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Why is the NRL on starting off their season in an American desert? Well, the NRL, like other leagues, particularly in North America, are looking to expand their games into new markets. You may recall that a few years back the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks began their Major League baseball season at the SCG. The National Football League routinely play games in London, Germany and Mexico. The National Basketball Association bounces around Europe and Asia and even the National Hockey League skate abroad from time to time. This is all about chasing extra revenue around the globe, which is the cynical view. It also happens to be a lot of fun to watch games that count taking place in odd places. Or in this case, two different days (sort of). No complaints!
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So the NRL’s big US adventure lands them on the very same hallowed grounds where Kansas City’s Travis Kelce kissed his singer girlfriend after the NFL’s Super Bowl a few weeks ago. Yes, this is big time stuff, even if some Americans at Allegiant Stadium will have little to no idea what’s going on between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. That includes me, and I don’t even know what a Rabbitoh is, though I’m guessing it’s some kind of bunny.
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Full disclosure: I am an American. My total NRL exposure includes about five minutes of watching Castleford on UK television back in 1995. Someone in England once told me that rugby union is the posh fancy sport and that rugby league is more lunchpail. I also know that rugby folks in general drink a lot and are completely crazy, or at at least they were at my upstate New York university where I was totally scared of them. But I digress…
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So this will be a learning experience for sure. I’m looking forward to trying to figure out this sport, live, on the fly. I really have no idea how this will go but let’s see what happens!
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I do know that kickoff, (is that what you call it?) is happening soon, so get your Foster’s and your Marmite or whatever the hell you eat and drink down there (shrimp?) and get ready for some Rugby League Football! Oh, and if you want to join the blog, and help me out with some instruction, please feel free to X at me here. Or you can email me here. Join the show, I’ll make you famous!
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The NRL is in Vegas, which is weird, so it seems like this is as good an opportunity to do things a little different. Manly take on Souths first up at Allegiant Stadium before the Broncos and Roosters square off in the second part of a double-header that aims to bring the game of rugby league to the masses in the US (while coining in loads of gambling cash, obviously). And we thought it was a good idea to force an NFL writer to watch the opening game and give his take on the joys of rugby league, a sport that remains a mystery to so many Stateside. Expect a mix of wonderment, awe, confusion and horror as 26 massive blokes steam into each other in a game of football “but maybe not as you know it”.
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David will be with you shortly, before Jonathan, on much more familiar ground, takes over for the second game. In the meantime, here’s Russell Crowe to help first-timers understand what is about to take place:
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important events
The Rabbitohs are on the field and the Sea Eagles are running out of steam…
The NRL is not yet on American screens…
Well, there’s just under six minutes left in regulation for this college basketball game – in case you needed to know, Georgetown is leading by four points. But in Las Vegas, there’s no way the game would be over by kickoff. The possibility is zero. Will Fox Sports bring basketball? Or will they be denied live NRL! It only takes a few minutes.
Desert wind!
The wind is howling on the streets of Sin City, and the crowd appears to be thin, as some fans are delayed arriving at the safe and secure indoor Allegiant Stadium. How windy is it? This was the scene at a NASCAR racing event at nearby Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A little more than a breeze.
Showgirls hate the windpic.twitter.com/anBdR410Yc
— Las Vegas Local 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) March 2, 2024
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What’s going on in the field?
Well, it looks like today’s matchup is South vs. Manly, but at least according to the field markings I saw earlier, it looks like KFC is the home team since their logos are in both end zones. Which team is KFC? We’ll assume it’s the Sea Eagles since it’s closest to the chickens.
I also learned that distances are measured in meters, not yards. So there are already problems. Luckily, there’s an app to help you with this.
us guys in las vegas
This is a video of an American man wearing an NRL jersey. I don’t know which one, but he gave us a feel of the city streets. Oh, he’s not actually our guy, he’s just a guy I found on Twitter, or X, or whatever it’s called.
the @NRL Coop loves Lux and Ramen and couldn’t be more excited for game day in Las Vegas #NRLVGas #rugbyleague #growth game pic.twitter.com/ugAJ9imHJQ
— Lux & Ramen (@RamenRucks) March 2, 2024
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update
So it seems like everyone there is watching the coin toss, the national anthem, the pomp, the situation. I? In Brooklyn? I’m keeping an eye on the Big East men’s college basketball game between Xavier and Georgetown. why? That’s because Fox Sports 1 in the US doesn’t do any NRL pre-match coverage. According to the schedule, the match will start at 2130 on the East Coast of the United States. But what happens if the basketball game doesn’t end? Will you miss kickoff? That’s terrible considering I’m giving you a live broadcast. please do not worry. If something like that happens, Osborn’s Guardian team will be there and take care of it. Meanwhile, with 9:53 left in the second half, it’s Georgetown by 5. Please hurry!
