Sport Confidential: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s unlikely role in NRL Vegas push
One of the Hollywood — and wrestling’s biggest names has become an unlikely helper in the NRL’s push to grow the sport in Las Vegas and beyond.
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The NRL have hijacked the Super Bowl with wrestler turned Hollywood royalty The Rock and NFL superstar Jason Kelce partnering with Jordan Mailata to help promote rugby league in the US.
The Rock – one of the most recognisable people on the planet - posed with former rugby league player Mailata in Las Vegas as the NRL moves closer to its historic double header next month.
This masthead revealed this week that the Sydney-born Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Mailata would have an ambassadorial role with the NRL in the lead-up to the match in America.
Mailata took to the traditional radio row – where more than a 100 media outlets from across the world assembled in the lead-up to the Super Bowl. In Las Vegas Mailata was armed with the US-themed Steedan and hit up The Rock.
“The NRL is coming over,” Mailata told the Rock. “And I just want to get your thoughts on the ball.” He also went on to show him some highlights of rugby league stars in action.
Mailata also spent time with his Eagles teammate Kelce. Kelce’s brother Travis will compete in the Super Bowl on Monday.
Mailata, who played lower grades at South Sydney, is expected to be part of further events to help promote the NRL.
PVL’S FUTURE PLANS REVEALED
ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys isn’t going anywhere. Sports Confidential can reveal that V’landys will be returned as chair and appointed for a further three years as an ARL Commissioner at their annual general meeting on February 21.
V’landys has been one of the key drivers behind rugby league’s soaring revenues and his retention shapes as a huge coup for the code as they prepare to launch their incursion into America with a double header in Las Vegas.
It is understood that Megan Davis, one of the key figures behind the Yes campaign and an influential voice when it comes to rugby league’s indigenous community, will also be reappointed for a further three years at the AGM.
V’landys was appointed to the commission in 2019 and elevated to chair later that year. By the end of his fresh term he will be on the verge of chalking up a decade on the commission.
Along with chief executive Andrew Abdo, he has transformed the NRL into a business that is verging on revenues of $700 million a year with growing profits and a portfolio of investments designed to future-proof the code.
CHOOKS SET TO KEEP KEARY ON THE BOOKS
Luke Keary will play on in 2025 with the Roosters veteran expected to ink a one-year deal before the season starts.
It is understood both parties have agreed and a 12-month extension has been offered to Keary. That means the 32-year-old will play his 13th season in the top grade next year.
Keary headlines a list of Roosters players who are approaching the 2024 season with their long-term futures yet to be secured.
Fellow premiership winners Daniel Tupou and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves are also free agents while the likes of Angus Crichton, Billy Smith, Joey Manu and Terrell May are also able to sign with rival clubs.
The Roosters are holding out hope that if Manu does make a switch to rugby it will be a short-term fix for the Kiwi international and he will return to secure a long-term deal with the club. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is also rugby bound.
For Keary, staying on for another season is reward for his determination to fight back from career threatening concussion concerns. His 2021 season also only lasted just three games after he ruptured his ACL.
Keary has played 205 games and has won three titles – one at South Sydney and two at the Roosters.
MAY DAY FOR ROOSTERS
Cronulla and St George Illawarra have been contacted about their interest in Terrell May in a sign that the Sydney Roosters won’t have it all their own way when it comes to keeping the powerful front rower.
May, off contract at the end of the season, had been locked in talks with the Bulldogs over a deal believed to be worth as much as $1.6 million over three years.
However, a change of management and the slow progress of negotiations meant the Bulldogs went cold on signing May.
That prompted claims that he would stay at the Roosters. However, Sports Confidential can reveal that his new manager David Rawlings has already sounded out rival clubs over their interest in May, who was a regular fixture in the Roosters side last season.
The Roosters, however, will have the final say over his future. Regardless of offers from elsewhere, Rawlings will give the Roosters an opportunity to keep the 24-year-old, who appeared in 17 games for the club in 2023.
TSZYU-BEAUTY
Aussie boxing champion and WBO super welterweight Tim Tszyu will take time out of his Las Vegas training camp to help promote the NRL’s upcoming US debut.
He’s a confirmed attendee at a number of key VIP events across the week including the launch events, fan day and game day. Tszyu is already a growing household name stateside as he continues to chase mega fights against boxing’s pound for pound stars Canelo Alvarez and Terrence Crawford.
Tszyu is living and training in Las Vegas ahead of a historic March 30 fight at T-Mobile Arena against former unified champion Keith Thurman.
He will become the first Australian born fighter to headline a pay-per-view event in the US, a feat incredibly his hall of fame father Kostya never achieved.
Tszyu is expected to be followed by an Amazon film crew throughout the week as part of the promotion with a documentary to be released in the weeks before his fight.
Fans have often questioned Tszyu’s choice of teams having been spotted in a number of NRL jerseys in recent years, but this masthead can confirm he has only packed one jersey for the trip - the cardinal and myrtle of South Sydney.
Tszyu count’s Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker and Jack Wighton as great friends, with all being advised with leading promoters Matt and George Rose.
DES V MANLY
The bitter fall-out between Des Hasler and his former club Manly shows no signs of letting up with the parties unable to find a resolution despite recent mediation. The parties now seem destined to end up in court despite a financial settlement from Manly being offered to Hasler. The court case could become an unwanted distraction for Hasler as he enters his first season as coach at the Titans. Hasler launched legal proceedings against his former club with the fall-out from the pride jersey fiasco expected to remain front and centre of the case.
DRAGONS FAIL IN BID FOR $10M STAR
The Dragons have made a secret bid for Jason Taumalolo as the Cowboys superstar comes to terms with his axing as North Queensland co-captain.
