Rowley: We’re ready to put in the hard yards

Toronto head coach Paul Rowley says his team will be rusty when the new League 1 season kicks off next month.

The Wolfpack will make their Challenge Cup debut this weekend, taking on Siddal this weekend.

Toronto’s first-team have only played one competition match – a pre-season friendly against Hull FC. Rowley admitted it isn’t ideal.

“We’re underprepared,” he told Love Rugby League.

“It is what it is and you would hope the first match and the first two league fixtures would get us up to speed.

“Of course we’ll be rusty and we won’t be as fluent as perhaps we should be but we’ll give it our best shot to be as good as possible.”

Rowley said it will be nice to get into a weekly run of matches, starting with Siddal.

“We’re just looking forward to getting into the grind,” he said.

“It’s been a long pre-season so it’s nice to have something at the end of the week to look forward to.”

Siddal may be a few divisions below his team but Rowley insists their squad is full of experienced players who can cause problems.

“You look through the playing roster they all start with ex,” he said.

“Ex-Halifax, Ex-Hunslet, Ex-Dewsbury so we expect a really tough challenge and we’ll pay them full respect.”

“They’ll be no complacency because the staff won’t be complacent in our preparation and we’ll ensure that’s passed down to the players.”

Rowley added he was hugely honoured to be leading the Wolfpack in a respected competition like the Challenge Cup.

“It’s another level of realism I suppose being involved with the heritage of the game,” he said.

“Something so new in Toronto and taking part in something as historical and proud as the Challenge Cup so we’re humbled and privileged and we want to put our best foot forward.”