Hi!
hello everyone. Welcome to the coverage of the opening game of the NRL opening double-header, which will be broadcast live from Las Vegas!
Why would the NRL start its season in the American desert? Now, the NRL, like other leagues, especially in North America, is looking to expand the game into new markets. You may remember that a few years ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks started their Major League Baseball season at the SCG. The National Football League regularly plays games in London, Germany, and Mexico. The National Basketball Association flies around Europe and Asia, and the National Hockey League occasionally skates overseas. This is all in pursuit of additional revenue around the world, which is a cynical way to look at it. It’s also a lot of fun to watch important matches that take place in strange locations. Or, in this case, two different days (something like that). No complaints!
So the NRL’s big U.S. adventure will land them in the exact same hallowed spot where Kansas City’s Travis Kelce kissed his singer girlfriend after the NFL’s Super Bowl a few weeks ago. . Yes, this is a big deal, even if some Americans at Allegiant Stadium have little idea what’s going on between the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. That includes me, and I don’t even know what a rabbit toe is, but I think it’s probably a type of rabbit.
Full disclosure: I’m American. My exposure to the NRL includes about five minutes of watching Castleford on British television in 1995. Someone in the UK once told me that rugby union is an expensive, flashy sport, and rugby league is more of a lunch pail. I also know that rugby people in general are drunk and completely insane, and at least at the college I went to in upstate New York, they were pretty scary. But I got it…
So this will certainly be a learning experience. I’m looking forward to trying to understand this sport live and on the fly. I have no idea what will happen next, but let’s see what happens!
I know kickoff (is that what you call it?) will be happening soon. So grab your Fosters or Marmite or whatever you want to eat or drink there (prawns?) and get ready for rugby league football! Oh, and if you’d like to join the blog and help guide me, please do. Please feel free to x here. Or send us an email here. Join the show and we’ll make you famous!
As the Human Nature boys begin singing an eerie Australian national anthem in front of a seemingly half-filled Allegiant Stadium, Angus Fontaine delivers a reminder of today’s game…
For those of you who came late, here’s a preview of the American side of today’s Grand Rugby League experiment…
Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans wins the toss and ends up running to Caesars Palace. Souths captain Cameron Murray will lead his team towards Palazzo.
Here are the team lineups for today’s historic Game 1 at Allegiant Stadium.
Sea Eagles Team: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jason Saab 3. Tortau Koula 4. Ruben Garrick 5. Jackson Paulo 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10 Josh Aloiai 11. Haumor Olakauatu 12. Ben Trbojevic 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Carl Lawton 15. Corey Waddell 16. Ethan Bremore 17. Nathan Brown 18. Jacob Arthur
Rabbit team: 1. Latrell Mitchell 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Richard Kenner 5. Jacob Gagai 6. Cody Walker 7. Lachlan Elias 8. Tevita Tatra 9. Damian Cook 10. Sean Keppy 11. Keown Koloamatangi 12. Jay Arrow 13. Cameron Murray 14. Siliba Havili 15. Jacob Host 16. David Moire 17. Thomas Burgess 24. Dean Hawkins
preamble
It’s strange that the NRL is in Las Vegas, so this seems like an as good opportunity to do something a little different. Manly will first face Souths at Allegiant Stadium, before the Broncos and Roosters face off in the second part of a doubleheader. This double-header aims to bring the game of rugby league to the American public (while funneling large amounts of gambling cash, of course). And we thought it would be a good idea to force NFL writers to watch the opening game and show them the joy of rugby league, which remains a mystery to many in the United States. Expect a mix of wonder, awe, confusion, and fear as 26 giants collide with each other in a game of football. “But maybe not as much as you know.”
David will be with you right away, but then Jonathan will take over for the second game on a more familiar ground. In the meantime, here’s Russell Crowe to help you understand for the first time what’s to come.
