The NRL season begins today! The Rabbitohs and the Sea Eagles will take the field first, with the battle kicking off at 1:30 p.m. AEDT. The game will be followed by the Roosters vs. Broncos showdown at 3:30 p.m. To know more about the doubleheader starting on Saturday, March 2, Roosters captain James Tedesco joined us for an exclusive interview.
America, especially Las Vegas, isn’t just getting over with excitement soon. After a speculator and thrilling Super Bowl LVIII overtime game, Allegiant Stadium is back with another event on American soil for the first time. Tedesco explained why the NRL is exciting to watch and what the players learn from their NFL counterparts.
James Tedesco admitted the NFL receivers’ skills!
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In an exclusive chat with EssentiallySports, the Sydney Roosters fullback and captain, James Tedesco, talked about the NRL Telstra Premiership rugby season, which is all set to begin. Besides informing about five reasons to fall in love with the sport, Tedesco explained what “soft skills” or “even game skills” NRL players learn from NFL players.
The Roosters 31-year-old captain said, “I think catching on contact is a big one. I see a lot of receivers, tight ends, running backs, having to catch high, low, hard, soft ball anywhere around. And they’ve got to be able to have the focus on catching a ball and then being ready to take a big hit from the side as well. So, yeah, that happens in a degree in the NRL as well.”
Tedesco continued, “But yeah, I think NFL players have so much skill, especially the catchers, the tight end receivers or running backs. They have to break tackles, they have to use their feet and speed to find space and they have to evade defenders as well. So that’s all similar to us in the NRL.”
Read more: Exclusive: Eagles’ Jordan Mailata Reveals What to Expect as NRL Makes Way to Las Vegas on March 02
Well, the catching or receiving of the ball and speed are indeed significant for the rugby players, as the upcoming 2024 season will have “no rules” games, which means the matchups will be played without using timeouts, pads, or helmets.
What’s more that you should know about this NRL event?
The NRL has made a historic decision to start its 2024 season in Las Vegas, featuring two games at Allegiant Stadium. The doubleheader, scheduled for Saturday, March 2, will broadcast live in Australia and New Zealand on Sunday, March 3. The participating teams include the Brisbane Broncos, Sydney Roosters, South Sydney Rabbitohs, and the Manly Sea Eagles. NRL CEO Andrew Abdo is thrilled about expanding the Australian rugby league to new territories, calling it an exciting part of “Australian Week” in Las Vegas.
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The games aim to showcase “rugby league and Australia to the US market.” Allegiant Stadium has a capacity of around 65,000 and is the home of the NFL team Las Vegas Raiders. Tickets covering both games are available, starting at US$19 (AU$29) and going up to US$189 (AU$288).
Per the latest update, various seating options are offered, while travel packages initially provided by the NRL are no longer available.
