The Las Vegas Thread

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NRL Las Vegas Combine 2025: Nine aspiring rugby league stars chosen from North and South America
Nine aspiring rugby league players from North and South America have been selected to compete in the 2025 Vegas combine, including a Canadian rugby star who has already caught the attention of NRL clubs.

Dean Ritchie
Dean Ritchie
@BulldogRitchie
2 min read
November 29, 2024 - 5:00AM
News Sport Network

NRL: Jason Ryles continues to bolster the new-look parramatta Eels side, re-signing two young guns.
Aspiring rugby league players from America, Mexico, Canada, Jamaica and Colombia have created history by being named in the first intake of the NRL’s 2025 Las Vegas combine.

Nine players – six men and three women - were approved to compete in the combine with a further 41 male and female players to be added before the Vegas extravaganza next March.

NRL clubs have already expressed curiosity in Canadian rugby centre and combine entrant Marcus D’Acre, who stands 198 cm and weighs nearly 100 kgs.

Canadian Marcus D'Acre has already caught the eye of NRL clubs. Picture: Queen's University Athletics, Instagram
Canadian Marcus D'Acre has already caught the eye of NRL clubs. Picture: Queen's University Athletics, Instagram
Four players - two men, two women - who meet minimum standard performances will be chosen from the combine by the NRL to travel to Australia and train for up to a fortnight with an elite rugby league team.

Athletes will need to “display the potential to play in the NRL.”

The UFC will help with the vetting process by overseeing physical and strength testing at the UFC’s Las Vegas Performance Institute.

US-based talent scouts - including former NRL player David Niu and ex-US rugby 7s women’s Olympic coach Chris Brown – have been connecting prospective athletes with the NRL.


The nine athletes already chosen for the combine are:

• Jack Rampton (Jamaican men’s rugby 7’s international).

• Cody Nhanala (Canadian men’s rugby 7’s international)

• Adam Channel (USA men’s rugby 7’s international)

• Marcus D’Acre (Canadian men’s under 20s and Hong Kong 7’s international)

• Gus Sokol (American men’s professional rugby 10s player)

• Renee Gonzalez (Canadian women’s 7’s and 15’s international)

• Maria Pruijn (Mexican women’s 7’s international)

• Maria Isabel Arzuaga Gonzalez (Colombian women’s 7s international)

• Adriaan Jacques Rabe (American men’s professional rugby 10’s player)

Jack Rampton of Jamaica in the Rugby World Cup Sevens Quarter Finals match against Tonga in 2022. Picture: Getty Images
Jack Rampton of Jamaica in the Rugby World Cup Sevens Quarter Finals match against Tonga in 2022. Picture: Getty Images
All players will be evaluated for potential talent and tested in speed, agility and strength.

Players will also be tested for neck and groin strength, leaping, sprints, kicking, catching, evasions, passing and tackling.

D’Acre has impressive speed while Channel, who comes from Long Beach, Los Angeles, has represented Belmont Shores rugby before selection in the USA rugby south side.

Canadian Gonzalez competed in rugby at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Arzuaga is a Columbian now living in California who competed at the 2022 Rugby Sevens World Cup.

Canadian rugby player Renee Gonzalez. Pic: Instagram
International athletes wanting to pursue rugby league are encouraged to log their interest. Ultimately, 25 men and women will enter the combine.

This year’s combine winners were Megan Pakulis, MarCaya Bailous, Kristopher Leach and Michael Woolridge, who signed with the Roosters but never travelled to Australia due to personal reasons. Pakulis and Bailous came to Australia and competed in the women’s national championships. Pakulis eventually played for York in England.

The NRL’s second venture to Vegas will see Cronulla play Penrith and the Warriors confront Canberra at Allegiant Stadium.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Well I was legless at the fan fest on Fremont street, the 10 blue moons and couple edibles probably didn't help haha

Its gonna be a big day for sure, some of the those English fans by the 4th game are going to be warmed up for sure. Will be some loose people going up the bridge back on to the strip.

As far as pass outs, they let you go out for a smoke/vape in the area just outside the stadium. Within the security check area so there is a little space around will probably have a few stalls set up this time. So yes can leave the stadium but can't leave the precinct and go Mandalay Bay and come back.

Do you think they will hold the tail-gate event outside the stadium this year. There was a lot of excitement around its` potential last year but I think the weather may have stopped it from being held.
I haven`t heard it mentioned for the `25 event, do you think it has potential to maybe get some of the locals interested and push a few last-minute ticket sales.

 

[Wb1234]

That’s actually a fair point the nrl could raid mlr for juniors

Together with Canada that could be a good feeder system

Mlr pays peanuts even minimum wage nrl deal is a lot of money to most rugby players in USA and Canada

 

[taste2taste]

Sport
NRL
subscriber-breach-pixel
NRL Las Vegas Combine 2025: Nine aspiring rugby league stars chosen from North and South America
Nine aspiring rugby league players from North and South America have been selected to compete in the 2025 Vegas combine, including a Canadian rugby star who has already caught the attention of NRL clubs.

