Sheffield Eagles must tame Toronto Wolfpack in maiden OLP game

Captain Matty James says the return to Sheffield this Sunday could provide the shot in the arm to get the Eagles up and running for 2018.
Matty James, Sheffield EaglesMatty James, Sheffield Eagles
Matty James, Sheffield Eagles

After starting the first month of the campaign on the road to allow extra time to bring their new home at the Olympic Legacy Park up to code, the Eagles have stuttered to four straight defeats.

With a new dawn set to start against Toronto Wolfpack this Sunday, James believes that their return to the Steel City could be the catalyst for a change of fortune, as the ex-Featherstone ace aims to make the OLP a fortress.

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“Playing at our home ground for the first time, we can build our season from that,” James told The Star.

“We have been at a disadvantage after playing the first four games away from home at the start of the season, and for one reason or another, it hasn’t gone our way.

“It has been tough, but that’s just how it has been and we’ve had to deal with that.

“Now we are looking to get a real feel-good factor around the club being back in the city.

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“The pitch is great, we can now treat it as our own venue and now we need to try and make it a fortress.”

After missing out on hosting London last week due to the weather, the Eagles have re-grouped as they look to lock horns with a Toronto side who have made an impressive start to the Betfred Championship season.

Skipper James has come out fighting ahead of the clash, stating that training has been tough this weekend as coach Mark Aston looks for a response in front of their home city, following a season playing in Wakefield.

“It will be great to see a home crowd again, and see them get right behind us, and we can now use this as a chance to start picking up some points,” James added.

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“With the results we have had, we cannot sit around moping.

“You have to get back up, get back on the horse and go again.

“We are still putting 17 men out on the field every week, we have been training hard, and training has been particularly tough this week. We know that we need to step it up a gear because we don’t want the results to carry on in the same vein on our return to Sheffield.”