Wests Tigers rookie Himasi Makashini is likely to be an impact newcomer to American rugby league, with the high-profile winger capable of playing Test football for the United States.

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This column could reveal that 18-year-old Makashini is eligible to play for the United States national team, where he has already begun preparations for a return to blockbuster international soccer before the 2030 World Cup scheduled here in Las Vegas.

The rookie has already been likened to Jonah Lomu in recent weeks. Breakthrough – scoring 3 tries in trial against Sydney Roosters Before that, he doubles up with an early ‘Try of the Year’ candidate against Penrith.

Even better, the Wests Tigers have yet to play in the annual NRL season opener here in America. That means Macassin, who is eligible through his parents, could become something of a marquee player in the NRL Las Vegas as early as next year.

It all kicks off this Friday night against Scotland in the fighting capital of the world, as former National League prop Adam Woolnough also begins an exciting new life as head coach of the U.S. national team.

Woolnough, who still lives and works in Melbourne, has spent the past decade working in elite-level sports administration, most recently as GM of Ice Hockey Australia, and has just signed a two-year contract with Team USA.

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Just a few months into his new job, the man who has played more than 150 games in the NRL has laid out a blueprint that would take America to the proposed 2030 World Cup in Las Vegas if it were to go ahead.

Asked specifically about Macassini this week, Woolnough politely declined to say which NRL and Super League players would be targeted by the exciting changes being made in the National League.

“But I will say I have a list of about 12 players,” he said. “And I am currently in discussions with the club, my agent and the players regarding my eligibility.

“And already three or four players have expressed that they want to play.

“We are therefore looking for young players for whom this opportunity could be the start of their international career.

“Or it could be another player who has already done that for us, like Ronaldo Mulitalo from Cronulla. He’s already playing for the USA Nines, so I can mention him.”

“Daniel Vidot is one of them. He just arrived in Las Vegas today and is scheduled to play Friday night.”

The United States are currently ranked 22nd in the world and Woolnough aims to play up to six international matches a year against the likes of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France in order to secure a spot in the 2030 World Cup.

And if you’re an avid soccer fan reading this in Las Vegas, you can catch the USA vs. Scotland game at Coronado High School on Friday night.

Big advantages of bulldogs

Canterbury backloader Viliam Kikau says club executives’ decision to arrive in Las Vegas two days before rivals St George Illawarra, at great cost, will definitely give the Bulldogs an advantage heading into Sunday’s headliner.

In other big news, Kikau has now unabashedly revealed that he is an Eagles fan after watching the legendary American group’s game at The Sphere on Friday night.

“I’ve heard the California song before,” Kikau said with a laugh after training this week, referring to the little song also known as Hotel California. “But I didn’t know it was them.

“But now it’s playing in the team room, on the bus, everywhere we go.”

The Bulldogs first arrived in Las Vegas last Thursday, while St George Illawarra last arrived in Las Vegas on Saturday morning. That meant that while the Dragons were enjoying a night out, Canterbury were already preparing for Sunday’s training session.

“And I think it is.” [an advantage]“You just adapt to the weather, the environment, everything,” Kikau said.

“By Sunday, some of the boys actually said it felt like they had been here for a week, just having been to all the parties in the first two days.

“But I’m happy to be here right now. We’re all locked in and we’re in game mode. We’ve actually been feeling good ever since our first session was inside the Las Vegas Raiders’ great facility on the Astro Turf.”

“The only problem is that the boys’ lips are getting dry. They’re all using paw cream.”

What else?

“You can’t escape the slot machines,” Kikau said with a laugh. “They’re everywhere we walk.”

Furano hits hard in Las Vegas

Today, let’s take a moment to think about the Dragons’ No. 6 Kyle Flanagan. He hit a coffee run, one of the worst hits of the NRL Las Vegas week.

As part of their preparation for this Sunday’s blockbuster game against Canterbury at Allegiant Stadium, Dragons players finished their on-field session with a conditioning game in which the left wing and starting middle faced off against the right wing and bench middle.

And the stakes were high – the loser buys coffee.

Here in Las Vegas, roughly $15 per drink is no small thing.

And for all the talk of the left side losing, there are whispers from within the Dragons camp that they may have pulled a straw as to who would take all the blows — and Flanagan was lucky.

You never know, given how twisted storylines tend to come out in this strip. What we can confirm is that Dragons players are currently training well after a weekend that included a visit to Omnia Nightclub to watch DJ Steve Aoki perform.

Cowboys Anonto Chief Energy Officer

North Queensland prospect Jackson Pardew may be too young to be drinking and gambling here in Las Vegas, but the young center is still being given a key role by Cowboys players.

“Yeah, you have to carry a team speaker,” he told us this week. “I’m the youngest on the team, so that’s been my job all week.”

Only 20 years old, Pardew had never been outside of Australia before this trip.

“The furthest I went was Perth,” Cowboy says with a laugh. The mother is also set to go on her first overseas trip later this week, when she will arrive in the city with more than 15 family members and friends.

Given that the legal drinking age in the United States is 21, Perdue emphasized that he has avoided even the $5 Budweiser sale on Fremont Street this week. “I don’t want to get into trouble,” he laughed. “And there are even bigger issues at play here.”

Pardew said that apart from adding his name to the list of rugby league speakers’ careers, which also includes Penrith chief energy officer Brian Tooh, he was also looking to bring more consistency to the 2026 game.

NRL players cross paths with UFC TOUGH

Newcastle fighters were treated to a great Las Vegas treat this week as they passed former middleweight champion Sean Strickland while lifting weights inside the UFC Performance Institute. Among the most outspoken athletes on the planet, Strickland had his microphone cut off while speaking to the media after his win over the weekend. A few hours later, the Bulldogs’ athletes ran into UFC featherweight challenger Diego Lopez. Lopez recently lost his second title to Alexander Volkanovski and is back in training.

Las Vegas Raiders Open Doors

Kangaroos great Danny Buderus was among a select group of NRL players and staff invited to Las Vegas Raiders headquarters on Wednesday to check out the facilities and meet the players.