Wit and wisdom from the White Dog
Stilts, Superman, Sir Richard. Just some of the nicknames Richard Whiting has collected along his long rugby league road.
Now the English Super League veteran, famous for having played every position in the sport, is bringing his experience to the Toronto Wolfpack.
Whiting, 32, is a rugby league icon back at Hull FC where he spent 12 seasons.
“The fans loved him back in Hull,” said Wolfpack captain Craig Hall, who played with Whiting at Hull. “He was Mr. Versatile. He played everywhere on the pitch for them. Times we went through bad injuries, he popped up at fullback, wing, centre, back row. He started off at halfback.
“He did a lot for the club and fans appreciate that.”
Whiting, who has three international caps for England, scored 78 tries in more than 250 appearances for Hull FC.
“He ticks all the boxes really. We’re lucky to have him,” Toronto coach Paul Rowley said. “In a season where we want to win hearts and minds of the public, then Richie will certainly help us do that.”
A lanky six-foot-four and 222 pounds, Whiting extends like a deck chair when he gets off the turf. And he is a hard man to bring down.
Whiting will have his eyes on Hunslet RLFC on Saturday. League-leading Toronto (11-0-0) hosts ninthplace Hunslet (5-6-0) at Lamport Stadium.
Toronto, a fully professional side, has made short work of its semi-pro opposition in the third tier of English rugby league this season as rugby’s first transatlantic team looks to win promotion.
The Wolfpack welcome back forward James Laithwaite, who fractured a bone in his neck in the April 23 Ladbrokes Challenge Cup loss to Salford. Forward Jack Bussey returned two games ago after thyroid cancer surgery. “It doesn’t get much more spectacular than that,” said Rowley.
The injury list still includes Rhys Jacks and Blake Wallace. Winger Liam Kay could return from an ankle injury.
Whiting has had his own injury nightmares. He suffered a double break of the leg in 2008 after returning from a lengthy absence due to an arm injury.
He began his career as a teenager in 2003 with his hometown Featherstone Rovers, earning Young Player of the Year honours in League 1 — and the nickname Stilts — before moving to Hull FC.
“I loved my time there. I just wish I could have left on a little bit better terms,” he said of Hull.
Whiting was told he couldn’t be guaranteed playing time. So he joined Leigh Centurions on loan last year before taking a leap of faith and joining the Wolfpack.
On the field, he sees his past versatility as both a curse and a blessing.
“There’s sometimes where it can get you in the matchday squad because you can cover other positions. And sometimes it can be curse because it can keep you out of a starting spot because you can cover so many positions off the bench.”
He spent most of his career at centre or second-row forward.
While he is not the oldest member of the Wolfpack, Whiting gets plenty of stick for his age. You can add White Dog to his list of nicknames.
While in Toronto, the Wolfpack have several vans to shuttle players to practice. The one that Whiting uses has been dubbed the Hearse.
At 37, Fuifui Moimoi is five years older. But Whiting says the Tonganborn forward escapes the jokes he routinely gets.
“He might be the oldest in the team but he acts like the youngest,” said Whiting. “I get a lot of stick because I probably act like one of the more mature players. I don’t do as much messing around as some of the boys. So that’s probably why I get hammered about being old all the time.
“Plus I’m going bald, which doesn’t help.”