Brian McDermott open to using Rochdale players on dual-registration

Drew Darbyshire 12 Feb 2020 11:40 AM

Toronto coach Brian McDermott is open to calling on players from dual-registration partners Rochdale this season.

The Wolfpack have entered a dual-registration agreement with the Hornets that allows movement of players between the two clubs.

Toronto have only got 23 players in their squad this year but are down to 18 players at the moment. Chase Stanley is still in Australia awaiting the arrival of his visa, Greg Worthington is on loan to Featherstone, Darcy Lussick and Joe Mellor are injured and Sonny Bill Williams has flown back to New Zealand for the birth of his fourth child.

McDermott said: “For sure there’s a possibility there, if we’ve got cap space, that’s the whole point about it.

“There’s a load of decent athletes in League 1, there’s all sorts of opportunities there.”

The Canadian club are spending up to the salary cap – but McDermott has called for a salary cap dispensation for the Wolfpack so they can recruit a few extra bodies.

He added: “I’ve made a lot about the size of our squad and asking for a pragmatic approach about the rules that are applied to our club.

“I’m not asking for any favours or leniency, just for operational rules that apply to our club which is based in Canada to be looked at.

“That’s me fighting our club’s corner and trying to get the best for our club.

“When I put my coach’s hat on, 23 men sounds skinny but operationally, I think most teams only have a 23-man squad that they can rely on week in, week out anyway.”