NRL Las Vegas 2024: Canberra Raiders set to sign first American athlete from combine

In a landmark moment for the sport, the Canberra Raiders are set to make history by becoming the first rugby league club to sign an American athlete from the NRL Combine.

The Canberra Raiders are set to make history by becoming the first rugby league club to sign an American athlete from the NRL Combine.

In a landmark moment for the sport, Raiders chief executive Don Furner revealed Canberra are keen to sign Samoan sensation Liz Tafuna following the NRL’s talent Combine in Las Vegas on Sunday.

The NRL double header featuring the Broncos, Roosters, Souths and Manly made history with maiden premiership fixtures at Allegiant Stadium and just hours earlier, an inaugural NRL Combine was held for Americans to audition for an NRL contract.

Furner was among NRL scouts and officials who attended the Combine, which featured 25 male and 25 female athletes as 50 American hopefuls showcased their skills in search of a fully-fledged rugby league contract.

The Raiders are keen to roll the dice on American talent, with Furner lauding the ability of Tafuna, who was expected to be one of four winners (two male, two female) unveiled after the Combine.

Liz Tafuna is set to join the Raiders.

“I spoke to her and said I would love to have you and she said yes, I’d be keen,” Furner said.

“Other clubs might be interested in her, but we would love to get her.

“With Liz, I saw a lovely young girl, I had previously watched her highlights and sent them to our coach Darrin Borthwick and after seeing her today, we would love to offer her an opportunity if she wants to come.

“We have a spot available on our female roster and I will follow up with Liz when we get back to Australia.

“If she is keen to come to Australia, I would love to sign her with the support of our coach.

“We will now continue talks with her. As a club, Canberra would love to sign the first American female player.”

Tafuna is a hard-running powerhouse who has Samoan blood and has represented the USA in rugby union.

Now she is committed to becoming an NRLW star and Furner has put out the welcome mat with a view to formalising a deal in the coming weeks.

Should Tafuna join the NRLW, it would be a massive shot in the arm for rugby league’s hopes of luring more American athletes to Australia.

“I was amazed at how many turned up. There were some great athletes there,” he said.

“She actually knows one of our players, Mackenzie Wiki, who is the daughter of Ruben Wiki. Mackenzie has played with Liz, who is of Samoan heritage, she is an ex-Sevens player and Mackenzie gave her the thumbs up as a player.

“The conditions today were terrible. It was blowing a gale, so for these American athletes to trial in those conditions shows you how keen they are.

“There were a couple of guys today who were amazing athletes. We don’t have a spot on our roster for a male, but there’s certainly some talent worth looking at for other clubs.

“Liz caught my eye with her performance. She is big, strong and fast, she has good skills, she knows how to catch and she has good game awareness having played sevens rugby.

50 athletes will compete at the NRL combine in America.

“She told me she has been watching NRLW, so she is familiar with our game and I would love for it to work out.

“I think everyone in Canberra would get behind her because she would be a fantastic story.”

Speaking before the Combine, Tafuna believed she had the skill set to make it in the NRLW.

“My family and I are originally from New Zealand,” she said.

“While I’m still doing so much with rugby sevens there’s no way to ignore all the things the NRLW is doing to raise the game for female athletes and I think that’s also something that really drew my attraction to it.

“I know I have the skill sets that can translate easily into the sport.

“I carry the basics of what I know from each sport on but I’m also open enough to relearn anything that could help me excel.”

* Peter Badel travelled to Las Vegas courtesy of the NRL