Dean Ritchie
Dean Ritchie
@BulldogRitchie
2 min read
November 29, 2024 - 5:00AM
News Sport Network

NRL: Jason Ryles continues to bolster the new-look parramatta Eels side, re-signing two young guns.
Aspiring rugby league players from America, Mexico, Canada, Jamaica and Colombia have created history by being named in the first intake of the NRL’s 2025 Las Vegas combine.

Nine players – six men and three women - were approved to compete in the combine with a further 41 male and female players to be added before the Vegas extravaganza next March.

NRL clubs have already expressed curiosity in Canadian rugby centre and combine entrant Marcus D’Acre, who stands 198 cm and weighs nearly 100 kgs.

Canadian Marcus D'Acre has already caught the eye of NRL clubs. Picture: Queen's University Athletics, Instagram
Canadian Marcus D'Acre has already caught the eye of NRL clubs. Picture: Queen's University Athletics, Instagram
Four players - two men, two women - who meet minimum standard performances will be chosen from the combine by the NRL to travel to Australia and train for up to a fortnight with an elite rugby league team.

Athletes will need to “display the potential to play in the NRL.”

The UFC will help with the vetting process by overseeing physical and strength testing at the UFC’s Las Vegas Performance Institute.

US-based talent scouts - including former NRL player David Niu and ex-US rugby 7s women’s Olympic coach Chris Brown – have been connecting prospective athletes with the NRL.


The nine athletes already chosen for the combine are:

• Jack Rampton (Jamaican men’s rugby 7’s international).

• Cody Nhanala (Canadian men’s rugby 7’s international)

• Adam Channel (USA men’s rugby 7’s international)

• Marcus D’Acre (Canadian men’s under 20s and Hong Kong 7’s international)

• Gus Sokol (American men’s professional rugby 10s player)

• Renee Gonzalez (Canadian women’s 7’s and 15’s international)

• Maria Pruijn (Mexican women’s 7’s international)

• Maria Isabel Arzuaga Gonzalez (Colombian women’s 7s international)

• Adriaan Jacques Rabe (American men’s professional rugby 10’s player)

Jack Rampton of Jamaica in the Rugby World Cup Sevens Quarter Finals match against Tonga in 2022. Picture: Getty Images
Jack Rampton of Jamaica in the Rugby World Cup Sevens Quarter Finals match against Tonga in 2022. Picture: Getty Images
All players will be evaluated for potential talent and tested in speed, agility and strength.

Players will also be tested for neck and groin strength, leaping, sprints, kicking, catching, evasions, passing and tackling.

D’Acre has impressive speed while Channel, who comes from Long Beach, Los Angeles, has represented Belmont Shores rugby before selection in the USA rugby south side.

Canadian Gonzalez competed in rugby at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Arzuaga is a Columbian now living in California who competed at the 2022 Rugby Sevens World Cup.

Canadian rugby player Renee Gonzalez. Pic: Instagram
International athletes wanting to pursue rugby league are encouraged to log their interest. Ultimately, 25 men and women will enter the combine.

This year’s combine winners were Megan Pakulis, MarCaya Bailous, Kristopher Leach and Michael Woolridge, who signed with the Roosters but never travelled to Australia due to personal reasons. Pakulis and Bailous came to Australia and competed in the women’s national championships. Pakulis eventually played for York in England.

The NRL’s second venture to Vegas will see Cronulla play Penrith and the Warriors confront Canberra at Allegiant Stadium.

If the NRL brings in cap exceptions for Union players, NRL clubs could pillage union 7’s

Radaradra was on track to be the games greatest ever winger, Walbrick has been one of the NRLs best wingers.

Storm and Dragons have signed 7s players this season, will be interesting to see how they go.

My understanding is 7s players get about 150k pa and spend the year living out of a suit case ( or ‘seeing the world ‘ ) it would be very easy for nrl clubs with cap exceptions to sign players.

 

[taste2taste]

Still concerned about the decision to make it an all-day festival rather than a 2 game marquee event like this year. There won't be 60,000 at any one time. Will casual American fans know which are the 'tentpole' games to watch? Or will they rock up and think whats going on..

Tend to agree with this, I reckon it will be like the pacific champion ships, slow build up, full crowd for warriors v raiders, stadium will clear out for woman’s game leaving only a small scattering for panthers v sharks.

imo the woman game should be first, F knows why they are putting it smack bang in the middle.

Hopefully the stadium will be near capacity for the game telecast on FTA in America ( warriors v raiders ) but for the game in Australia on ch9 ( Penrith v sharks ) I reckon the stadium will be nearly empty. Most ppl will be over it by the last game, there’s better things to do in Vegas’s than watch a 4th game of footy.

