Toronto Wolfpack
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Club information | |
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Full name | Toronto Wolfpack Rugby League Football Club |
Nickname(s) | The Pack |
Short name | Toronto |
Website | torontowolfpack.com |
Colours |
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Founded | 2016 |
Current details | |
Ground(s) |
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CEO(s) | Eric Perez |
Coach(s) | Paul Rowley |
Competition | League 1 |
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Toronto Wolfpack R.L.F.C. is a Canadian professional rugby league club, based in Toronto, which will begin play in the 2017 League 1 season.[1]
History
2014–2016: Origins and foundation
The Rugby Football League first received an application from a Canadian consortium based in Toronto, led by the Chairman of the national governing body Canada Rugby League Eric Perez, in 2014 to compete in the United Kingdom's third tier of professional rugby league.[2] Perez was denied permission to join the first-tier Super League directly, and instead attempted to build the club up to the point where it can be promoted.[3][4] A press conference was held on 27 April 2016 at which details on the franchise, which will begin play in 2017, were revealed.[5][6] The team will be the first professional rugby league team to be based in Canada.[6] A group of 10 businessmen, including Canadians and Australians, own the club.[7]
It was suggested that it was an attractive market due to Canada having the largest following of rugby league outside of Australia, France, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.[8][9] The club plans to play in blocks of four home matches, four away matches, and cover all expenses of visiting teams throughout the season.[10][11] All away games are expected to be broadcast locally according to Perez.[4]
Stadium

The team's planned home stadium is Lamport Stadium in Toronto, which seats 9,600.[6] The stadium was opened in 1975 and has an artificial field. In addition to rugby, it has also hosted soccer and lacrosse. The stadium attracts average crowds of around 7,000 for international rugby league fixtures.[12] The team signed a three-year lease.[13]
Kit sponsors and manufacturers
Year | Kit Manufacturer | Main Shirt Sponsor |
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2017– | Kappa | TBA |
Players
Current squad
Tryouts will be held in cities across North America starting in August 28, including; Vancouver, Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Kingston, Tampa and in Toronto itself.[14]
2017 Toronto Wolfpack Squad | |||||||||
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First team squad | Coaching staff | ||||||||
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Head coach Assistant coach
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Transfers
Ins
Gains | ||||||||||
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Player | Previous club | Signing announced | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | July 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | July 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | July 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | July 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | August 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | August 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | August 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | August 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | August 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | August 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | September 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | September 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | September 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | October 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | October 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | November 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | November 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | November 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | November 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | November 2016 | ||||||||
![]() | ![]() | November 2016 |
Staff
First team coaching staff
Position | Staff |
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Head coach | ![]() |
Assistant coach | ![]() |
Head of strength and conditioning | ![]() |
First team performance analyst | TBD |
Head physio | TBD |
Assistant physio | TBD |
Club masseur | TBD |
Kit man | TBD |
Club officials
Toronto Wolfpack owner | ![]() |
CEO | ![]() |
Director of rugby | ![]() |
TBA | ![]() |
Commercial director | |
Finance director | |
Legal director | |
Non-executive director |
See also
References
- ↑ Bower, Aaron (27 April 2016). "Toronto Wolfpack to enter League One next season, RFL announces". Retrieved 21 July 2016.
- ↑ name=apply>"Canadians seek to join League One in 2016 - Rugby League News, Forum & Features". 13 October 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
- ↑ "Canadian team to join English rugby league setup". ESPN. 2016-04-24. Retrieved 2016-04-26.
- 1 2 Proszenko, Adrian (2016-04-21). "Canadian team to play in UK next year as part of Super League bid". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2016-04-26.
- ↑ "TORONTO ANNOUNCED AS HOME TO WORLD'S FIRST TRANSATLANTIC PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM". Toronto Wolfpack. 2016-04-27. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
- 1 2 3 "Rugby Football League officials joined by Mayor John Tory to unveil team brand and league information". 2016-04-25. Retrieved 2016-04-25.
- ↑ "New Toronto Wolfpack rugby league team won't divulge its ownership". Winnipeg Free Press. 2016-04-28. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
- ↑ Bower, Aaron (7 May 2015). "Toronto-based rugby league team in talks to join England's League 1". Retrieved 21 July 2016.
- ↑ "Canadians confident of being competitive in League One - Rugby League News, Forum & Features". 16 October 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
- ↑ Bower, Aaron (2016-04-27). "Toronto Wolfpack to enter League One next season, RFL announces". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
- ↑ http://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/9838724/barrie-mcdermott-canadian-team-would-boost-league-one
- ↑ "Canadians seek to join League One in 2016 - Rugby League News, Forum & Features". 13 October 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
- ↑ Yuen, Jenny (2016-04-27). "Toronto to be first transatlantic team in Rugby Football League". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
- ↑ http://www.timescolonist.com/fledging-toronto-rugby-league-team-looking-for-talent-to-add-to-wolfpack-1.2300150
- ↑ http://www.sportinglife.com/rugby-league/news/article/480/10509890/toronto-sign-craig-hall-and-liam-hall-ahead-of-2017-season