already organised and they can't change it at this stage!

Re: Toronto : Wed Jan 23, 2019 11:46 am  

I have further reviewed the Toronto fixture list to establish in how many of their games throughout the entire season that their players are likely to be playing under the double influence of a 5 hour time change, coupled with undertaking the arduous travel arrangements.

The answer is - NONE !!!

My understanding of last season's travel arrangements was that visiting clubs were expected to stay in 3rd Rate Student Accommodation situated 35 miles from the nearest training facility. I believe our return flight on Sunday was to Glasgow, to be followed by a 212 mile coach journey back to Leigh taking at least 3 hours 30 minutes.

I also understand that Brian Noble had requested that arrangements would be changed this season with the visiting team departing for Toronto on Friday (instead of Thursday) and returning on Saturday night immediately after the game. He apparently provided some medical evidence that this would not be a problem. (No doubt saving Toronto a bit more cash from the subsidised expenses they are expected to cover.)

I haven’t heard what arrangements have been finally agreed for the coming season.

Toronto are in my view definitely having a laugh at the expense of all the other Championship clubs and getting away with it.

Why don't we just, right now, award them the Championship Final Winners title and promotion to Super League, thus saving ourselves all the hassle.

Re: Toronto : Wed Jan 23, 2019 12:44 pm  

let it go

Re: Toronto : Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:18 pm  

Why?

It is my opinion and I will express it - in fact I just did.
In my view this unsustainable stupidity cannot be allowed to continue - our great sport is becoming a laughing stock. To test the level of stupidity - try explaining these arrangements to someone who is involved in any other sport. They look at you in total disbelief.
It is well overdue that the Championship clubs (including ours) got their act together.
Is it any wonder that Super League are progressively breaking away from being managed by a bunch of clowns in a suburb of Leeds?

Re: Toronto : Wed Jan 23, 2019 5:55 pm  

PlayTheBall wrote:

Why?

It is my opinion and I will express it - in fact I just did.
In my view this unsustainable stupidity cannot be allowed to continue - our great sport is becoming a laughing stock. To test the level of stupidity - try explaining these arrangements to someone who is involved in any other sport. They look at you in total disbelief.
It is well overdue that the Championship clubs (including ours) got their act together.
Is it any wonder that Super League are progressively breaking away from being managed by a bunch of clowns in a suburb of Leeds?

I agree with you wholeheartedly. The sooner they are out of our league, one way or another, and we get back to a fair and even championship the better

Re: Toronto : Wed Jan 23, 2019 7:03 pm  

PlayTheBall wrote:

Why?

It is my opinion and I will express it - in fact I just did.
In my view this unsustainable stupidity cannot be allowed to continue - our great sport is becoming a laughing stock. To test the level of stupidity - try explaining these arrangements to someone who is involved in any other sport. They look at you in total disbelief.
It is well overdue that the Championship clubs (including ours) got their act together.
Is it any wonder that Super League are progressively breaking away from being managed by a bunch of clowns in a suburb of Leeds?

It's like an unhealthy obsession for you, I'm trying to help

Re: Toronto : Wed Jan 23, 2019 9:01 pm  

While I wish Toronto no I'll will, and even understood and somewhat supported the need last year as the reasoning was given as the stadium upgrades that they had no control over.......
This time I'm not understanding or supporting. We were told last season was a one off, well that was obviously BS. There is no reason Toronto should get this schedule this time around. Too cold to play at the start of the season is their problem. Move games to an indoor stadium or play in a different league.
Also they should be told that teams that can, should be allowed to arrive Thursday and leave Monday. That will not be many but should be done at Toronto's expense when possible for a team to do that.

Re: Toronto : Wed Jan 23, 2019 9:57 pm  

Why don't they just participate in a Canadian league?....