Gareth Walker's Column: March 12th

fevnut's blog is absolutely delighted to have received permission to bring you a regular column from Gareth Walker.

Gareth is a top rugby league journalist who has one very exceptional distinction. He chooses to write about matters pertaining to the Championship and League One.

Although this blog is devoted to Featherstone Rovers it is always good to read opinions about matters relevant to us, but not specifically about us. We hope you enjoy reading Gareth's column each week.

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THERE’S already been plenty said and written about Toronto Wolfpack’s inclusion in the British competition this season.

          Their entry into League One has filled plenty of column inches, dominated radio discussions and attracted television news stations, nationally and internationally.

          Much of that has been about the aspirations of the Wolfpack themselves, where they are heading and how far in the sport they can actually go.

          But what about their impact on the clubs around them in 2017?

          On Saturday they made their league bow at London Skolars - and were runaway 76-0 winners.

          Scorelines like that may well become commonplace for Paul Rowley’s side this year, such is the quality in his squad.

          But scorelines don’t tell the full story, with Saturday’s game at the New Rivers Stadium the perfect example.

          The match attracted Skolars’ highest ever attendance of 1,524, surpassing even the excellent Friday Night Lights events they have staged in recent years the night before the Challenge Cup final.

          Last season Skolars’ average was 398 - so that’s the revenue for almost four matches in one afternoon for the capital club.

          Many of those fans may well be back, with supporters seemingly relishing the historic nature of the occasion rather than focusing on the scoreboard.

          Several took to Twitter to say what a memorable day it had been.

          Skolars chairman Hector McNeil used the same platform to provide a different angle, tweeting: “They are good for the competition, ask the London Skolars boys, they want to play against quality like that.”

          Then there was the fact that the game was covered live by Premier Sports, something that will happened for every Toronto match this season, home and away.

          That gives welcome exposure not only to clubs and players, but their sponsors as well.

          There will always be people that moan in a situation like this, saying that one-sided scorelines are bad for the sport and that the Wolfpack should have been put straight into the Championship at least.

          But there would have been even more dissenters if that was the case, claiming that the Canadian newcomers had been given preferential treatment.

          And the club itself has said from day one that they would rather earn their stripes the same way as anybody else.

          The smart clubs in League One will treat Toronto home matches for what they are - a tremendous opportunity to attract new supporters and sponsors to their organisation.

          And while Rowley’s team look a formidable outfit, the fact that amateurs Siddal were in front against them inside the closing quarter of their Challenge Cup tie should act as encouragement for League One opposition for the rest of the year.