Paper Talk: Clubs who voted against Toronto, Ward’s career worry & Ellis fearful for RL future

We’ve had a flick through the Monday morning papers.

Toronto have reached 1.7m “fans” says McDermott

Brian McDermott says Toronto Wolfpack have reached 1.7m fans in their short existence, in an interview on Sky Sports and repeated in a number of papers over the weekend. The coach said: “Rugby league works in Toronto… there’s a big piece of evidence to back it up that in a population of 6.1 million people who live in and around Toronto, 1.7 million have filled a form out to say they are avid Wolfpack fans. That’s 1.7 million made aware of Super League.”

Three clubs and Elstone against Wolfpack

Robert Elstone was among those who was against Toronto being allowed back into Super League at Friday’s board meeting, according to League Express. Castleford, Huddersfield and Wakefield are reported to have given the Wolfpack a definitive ‘no’ on Friday, but with no majority, Toronto were afforded another month to enhance their application for further review.

Ward could be forced to pause career

Leeds captain Stevie Ward has been ruled out for the rest of the 2020 season after suffering a concussion in February. He told the Daily Star that the migraines and dizziness as a result of the incident in the very first game of the season are preventing him from training properly. “I am probably going to have to put a pause on my rugby career,” he said.

Ellis worried about rugby league

Veteran forward Gareth Ellis says he is genuinely worried about the future of rugby league, writing in his column in the Yorkshire Post. The Hull man said: “It just looks very ominous in terms of getting fans back into stadiums and I just don’t know how that will work. I’m not privy to the figures but, on the face of it, looking in like everyone else, if money’s not coming in and we’re still getting paid, that money going out does not last forever. If it’s not coming in then where do we go from here?”

Sims to follow in brother’s footsteps?

Hull KR are considering a move for forward Korbin Sims, reports League Express. The younger brother of former Warrington forward Ashton Sims has been offered to Super League clubs, as St George-Illawarra Dragons look to free up salary cap space.

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