Toronto Wolfpack boss Brian McDermott reveals angry fan tried to FIGHT him
BRIAN McDermott has told how a fan irate at Toronto reaching Super League tried to FIGHT him.
That is 6ft plus former Royal Marine boxing champion Brian McDermott – on the other side of the Atlantic!
But the Wolfpack boss believes that is a symptom of the ‘luddite mentality’ that is holding rugby league back – and many are bowing to.
McDermott should have been celebrating when Toronto beat Featherstone 24-6 to finally reach the top flight.
However, listen to many and that is a bad thing – change is not good – and the ex-Leeds chief revealed how one Rovers supporter took things to the extreme.
He said: “A Featherstone supporter who was in the beer garden after the game challenged me on what I said that Featherstone shouldn’t be promoted to Super League as they were the fifth best team in the Championship.
“He couldn’t understand – I recognise Featherstone were a brilliant story but take the emotion out of it, do you want the fifth best team in the Championship playing in Super League?
“Would that be good for the game? It wouldn’t be but the guy wanted to fight me. He got his fists ready and wanted to fight me.
“He started to say the ground was no good and that we’d go bust. You could see some anger and animosity. I found that shocking.
“I know people don’t like me or Toronto but there’s too many people, supporters, in the game that don’t want to see progression.
“I’m astonished at the amount of people who can’t see why it would be good for the game. Unfortunately, it’s the luddite mentality.
“I was really disappointed and disheartened to see Steve Price delivering the Challenge Cup to the Warrington fans and in their first play-off game the crowd was right down.
“I can’t get why. What more do Warrington need to do to get 10,000 every single week? They’re a vibrant team and innovative but to repay that and not turn up with a luddite mentality of, ‘It’s not included in our season tickets, so we’re going to stay at home and sulk.’ I don’t get it.
“Apply that Toronto and if your conclusion is, ‘I don’t want you in because I don’t like change,’ there’s no discussion to have.”
Now they are in Super League, McDermott has the task of getting players in to make sure Toronto can compete.
Sonny Bill Williams has been approached but SunSport understands insiders are doubtful the dual-code superstar will cross codes again because of the lure of Japanese RU.
Former Wasps man Christian Wade, who has tried his luck in the NFL, has also been mentioned while up to nine of Canada’s RU World Cup squad are on a target list.
But McDermott believes evolution rather than revolution is the way forward.
He added: “It’s not a lengthy wish list. We won 27 of 28 Championship games, that’s not to be sniffed at.
“We need to recruit about four players – an outside back, a half or hooker, a front rower and a second rower.”