Toronto Wolfpack players finally paid salaries after five-year battle

"The Wolfpack folded in 2020 during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic leaving their playing squad which included the likes of Sonny Bill Williams unemployed and without a contract. Some of those players were able to source deals for 2021 and continue playing but others retired from the sport altogether and had to take jobs outside rugby league to make ends meet."

"Since then, the squad has been attempting to reclaim six months' worth of unpaid wages from the end of 2020 without success. Toronto's former owner, David Argyle, promised monthly goodwill payments of around 1,150 until he was able to pay in full, but those settlements were ultimately breached, leaving the players unpaid once again. The Guardian revealed last year how legal proceedings had been launched by the Rugby League Players Association"

Toronto Wolfpack folded in 2020 at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving many players unemployed and without contracts. Some players secured 2021 deals and continued playing, while others retired or took jobs outside rugby league. The squad sought six months' unpaid wages from late 2020, estimated at about 1.2m, after promised goodwill payments from former owner David Argyle were breached. The Rugby League Players Association (GMB) launched legal proceedings and has now secured payments totaling around 750,000 for union-member players. League governance decisions denied Toronto access to equal TV-rights payments, contributing to the club's failure.

Read at www.theguardian.com