IN this digital world, sometimes everything seems like white noise.
That’s why we lose ourselves in specialist interests more than ever - to give us a focus. But even within those interests, there are competing narratives.
For We Got Issues, all roads lead to the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Sunday. And to travel these roads, you can’t use just any car. No, you need a Delorean car, like the one from Back To The Future.
Because on Sunday we’re all, I believe, getting a glimpse of 2019. Toronto have only lost one Championship game all season and must be favourites to go up to Super League.
🺠Two packs. One winner. ðŸº
— Warrington Wolves (@wolvesrl) May 10, 2018
ðŸŽŸï¸ Buy your tickets now for Sunday's @TheChallengeCup clash against @TOwolfpack âž¡ï¸ https://t.co/HvDYdjUU1G pic.twitter.com/JjNL4rY8mX
The idea of a trans-Atlantic team in the top flight has raised many question. On Sunday at Warrington, we might begin to get some answers.
How many people will show up? The Toronto Wolfpack have been downright weird enough to attract many curious ‘heartland’ fans in their 18 months of existence so far, starting way back in December at Brighouse when the made a pre-season friendly debut.
For a warm-up against Hull at KC Stadium, the small number of Wolfpack jerseys available flew off the shelves.
Will the novelty fade, or be redoubled by the idea of them being in Super League?
10 laps around a cone then a drop goal! Sounds simple yeah?
— The Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) May 11, 2018
The @TOWolfpack boys had a go 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/OnvdqIlw7v
From a playing point of view, there’s been a huge turnover of talent since their League One-winning debut season and there’ll be another turnover next year.
But you can probably identify the younger Wolfpack players who will still be there next year when you look at the team-sheet on Sunday; those and the bigger names who have definitely been signed with Super League in mind.
How will they perform against a team already in the elite league?
Head Coach Paul Rowley's thoughts on heading to Warrington this Sunday for Round 6 of @TheChallengeCup ðŸ‰ðŸº pic.twitter.com/1ZeGHsypzW
— Toronto Wolfpack (@TOwolfpack) May 12, 2018
How does coach Paul Rowley’s tactics and structures stack up against those of NRL hard head Steve Price? Warrington are enjoying a purple patch under the former St George Illawarra boss and are overwhelming favourites this week.
And when/if the Wolfpack do score, what will we hear? Silence? Polite applause? Cheering?
The club’s owners have worked hard to engage Canadians in the UK - you can get in for free with a Canuck passport on Sunday. How successful they are this week will be an indication of how successful they might hope to be next year.
Of course we can salivate at such exotic future fixtures as New York v Old York…but for the time being, this must go close to being the most intriguing match up of the season so far for the sport as a whole.
