LAS VEGAS — You can forgive Matty Johns if he’s a little pissed off about wanting to wear a uniform at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday. Australia’s National Rugby League will begin the season with a unique overseas double-header featuring four members of the team. marquee team.
Johns, a 52-year-old media personality and television presenter, talks about the games he played professionally between 1991 and 2002, including matches between the Manly Sea Eagles, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Brisbane Broncos and Sydney Roosters. It will play a major role in introducing the Every week we educate newbies about the NRL.
“I retired 22 years ago, but I still sometimes dream at night that I’m wearing boots and socks,” Johns told The Post by phone before a trip to Las Vegas this week. “Then I finally woke up and thought, ‘Oh, Jesus, thank God I was just dreaming.'”
It’s not like Johns never misses a play. What he doesn’t miss is the years of physical strain and the toll it has taken on his body. The broadcast desk is a much safer, quieter place.
But Johns believes the physical demands will appeal to American sports fans who attend the games but don’t know much about the sport.
This flamboyant incident in a city festering with hyperactivity is historic. It will be the first time in the NRL’s 116-year history that the opening match for premiership points will be held outside Australia or New Zealand.
And Johns knows exactly what attracts people interested in the sport.
“For beginners, the first thing that strikes you is the physicality of not wearing a helmet or pads,” Johns says. “The other thing that really surprises people would be the pace of the game and the fatigue that eventually starts to show in the second half. The big guys get really tired. Most guys on the field play the full 80 minutes on offense and defense. So, as the game evolves, it becomes even more unpredictable. It may sound strange, but the more fatigued you are, the faster the match develops.”
between Newcastle Knights and Auckland Warriors
Marathon Stadium 1996. Getty Images
Regarding the move to the United States, Johns said, “I’m really excited about the players and the game.”
“It’s not just trying to teach the game to an overseas audience, but the publicity and hype that this game has generated here in Australia is fantastic,” Johns said.
Johns played nine seasons with Newcastle Knights, along with his brother Andrew.
He also played one season each for Wigan Warriors and Cronulla Sutherland Sharks.
He is currently a hugely popular rugby league media personality and commentator, broadcasting from Las Vegas for a week.
Since 2011, Johns has co-hosted Sydney’s breakfast show The Grill Team and has been part of Fox Sports NRL coverage since 2012.
Johns said when the four teams for the doubleheader were announced, he immediately thought the Rabbitohs and Roosters would play each other.
“Two of the teams going over there are arguably the biggest rivalry in Australian sport, and that’s the Rabbitohs versus the Roosters,” he said. “They border each other. Traditionally, the regions are very different. The eastern suburbs and the Bondi coast are home to the rich and affluent, while the immediate neighbors are home to the really tough working class. There’s South Sydney.
“When these two teams play, it lifts the roof of the stadium,” Johns continued. “They draw big crowds. Hatred is not created in any way, shape, form. When they send four teams (to Vegas), I don’t think they put that matchup in Vegas.” However, given the size of the crowd that would be at the match, I think (the NRL) would like to keep the match in Australia.
“There are certain games that people circle and say, ‘That’s something special.’ It’s really special when these two teams play. A few years ago, they were in the middle of a playoff game (in the U.S.). They played a similar final against each other, but the stadium was full and it caused a lot of controversy as it was a very violent match with people from within the country.The crowd was chased out right, left and centre.
“I was a kid in the ’70s – my dad played in the ’70s and ’80s – and I loved it. People were saying it was very bad for the game…but who knew? I didn’t even ask for a refund.”
It’s unlikely anyone will ask for a refund after Saturday’s game — especially given the interesting storylines involving these teams.
That includes three brothers (Tom Trbojevic, Jake and Ben, from eldest to youngest) who play in Manly’s starting XI.
Manly coach Anthony Sebold coached the Rabbitohs in 2018 and recently sparked a firestorm in preparation for Saturday’s showdown with his old team by storming into the Rabbitohs for practice in San Diego instead of Las Vegas before the game.
Manly are the only team based in Las Vegas ahead of the game, with the other three clubs holding camps in California.
“It would be great if the Bunnies came and promoted the game in Las Vegas,” Seibold told reporters at Sydney Airport before heading to the United States, with a twist about his former club. “One of the reasons we’re there 11 days early is to promote the game. The NRL wants to bring this game to Las Vegas, so we’re doing that job. All of our training sessions are open sessions, so supporters and media are welcome to attend all sessions.
“Each team has their own way of preparing, but we feel an obligation and an obligation to promote the game in Las Vegas, where the game will take place. We want to promote the game and be visible in Las Vegas. That’s what I think.”
Russell Crowe, a well-known Australian actor, has a financial interest in the Rabbitohs and is a big supporter who is very visible around the team.
Another big storyline this week is Brisbane Broncos captain Adam Reynolds. That’s because he was a long-time star for Sydney Roosters, whom the Broncos play on Saturday.
Tickets for NRL games can be purchased through Ticketmaster, with prices starting as low as $19, a far cry from last month’s lowest face value for Super Bowl tickets ($950). Lower tier seats start at $39 and go up to $189 for club seats.
According to reports, Allegiant Stadium has a capacity of 65,000 people and about 35,000 seats are sold out.
This will be the first time in the NRL’s 116-year history that the opening match for premiership points will be held outside Australia or New Zealand.
The first of the two games will begin at 9:30pm ET and will be available to watch on the Watch NRL streaming app.
The best place to find the “Watch NRL” app is to search in your favorite App Store. This is a great way for fans to find it to download/subscribe.
Ticket purchase link is NRL.com/Vegas Tickets start at $19 + tax.
