Roosters provide heavyweight support for LA team in Vegas debut

Sydney Roosters supremo Nick Politis admitted to divided loyalties after Greece were granted a last-minute entry into the NRL Nines tournament in Las Vegas.

Politis and fellow Roosters board members, including Mark Bouris, along with CEO Joe Kelly, were at Silverbowl Park to witness the first appearance by their newly renamed Los Angeles Roosters team.

Greece are in Vegas for a two-match series against the United States and both nations became late additions to the Nines tournament after their first Test was cancelled on Wednesday night due to lighting problems caused by thieves stripping the copper from a light pole.

“I am involved with Greece too, I am sponsoring them so I hope Greece don’t play the Roosters because it would be very hard to work out who I am going to barrack for,” Politis told NRL.com.

The Roosters decided to invest in the United States after being one of the four NRL teams to play at last year’s inaugural Vegas venture at Allegiant Stadium.

The LA Roosters will play in this year’s USARL competition, while the club has established a West Coast Academy and sponsors the USA Hawks – leading to suggestions that the Test series be named the Nick Politis Cup as he backs both nations.

“I am very excited to back up the NRL and Peter V’landys with their initiative to come over here. I thought we could support that by starting a team here, the Los Angeles Roosters. It is good for our game and for our brand.

“Our fans back at home are excited that we have got the Roosters brand running around in America.”

Rugby league has been trying to gain a foothold in North America for decades but the Vegas quadruple header and associated events like the NRL Nines, talent combine and USA-Greece Tests, are the first time the game has returned in consecutive years.

Politis believes rugby league can succeed in the US with perseverance and investment.

“I think it is a fantastic start, it’s a big market and it is a number game, like in any business, so America is the place to attack. If you only get a small percentage of people to support the game, it is going to be fantastic.

“We are very happy with our initiative, and it is very exciting to come over here and watch our LA Roosters team in the Nines. We have got a women’s team too.

“We sent four players from Australia to support the team here, some of our juniors who are not in the top 30, and we also sent some girls to play in the women’s team.

“John Strange, our coach who won the NRLW grand final, is helping out [with LA Roosters coach Emilliano Nash], so that is fantastic.

“There are a lot of players, especially in Utah, who have Pacific Island backgrounds so there is a bit of talent there.”

LA Roosters captain Ethan Povey is a former Warriors development player who has been living in the United States for seven years.

Povey, whose junior club in New Zealand is Glenora Bears, travels up to three hours each way to train with the team in Long Beach but after their opening win against Herriman Roosters he said it was worth the effort.

“It is a dream for a lot of us, and we are thankful to our hard-working staff for giving us this opportunity” Povey said.

“It is privilege to have the CEO here and to have the boys come over to help us. They sent us a solid spine, which is amazing.

“John Strange gives us the motivation that we haven’t had so it is awesome to learn, and we are just soaking in what he says. It is beautiful to have that type of knowledge and wisdom.

“Emilliano, our coach, has got big plans and he has put a lot of work in there. There are opportunities everywhere, and union is going well over here but league is making its way in.”

Jasmin Strange was among the contingent of Roosters players who are representing the LA team at the NRL Nines, and she said the Australia and American players had gelled quickly after a team dinner in Long Beach.

“It has been really good to do some team bonding and get to know our American team-mates,” she said.

“Their skill is pretty good, all of their passes are good, so it is just their league knowledge. They are all good athletes and can tackle.

“There are a lot of athletes over here, so hopefully they can find some good talent at the combine.  I know we have one or two spots at the Roosters left to fill so my dad will probably go and have a look.”

Watch the NRL Nines, NRL Combine and USA v Greece double-header in Las Vegas on NRL.com or NRL youtube.