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After taking in the bright lights, sights and sounds since arriving on Saturday, it was time to switch to football mode for the One New Zealand Warriors in the city that never sleeps on Monday (Tuesday NZT).
Not that they will stop being asked endlessly about their experiences in Las Vegas ahead of kicking off the 2025 NRL season against the Canberra Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday (Sunday NZT).
Which was inevitably the case for head coach Andrew Webster, fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and hooker Wayde Egan when they were quizzed at a media session at the Hilton Resorts World following their first field session on United States soil.
Rather than questions about hardcore football subjects, it was more about how the players and staff are coping with Vegas.
“I haven’t experienced this before and a lot of the other boys haven’t as well,” said Nicoll-Klokstad.
“It’s something unique and something special to be a part of and it’s going to be electric on Saturday. I can’t wait. It’s building and you can see everyone’s excited. Walking in Freemont Street, it’s buzzing, it’s cool.
“It has always been in the back of our minds that we’re here to get the job done. Although it’s nice with all the lights and the city never sleeps, we’re here to get the two points on Saturday so that’s at the forefront.”
Match: Raiders v Warriors
Round 1 -
home Team
Raiders
4th Position
away Team
Warriors
14th Position
Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Ditto for Egan.
“It’s been pretty cool coming to Vegas,” he said.
“Most of the boys haven’t been here before. Just to experience walking around the streets and stuff like that, it’s a different life than ours and it’s been cool.
“It’s crazy where the journey can take you. It still feels weird being here for a business trip, to play footy. You would never have thought 10 years ago that this sort of thing could happen.
“It’s awesome to see (rugby league) on a global scale and how much the Americans are getting behind us and asking questions.”
Webster can draw on personal knowledge of the United States from the days when his odyssey stopped off there in 2005 for a stint as player-coach of the Connecticut Wildcats in the American National League.
For all that, he’s incredulous.
“I can’t believe we’re here playing rugby league in Las Vegas,” he said.
“It’s not overwhelming. It’s different and you’ve got to embrace it.
“Everyone’s always stopping us and saying: Are you guys rugby? We keep saying it's rugby league but everyone’s stopping and having a chat.
“It’s a real credit to the game and where it’s at. For the fans it’s special. We are the most supported team here and they’re so passionate.
“But we got back to training today and that was the best part. We got to knuckle down.”
And knuckle down is exactly what they’ll do again tomorrow with another full training day, a rest day on their Wednesday and then two more training days on Thursday and Friday before game day.
In between there are some key events – the Las Vegas Week launch on Wednesday, a signing session on Thursday followed by the major fan event at Freemont Street on Thursday plus a walk around Allegiant Stadium on Friday.
