Championship Talk: Wolfpack howling

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Wolfpack howling

SOME say Easter can shape a team’s season, and if that’s the case, Toronto Wolfpack seem to be heading in the right direction.

          Ahead of the busy Bank Holiday weekend Paul Rowley’s side had sneaked past Rochdale Hornets with a contentious late penalty, having previously drawn at Barrow and lost heavily in London.

          Questions were being asked about their promotion credentials in some quarters - but Easter provided a definitive answer.

          Away wins at arguably the two form teams in the competition in Featherstone and Toulouse have left the Wolfpack top of the pile after nine matches, and Rowley’s side are only likely to get better.

          They are playing the first half of their fixtures away from home remember, giving them a run of 10 home games in a row (their “home” fixture with Halifax will be played at London Skolars’ New River Stadium while work at their Lamport Stadium base is completed).

          It doesn’t look like their recruitment is about to end any time soon either, with Manly prop Darcy Lussick the latest name on their wanted list, although an injury crisis at the Sea Eagles may delay any switch.

          Their match in Toulouse on Easter Monday was one of the games of the Championship season so far, with both sides showing a willingness to attack from anywhere on the field and playing out a thrilling game that ended 24-22 in the Wolfpack’s favour.

          The next challenge ahead of the Canadian club is Batley away this weekend, with the Bulldogs having completed their own profitable Easter with victories over Dewsbury and Sheffield.

          The other big winners from the long weekend were Leigh Centurions, who comfortably accounted for Swinton and then saw off London Broncos four days later, continuing their improvement under caretaker coach Kieron Purtill.

          That’s four wins in a row now including a Challenge Cup triumph at Batley, and much more like the kind of form their high profile squad was expected to produce in 2018.

          This weekend they host Rochdale, while there’s a fascinating clash at the bottom between Swinton and Sheffield, who have both shown signs of improvement in recent matches.

          Elsewhere Featherstone entertain Dewsbury and London travel to Halifax, with both matches potentially having a big say on those clubs’ respective top four hopes.

          Toulouse will already have faced Barrow on Saturday looking to bounce back from their Toronto defeat.

          Respected commentator Stuart Pyke covered that game for Premier Sports on Monday, and later tweeted that the Championship has never been so strong.

          It’s difficult to disagree.