By Canadian Press

Adam Sidlow a near-constant in the trenches for the Toronto Wolfpack

Mar 22, 2019 | 6:00 AM

Adam Sidlow has been a near-constant for the Toronto Wolfpack since the transatlantic rugby league team first took the field in 2017.

But the big forward suffered a minor hamstring tear during Toronto’s March 3 win at Dewsbury. He travelled to Toulouse the next week, hoping he could still play but wasn’t ready and had to watch from the sidelines.

That ended a run of consecutive appearances at 50 or 51. Sidlow isn’t quite sure which.

“Just the one game,” he said. “Unfortunately my streak came to an end which I was a bit gutted about it. But sometimes these things happen.”

Sidlow’s streak began in 2017, a season that was also interrupted by a minor hamstring injury.  

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Toronto was thumped 46-16 in Toulouse but, with Sidlow back in the lineup, recovered to beat the Batley Bulldogs 34-12 last weekend.

Sidlow will ready for duty again Sunday when the Wolfpack visit Halifax RLFC.

Toronto (6-1-0) went into weekend play atop the second-tier Betfred Championship. Halifax (4-3-0) stood seventh in the 14-team table.

At six foot 4 1/2 and 247 pounds, the chiselled Sidlow is hard to corral with ball in hand. Because of that he has a dangerous offload, often able to get a hand free and pass to a teammate to keep the attack alive. On defence, he hits like a hammer.

Toronto has used Sidlow both as a starter and impact forward off the interchange bench.

“As long as I’m playing, I’m not really bothered,” he said.

Sidlow joined the Wolfpack in January 2017 and has no regrets, other than the time spent away from his wife and three children (two boys aged four and nine and a girl aged seven).

The family, which makes its home in Wigan some 30 kilometres northeast of Liverpool, has joined him in Toronto during longer stays.

“I’m a big family man and I miss them,” he said. “But it’s a brilliant job. A lot of people have to work away (from home). If I’ve got to do that to bring money in for my family, I’m more than willing to do that.”

Sidlow admits he was surprised he got the green light from his wife to join Toronto.

“She said ‘You’ll regret it if you don’t jump at it with two hands and take that opportunity,’” he recalled. “So I’ve got a big thank you to say to her for that really. It’s one of the best things I’ve done.”  

Sunday’s game at MBi Shay Stadium promises to be a reunion with former Wolfpack players Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e and Dan Fleming now wearing Halifax colours.

Laulu-Togaga’e, a New Zealand-born Samoa international better known as QLT, scored 22 tries for Toronto and is just two away for 200 for his career. 

Forward Ashton Sims is healthy again but the Wolfpack will still be without the injured Bob Beswick, Joe Mellor, Liam Kay and Greg Worthington.

Toronto has won all three previous meetings with Halifax: 20-6, 42-10 and 14-0, all in 2018.

In other news, forward Jake Emmitt has left the Wolfpack to rejoin his former club Leigh Centurions.

Emmitt made 51 appearances for Toronto, including its first game in 2017 against Siddal in the Challenge Cup, and played in last October’s 4-2 loss to London Broncos in the Million Pound Game.

A Toronto club spokesman said Emmitt, whose deal with the Wolfpack was due to expire at the end of the season, wanted to be playing every week in a contract year.

“Jake has been a great servant for the Wolfpack both on and off the field and in recognition of his efforts for the club, we came to an agreement where he moves on from the club with our very best wishes,” the spokesman said.

It’s the third go-round at Leigh for the 30-year-old Wales international.

“It feels like I’m coming home,” Emmitt told the Leigh website.

As for his time in Toronto, Emmitt said: “It was a totally different experience and really good for me. It made me grow up and I’ve no regrets.”

Rugby will become a part-time affair for Emmitt as he plans to further his training as a welder and become a steel erector.

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press