NRL caught out telling lie to potential American fans in Las Vegas ad

NRL’s ad for next year’s season opener in Las Vegas arrived to much fanfare on Wednesday - however one crucial detail has been exposed as a lie.

The NRL will sell rugby league to America with images of thunderous hits and startling body contact, and everything else that gets you three weeks at the tribunal.

COMMENT

The NRL will sell rugby league to America with images of thunderous hits and startling body contact, and everything else that gets you three weeks at the tribunal.

That was the takeaway from yesterday’s launch of the US ad campaign for next year’s Las Vegas season opener, with the NRL promising Americans blood and guts despite knowing it’ll be mostly surrender tackles and Aaron Woods.

Take nothing away from the 30 second taster, which you can watch above, a stirring montage that exhibits all the hyperventilating Vossy and Nutri-Grain font you’d expect in a standard new-market rugby league primer.

But while it nailed the brief for spectacular ‘touchdowns’ and the obligatory boast of “no pads and no helmets”, the rest of the footage is mainly just penalties.

Yes, the collisions advertised are absolute bellringers that radiate enough physicality to burn a week’s calories, but sadly they are rare in today’s gluten-free version of the game.

In fact, many of the tackles showcased would arguably earn a sin bin, or worse, a discerning side-eye from Gerard Sutton for being too masculine.

Moses Leota runs the ball up to kick off the Vegas ad. Pic: NRL

So what does this mean?

That rugby league has promised to bring a crate of Moët to the glitziest party of its life and will arrive with a Bible.

Of course, the NRL will undertake whatever’s needed to attract Americans to the game like it’s a Wendy’s selling semiautomatic rifles- even if it’s a scam.

And yes, the game is a renowned grifter anyway that has never shied away from a spot of catfishing.

After all, it sells Origin to aghast Victorians most years with footage of chaotic scuffles despite the concept going so soft in recent times that its virginity has grown back.

But in a time when rugby league is hellbent on promoting itself as a paragon of player safety, these monstrous hits being promoted are more likely to be penalised for being too high, too angry or too awesome.

This tackle looks a lot like direct contact to the head. Pic: NRL

And besides, the sensational car crash collision has been mostly replaced anyway by catch-and-holds, ruck-slowing and the rest of Melbourne Storm’s IP.

So instead of lying to America, maybe the NRL would’ve been better served spending the marketing budget on something more worthwhile like educating the country on the difference between union and league- because distinguishing the two has never been so problematic.

Now anesthetised by territorial arm wrestling and the repeated intrusion of video technology and the ref, rugby league is closer to its code rival than it’s ever been.

And while not quite at the same level of high tackle alarmism, it seems only a matter of time when much like union, league tacklers also won’t be able to attack the nipples without a tape measure and a lawyer.

Rugby league is coming soon to Allegiant Stadium in Vegas.

Add the mission creep of technology - with The Bunker a virtual prison officer who can cell-toss any play for indiscretions, much like rugby’s TMO - and you can see why we should be enlightening the world on the difference between league and a sleeveless puffer-vest.

But before then, time for some honesty.

The NRL needs to reset its self-image and realise the only ‘War without Pads’ being fought over here is between the two codes with a cheque book.

The utopian image of raw violence in rugby league that we cherish is gone forever and we shouldn’t say otherwise, even if it helps half-fill a stadium in the States.

- Dane Eldridge is a warped cynic yearning for the glory days of rugby league, a time when the sponges were magic and the Mondays were mad.

He’s never strapped on a boot in his life, and as such, should be taken with a grain of salt.