So here we are, after several exhibition games brought about by Russell Crowe in the last 20 years, the State of Origin ‘Game IV’ of 1987 in Long Beach:

That terrible New Zealand vs England game in Denver that was the greatest financial disaster since the production of Waterworld…

We now find ourselves witnessing 4 teams full of cashed-up bogans venturing to the United States and America, more specifically through Las Vegas, a town known for gambling, questionable entertainment, and being riddled with slot machines and dodgy casinos, all while playing First Grade Rugby League….

To come to think of it, they may as well have stayed in Sydney.

Actually, the part I liked most about the preparations for the journey to the United States isn’t so much about the logistics of getting all the gear across the Pacific, it’s the fact that no fewer than 12 players (Plus an assistant coach) had to go to the US Consulate in Sydney just to get clearance for visas to enter the States because they had prior arrests, and the ARLC then had to get a couple of favours from politicians to help them out, namely Anthony Albanese and Caroline Kennedy.

That’s classic rugbaleeg… then again, we did do the same thing when Snoop Dogg tried entering Australia in 2007.

So without any further ado, here we go for the beginning of the 2024 season of Succinct NRL Tips, SIN CITY style.

Sunday afternoon, 1pm start in Sydney for the double-header:

The Manly/Souths game should be the more competitive game, although there does seem to be a decent mismatch in the halves with new recruit Luke Brooks/Daly Cherry-Evans up against an underdone Cody Walker/Lachlan Illias with Jack Wighton suspended, but I seem inclined to think Souths will get the 2 points, something they were incapable of doing in the final month of last season to complete their epic collapse and miss the finals…

And the Broncos/Roosters game will be intriguing in the sense that you’ve got the Broncos coming off being denied that illusive premiership by nothing more than Nathan Cleary’s human spirit, and now they’ve lost some key players like Herbie Farnworth and Tom Flegler going to the Dolphins, plus a decent leader in Kurt Capewell going over to the Warriors….

Whereas the Roosters have now got the incentive to actually start a season well thanks to Jared Waerea-Hargreaves announcing this will be his last season, although it is JWH, so he’s missing this game due to suspension, and when he comes back he’ll get a couple of games thanks to a stray elbow.

So that said, the Lock of the Week for the Sin City Showdowns…

The Broncos to win in the desert, which is the closest we’ll get to a rugby league team being in the desert on A Horse With No Name.