 

[i0Nic]

Tend to agree with this, I reckon it will be like the pacific champion ships, slow build up, full crowd for warriors v raiders, stadium will clear out for woman’s game leaving only a small scattering for panthers v sharks.

imo the woman game should be first, F knows why they are putting it smack bang in the middle.

Hopefully the stadium will be near capacity for the game telecast on FTA in America ( warriors v raiders ) but for the game in Australia on ch9 ( Penrith v sharks ) I reckon the stadium will be nearly empty. Most ppl will be over it by the last game, there’s better things to do in Vegas’s than watch a 4th game of footy.

Yes I think the same that stadium will start clearing out during the women’s game and by the time panthers and sharks is on only the 10k supporters of the two clubs will be there.

Happy to be proven wrong but I just can’t see a reality of 60,000 hanging around all day while in Vegas.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Tend to agree with this, I reckon it will be like the pacific champion ships, slow build up, full crowd for warriors v raiders, stadium will clear out for woman’s game leaving only a small scattering for panthers v sharks.

imo the woman game should be first, F knows why they are putting it smack bang in the middle.

Hopefully the stadium will be near capacity for the game telecast on FTA in America ( warriors v raiders ) but for the game in Australia on ch9 ( Penrith v sharks ) I reckon the stadium will be nearly empty. Most ppl will be over it by the last game, there’s better things to do in Vegas’s than watch a 4th game of footy.

Yes I think the same that stadium will start clearing out during the women’s game and by the time panthers and sharks is on only the 10k supporters of the two clubs will be there.

Happy to be proven wrong but I just can’t see a reality of 60,000 hanging around all day while in Vegas.

People aren`t stupid, the vast majority will know, and certainly those from League countries, which will prob be 30k plus, that the main event will be on last and will plan their day accordingly.
There`ll still be plenty there for the last game.

 

[taste2taste]

People aren`t stupid, the vast majority will know, and certainly those from League countries, which will prob be 30k plus, that the main event will be on last and will plan their day accordingly.
There`ll still be plenty there for the last game.

Why is panthers v sharks the main event ? That games holds as much appeal as the others ( minus the woman’s game, which will be a 60+ win to the jillaroos )

I can’t see people hanging around the for the last 2 games, Saturday night in Vegas is a once in a lifetime thing, the only people left for the last game will be the rusted on sharks and panthers fans, everyone else will be partying on in the strip.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Why is panthers v sharks the main event ? That games holds as much appeal as the others ( minus the woman’s game, which will be a 60+ win to the jillaroos )

I can’t see people hanging around the for the last 2 games, Saturday night in Vegas is a once in a lifetime thing, the only people left for the last game will be the rusted on sharks and panthers fans, everyone else will be partying on in the strip.

Ye of little faith. Sharks and Panthers are the main course because that should be the best game by far, both exciting attacking teams, one four-time premiers`. I`m sure any neutral or new League fan would be intrigued by that alone.
There will be plenty of time for celebrating on the town after the main game. I suspect it will be the earlier games that will have the by far smaller crowds.

 

[Matt_CBY]

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-las-vegas-combine-2025-nine-aspiring-rugby-league-stars-chosen-from-north-and-south-america/news-story/3a249529d337e1afa515d9bf736811b1

Very interesting

 

[Matt_CBY]

Why is panthers v sharks the main event ? That games holds as much appeal as the others ( minus the woman’s game, which will be a 60+ win to the jillaroos )

I can’t see people hanging around the for the last 2 games, Saturday night in Vegas is a once in a lifetime thing, the only people left for the last game will be the rusted on sharks and panthers fans, everyone else will be partying on in the strip.

What a poor life if that is true.

 

[Wb1234]

Why is panthers v sharks the main event ? That games holds as much appeal as the others ( minus the woman’s game, which will be a 60+ win to the jillaroos )

I can’t see people hanging around the for the last 2 games, Saturday night in Vegas is a once in a lifetime thing, the only people left for the last game will be the rusted on sharks and panthers fans, everyone else will be partying on in the strip.

Tv

English game for English tv
Nz game for nz tv
Penrith game for aus tv

Also can’t remember which game is on prime time in the la / Vegas market and is on the main Fox channel

 

[Éamonn an Chnoic]

Tend to agree with this, I reckon it will be like the pacific champion ships, slow build up, full crowd for warriors v raiders, stadium will clear out for woman’s game leaving only a small scattering for panthers v sharks.

imo the woman game should be first, F knows why they are putting it smack bang in the middle.

Hopefully the stadium will be near capacity for the game telecast on FTA in America ( warriors v raiders ) but for the game in Australia on ch9 ( Penrith v sharks ) I reckon the stadium will be nearly empty. Most ppl will be over it by the last game, there’s better things to do in Vegas’s than watch a 4th game of footy.

the SL game first makes sense, it will be 8.30pm is in England at the time.

I wonder if putting the Canberra/NZ game on early is to have a genuine crack at pulling a decent US audience. 4pm Sunday would be prime time for sport