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A millionaire Australian businessman is "ready to upset" the National Rugby League landscape by "offering rugby league stars a surprise new home -- Toronto, Canada," according to Nick Walshaw of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. West Australian mining investor David Argyle -- the majority owner of new club Toronto Wolfpack -- "is seeking NRL players as part of an audacious plan to make it into the English Super League." Based out of North America, Argyle has already spent an estimated A$2M ($1.5M) "readying his fledgling club" for its '17 debut in the English third-tier league. The multi-millionaire is "also sending his new head of rugby, former Great Britain coach Brian Noble, to Australia this week for a series of business meetings and promotional opportunities." And while Argyle’s foray into the Aussie player market is at least one year away, he has "already ensured an NRL flavour at Toronto" by signing former Parramatta Eels player Fuifui Moimoi for '17. The mining investor, who works for Forbes & Manhattan, is "understood to be the key financial backer." Another nine businessmen, including Canadian entrepreneur Eric Perez, "also boast a smaller stake" (
DAILY TELEGRAPH, 11/20).
