“Absolutely crazy man” was Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s instant reaction to the frenzied scenes as a crowd of 10,000 – dominated by Warriors supporters – turned out for the Fremont Street fan event for the teams involved in the Las Vegas rugby league extravaganza on Thursday night.
“It has almost a grand final week feel to it – that’s the only thing I could describe it as or compare it to,” he said.
“It’s just amazing to see so many Warriors fans make the trip over here, and also a lot of American fans coming up to us and saying: ‘Up the Wahs’.
“It’s awesome to see our game and our club on this stage. The turnout here today is crazy. I can only imagine what Saturday is going to be like.”
As a player who has experienced grand final week the last five years running, Tuivasa-Sheck’s One New Zealand Warriors teammate James Fisher-Harris was equaly blown away.
“That was crazy. I’ve never had an experience like that even with grand finals,” he said.
“That takes the cup. It was a crazy atmosphere.”
The One New Zealand Warriors are clearly the most strongly-backed team in town creating a boisterous atmosphere as they were joined by fans from Canberra, Cronulla Sutherland, Penrith, Wigan and Warrington as well as Australia’s and England’s women’s teams who fill out a four-game schedule at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday PST (Sunday NZT).
Te wow factor has been a constant from the moment the Warriors arrived in Las Vegas last Saturday peaking with the unprecedented scenes at Fremont Street.
And there was more on Friday morning when the Warriors had their allotted time walking around the spectacular Allegiant Stadium where a crowd of 50,000 plus is expected tomorrow.
“The stadium is special. We don’t have anything like that in Australia or New Zealand, that’s for sure,” said Warriors head coach Andrew Webster.
“Apparently there’s hot tubs in private boxes and things like that. I don’t think we’re going to have one like that in Auckland down on the waterfront but you never know … one day.”
Said Fisher-Harris: “It was amazing, pretty surreal being there. The field doesn’t look too small to be honest but the stadium’s pretty unreal.”
