NRL Las Vegas: A Rugby League Royal Flush

NRL Las Vegas: A Rugby League Royal Flush

Oscar Pannifex

Rugby league is back, but not like we’ve ever seen it before.

The affectionately crowned ‘Saint PVL’ has taken the greatest game of all to Las Vegas, USA to kick off the 2024 NRL regular season and the stakes have never been higher for the Sea Eagles, Rabbitohs, Roosters and Broncos respectively.

Despite playing in the entertainment capital of the world, expectations for a fast, free-flowing brand of attacking football need to be cooled. We want to best advertise our game to a new audience but it’s worth remembering that the field will be narrower, the conditions will be unfamiliar and some clubs will be trialing combinations for the first time.

With our new American fans in mind though, there are a few things we can hope to see in NRL Round 1 on Sunday afternoon. And so in keeping with the Las Vegas theme, I’ve come up with my very own Rugby League Royal Flush to look out for this weekend… Check!

1. Big collisions

No matter what grade of rugby league you’ve played or what level of interest with which you follow the game, we’re all fans of the big collisions.

It’s one of the NRL’s key selling points in this American venture; ‘no pads, no helmets, no time outs’ etc etc. The combination of fatigue and high speed efforts make for a physically brutal sport and it’s no surprise to see some of the NRL’s biggest hitters on tour in Vegas this weekend; Spencer Leniu, Victor Radley, Jai Arrow, Haumole Olakau’atu, Jake Trbojevic, Pat Carrigan, Payne Haas… we aren’t going to be short of any bone rattlers in this one.

The smaller fields on Sunday lend themselves to a forwards battle and we can expect a grind through the middle in both games. It won’t surprise to see teams adopt a bash-and-crash approach in good-ball either.

2. Reece Walsh on the ball

One of the NRL’s best draw cards in this Las Vegas venture is the excitement machine that is Reece Walsh.

His performance in Week 1 of the NRL Pre-Season trials suggests Walsh will bring more of the same in season 2024; his killer support play, an improving kicking game and perhaps the greatest quality to complement his ballplaying; the memory of a goldfish.

 

These highlights came after Walsh gifted Semi Valemei an early intercept try in this game. The kid doesn’t have a shell to go into and seems to thrive under pressure. He’ll keep throwing that pass if it’s on and that confidence is what makes Walsh such an elite attacking player.

His combination with Adam Reynolds was a focus to kick off season 2023 but I’m looking at Brisbane’s left edge this year. Ezra Mam, Brendan Piakura and Selwyn Cobbo are a frightening attacking trio to consider, particularly with Walsh sweeping out the back. We mightn’t see the best of this quartet on Sunday, but we can get an idea of how they might try to attack down that edge in 2024.

If there’s a highlight moment for the Yanks to celebrate on Sunday, I’m tipping Walsh to be involved in it somewhere.

3. A healthy Tom Trbojevic

I can’t mention highlights without touching on the walking highlight reel himself.

‘A fit and firing Tom Trbojevic’ would have been at the top of a few Christmas wishlists this summer and while we didn’t see him in the trials, all the reports coming out of Manly are positive. Recency bias suggests we might have forgotten just how good ‘Tommy Turbo’ really is, but I’m tipping him to remind us on Sunday.

That being said, he isn’t the be-all-and-end-all of this Manly attack anymore.

Haumole Olakau’atu and Tolutau Koula are warming nicely into their NRL careers on the right edge and I love the addition of Luke Brooks on the left. He’s a genuine running threat who can straighten the attack nicely down that side of the field and create space for Trbojevic out the back.

Too much of Manly’s attack in recent years has come through Daly Cherry-Evans or Jake Trbojevic as they looked to combine with their fullback. The addition of Brooks, a fit Josh Schuster and even young Gordon Chan Kum Tong around the ruck however can give the Sea Eagles some different looks in attack.

With genuine ballplayers across the park this year we might see a more balanced approach from the Sea Eagles in 2024. And although he doesn’t need to do it all himself, keeping Tom Trbojevic on that park is still key to their success.

4. Outside backs running riot

If we’re drawing comparisons between American and Australian sports, then NFL running backs could be likened to our outside backs in the NRL.

As the game has taken steps towards a more exciting, entertaining product over the last few years, it’s the athletic, powerful outside backs who have benefited most. The unique blend of speed, strength and skill is what makes the best attacking players in our game so good and there is no shortage of superstars on display for the American audience to appreciate on Sunday afternoon.

Selwyn Cobbo’s move to the centres will be under the microscope for some rugby league nerds (g’day) but on face value it’s a nice fit. He moves superbly well for a big unit and has the hands to become a reliable link man to his winger. I thought Corey Oates might enjoy a career revival playing outside Cobbo in attack this year, but it’s Dene Mariner who gets first crack at the left wing position on Sunday.

Tolutau Koula is another who can kick on from a compelling 2023 campaign. Few move across the ground as smoothly as the Manly centre and he’ll only get better with Tom Trbojevic feeding him ball from the inside and Haumole Olakau’atu causing havoc up front.

 

The list goes on – Latrell Mitchell, Joseph Manu, Kotoni Staggs, James Tedesco – and it’s no coincidence that some of the NRL’s most exciting attacking players will suit up at Allegiant Stadium this weekend.

5. Aerial acrobatics

The crowning action in this Rugby League Royal Flush is an NRL classic; the diving finish in the corner.

Judging by the promo videos in the lead up it’s certainly something the American fans will be expecting and there are a few aerial experts to choose from this weekend.

Unfortunately we won’t see Dom Young take the field on Sunday but in Joseph Sua’ali’i, Daniel Tupou, Jason Saab and Alex Johnston we’ll see some of the best finishers in the NRL to kick off the 2024 regular season.

Given the smaller fields, don’t be surprised to see a few wingers barrelled into touch early on.

Kicking over the top might prove a better option, however…

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What are you hoping to see from the four NRL clubs on tour in Las Vegas this weekend? Let us know in the comments! Written by Oscar Pannifex | rugbyleaguewriters.com