Checking In From Las Vegas, Owen Pattie & Another Panthers Trickshot

I did say the report from Las Vegas was hangover-dependent³ , and Sin City certainly got the better of me ahead of a long flight home. So, with a clearer mind, I have a few thoughts on the week that was and some quick notes on the rest of Round 1.

Table of Contents

• The NRL Vibe in Las Vegas

• Owne Pattie’s Detail on Debut

• Yet Another Panthers Trickshot

• Notepad: Round 1 NRL Team Lists

The NRL Vibe in Las Vegas

To my surprise, it really did feel as though the NRL took over Las Vegas for a few days.

The arrival of the Warriors charter plane became evident soon after touching down on Wednesday night. Having recovered from the pre-flight festivities, it was on for Round 2 as Warriors kit started to pop up every few minutes for the rest of the evening.

As the week wore on, you couldn’t go more than a few minutes without a footy jersey popping up around you.

The rugby league feel was dwarfed by the typical attractions, obviously, but the Rugby League Hub proved popular, and it was apparent to any passers-by that a game was approaching.

The screened ceiling down Fremont Street regularly played highlights and advertisements of the game while other billboards were scattered throughout the city. Las Vegas Golden Knights fans won tickets and jerseys during an on-ice segment earlier in the week dedicated to promoting the game.

Any locals walking down Fremont Street on Thursday night will have wondered what was going on as footy fans packed it from all four corners as the players walked the red carpet to the stage. I’d been told that it was one of the best experiences of the week, but didn’t believe it until seeing how many people made it out to see the teams.

While there is a footy feel for Kiwis, Aussies and English fans, there weren’t many American accents popping up around the events. It felt as though it’s more of a trip for rusted-on fans than an attempt to attract new ones, and there's nothing wrong with that for mine.

Matt Bungard sums it up well:

We’re not going to take over America. That should never be the goal. Increasing exposure of the game a little bit every year while offering footy fans a once-in-a-lifetime trip is a win for rugby league, though.

Owne Pattie’s Detail on Debut

Owen Pattie made his NRL debut, and while he looked the goods in the areas you’d like - his service, workrate and defence - it’s his first involvement that excites me about a long future in first grade.

Most hookers hold their feet and avoid a downtown penalty by not advancing past the play-the-ball when making the pass on the 5th tackle. Pattie, on the other hand, makes his pass, puts himself behind Fogarty and leads the kick chase to chop down Roger Tuivasa-Sheck inside the Warriors’ 10-metre line.

Something like this is often referred to as “the little things,” but it’s a big deal for clubs and coaches. It won’t have gone unnoticed during the game's review.

A rookie hooker completing his first set in the NRL would be forgiven for providing clean service and working up the field with the rest of the kick chase. Not Pattie.

Yet Another Panthers Trickshot

The Penrith Panthers got straight into their work in Round 1 of the 2025 NRL season.

While they’re known for their discipline and consistency in sticking with a relatively simple but effective game plan, they’ve always got a trickshot up their sleeve.

We hadn’t got to halftime of their season-opener before Penrith’s brainstrust had cooked up something special.

I’d imagine they’d identified Will Kennedy’s positioning when defending close to the goal line throughout the week. He often plugs himself at A down the shortside as he has done here.

Nathan Cleary’s location on the field no doubt has a lot to do with where Kennedy puts himself, too. This is the tackle before Lindsay Smith’s quick play-the-ball with Kennedy ending up in the same spot for the decisive play.

It’s early in the count, so Kennedy won’t anticipate a kick. He can be relatively comfortable with where he is. However, Cleary and the Panthers are different.

They’ve again stacked the short side with two spine players holding numbers. Mitch Kenny shows left before going right, and with Isaah Yeo providing Cleary with an early pass, the halfback can chip the ball over the top to a flying Izack Tago.

Other teams will see this look throughout the season, but for the Panthers to pull it off in Round 1 is special. Their preparation is elite, and they’ve managed to hit the ground running after four consecutive premierships.

I won’t fall into any traps about their ability to contend after losing a lot of talent again…

Notepad: Round 1 NRL Team Lists

My tardiness on looking back at the first two games of Round 1 has allowed the rest of the team lists to drop for some quick notes.

Roosters Bench: Zach Dockar-Clay, Siua Wong, Blake Steep & Salesi Foketi

Trent Robinson has named an interesting bench. Dockar-Clay is a great #14 option with his ability to play lock and in the halves; Wong provides cover on the edge and in the middle, while Steep and Foketi are exciting prospects likely to play relatively limited minutes.

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