LAST season, it was easy to be a Toronto Wolfpack fan; drinks in the sun, winning by big scores, promotion at first attempt.
Next year, it will be hard to be a Toronto Wolfpack fan.
It was already looking tough with almost half a season away from home due to significant upgrades being undertaken at Lamport Stadium.
Have a look at the team’s draw; the first ‘home’ game is on April 28 and the venue is marked as “TBA”. That’s in round 12.
Now the May 19 game against Toulouse Olympique, marked down for May 19, has been transferred to Newcastle as an historic addendum to Magic Weekend. The two overseas expansion teams will give us a seventh game for the Super League jamboree at St James’ Park.
✨CONFIRMED✨
— Toronto Wolfpack (@TOwolfpack) December 11, 2017
We will play @TOXIII at next years Magic Weekend. Full story to come...🔜#RunWithThePack pic.twitter.com/k9hF6ramDU
Fans already heading to Tyneside are stoked. The reaction elsewhere has been mixed.
“Disgusting. All the good work being ruined,” John Knox commented on the Toronto Wolfpack Fans Facebook group page.
But here’s the thing for Wolfpack fans to understand: rugby league has made a lot of concessions to you because of what you bring to the sport.
You are allowed to play all your away games and all your home games in blocks – in 2018 VERY BIG blocks.
The salary cap was made level for all divisions so you could assemble a competitive side.
The ‘Pack going to Magic is a chance for the club to do something good for English rugby league in return.
If you’ve not been, it’s one of the great rugby league occasions in the world, anywhere. Fans of all clubs converge to party in and around a famous city-centre Premier League venue and it’s a great celebration of the camaraderie of the sport’s fans.
The benefits of the Wolfpack being part of it will far outweigh the negatives of the French not travelling across the Atlantic just this once.
There is still, hopefully, a home game against Swinton at Liberty Village the previous weekend.
And if you’re a Torontonian who has never followed your team away, then this is an ideal opportunity. Magic Weekend is like Christmas for the rugby league family.
Let’s face it, being a fan is not looking up from your beer occasionally and noticing they’ve scored again. Being a fan is being angry, disconsolate, close to giving up, and at regular, healthy intervals.
If Paul Rowley can have his men in a fair position halfway through the Championship season, there may never have been a wetter sail in the history of professional sports!
The anger or disappointment you may feel at having a home game transferred 5472 kilometres away … own it, revel in it, simmer in your bubbling juices.
It’s what it means to care.