Sport Confidential can reveal St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has made inquiries with Taumalolo’s management in a bold bid to deliver the former Dally M winner to the Dragons’ den this season.
But the Taumalolo camp made it clear the Cowboys champion is happy in Townsville and has no intention of walking out on his $10 million contract.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten dropped a bombshell a fortnight when he removed Taumalolo and Chad Townsend as co-captains, handing the leadership reins to Tom Dearden and Reuben Cotter.
It is understood Taumalolo was shocked by the decision, especially given his status at the club after inking a record 10-year, $1 million deal with the Cowboys in 2017.
New Dragons coach Flanagan is desperate to add firepower to his pack and believed the 30-year-old Taumalolo would have been the perfect leader and midfield X-factor for the embattled club.
The Payten decision will only fuel suggestions the Cowboys coach and Taumalolo have a strained relationship, but the pair both insist there is no bad blood in the tropics.
Once the most feared running forward in the game, the Tongan Test star has battled injury in recent seasons, but remains a destructive force when fully fit.
Taumalolo was relegated to the bench for six games last season, raising fears he was on the outer in Townsville.
But the 252-game Cowboys legend remains contracted until the end of 2027 and North Queensland chiefs have every intention of honouring the deal, as does Taumalolo, who wants to finish his career at the club.
The Cowboys are under siege from southern rivals the Dragons, who are also targeting Taumalolo’s younger teammates, boom back-rowers Heilum Luki and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki.
The powerful Finefeuiaki is off-contract this season, while Queensland Origin hopeful Luki is contracted until the end of 2025, but has an option in his favour - making him a free agent this year.
Cowboys football boss Micheal Luck is aware of interest in Taumalolo, Luki and Finefeuiaki but remains confident of retaining the trio.
“We have a high opinion of our young back-rowers Heilum Luki and Kulikefu. Those two have commanded a bit of interest,” Luck said.
“We think our offers to both of them are very competitive and this club was set up to keep our local juniors in this North Queensland region.
“We’re confident of keeping both guys.
“We would love to keep our young group together. Heilum and Kulikefu have had another good off-season and those guys will grow as players and young men and it would be good to see them do something special at our club.”
TIGER HUNTED
Jayden ‘Bud’ Sullivan wants to focus on the here and now, not the arrival of Jarome Luai at the Wests Tigers in 12 months time.
Sullivan has enough on his plate fending off the challenge of Late Fainu and Lachlan Galvin as he looks to secure a place in the Tigers halves when the season begins.
“I was excited,” Sullivan said of the Luai signing.
“He is not much older than me and he has done 10 times more than I have done on a football field. He has won three premierships, played for his country, played for his state.
“I am excited to be honest. I guess that is next year and I will worry about that when it comes around.
“I am focused on this pre-season and putting my best foot forward this year. That will set me up for next year.”
Sullivan insists he is as fit as he has ever been. At the insistence of coach Benji Marshall, he has dropped weight and will start the season at 86kg.
His hamstring troubles, which have sidelined him over recent seasons, are also hopefully a thing of the past - regular testing suggests they are stronger than they have ever been.
“He (Marshall) has challenged me a lot,” Sullivan said.
“This is the lightest I will go into a footy season. I played at 90 kilos and a bit last year and I am 85, 86 kilos this year.
“Benji challenged me and at the end of the day it is only going to help me put less stress on my hammies. He gave me a challenge to get to 86kg and I got there, happy days.”
THREE’S A CROWD IN MANLY
Manly are on the verge of retaining Ben Trbojevic on a long-term deal as they look to keep the Trbojevic boys together for the foreseeable future.
Ben Trbojevic was off contract at the end of 2024 but it is understood talks have progressed to the point where both parties are confident a deal will be struck, ensuring he will continue to play alongside superstar brothers Jake and Tom.
With his future secured, Ben Trbojevic can now focus on using the pre-season to lock up a place in the Sea Eagles starting side.
The 22-year-old played 12 games for Manly last season, starting four in the second row and the remainder off the interchange bench.
Trbojevic is locked in a battle with Josh Schuster to win a starting spot in the second row heading into the season opener in Las Vegas against South Sydney.
LEARNING FROM THE BEST
NRL chief executives have been given the chance to pick the brain of one of the most powerful executives in the NFL after being invited to a lunch in Las Vegas with the brains behind the all-conquering San Francisco 49ers.
Sports Confidential understands that 49ers president Al Guido, one of the architects of the NFL team’s Super Bowl drive, will be the star guest at a lunch with NRL chief executives prior to the double header at Allegiant Stadium.
Guido is responsible for all strategic initiatives and business operations for the 49ers, who will play in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs next week.
He is also the chairman and chief executive of Elevate, a consulting firm that “provides innovative solutions to organisations across the global sports and entertainment landscape”
The NRL has mapped out a week of activities for the club bosses who fly to Sin City - more than a dozen are expected to make the trip to America for the historic season launch.
WING AND A PRAY
Penrith are set to step up contract negotiations with winger Sunia Turuva this week as they look to retain one of the most improved members of their premiership-winning squad.
Turuva is off contract at the end of this season but talks with the Fijian winger were put on hold while the Panthers awaited clarity on the future of five-eighth Jarome Luai.
With Luai having made a call to join the Wests Tigers next season, the Panthers are now expected to fast-track talks with Turuva, hooker Mitch Kenny and winger Taylan May.
Turuva is likely to be the first to ink a new deal.
FLASHBACK
Two former rugby league representative players in Paul Gallen and John Hopoate traded blows on this day five years ago. The pair jumped into the ring with Gallen securing a brutal second-round knockout at a sold out Hordern Pavilion.
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