NRL in Vegas as it happened: Panthers prevail in a thriller after Jillaroos and Raiders pile on points

And that’s all from us in Las Vegas and here in equally salubrious Maroubra. It’s been real. There’s been points aplenty and trouncings in three of the four games.

Allegiant Stadium: The field of NRL dreams after another Vegas venture.Credit: Getty Images

But that last one was good old-fashioned rugba leeg at its best, and who could begrudge the Raiders and Jillaroos their thoroughly impressive outings in Sin City either?

Our reporters on the ground will have all the wash-up for you as it unfolds and after four months of cricket and sunshine, it’s four sleeps until the footy’s back on again - Roosters and Broncos on Thursday night.

Until then, stay classy, stay out of trouble.

Warriors chief executive Cameron George will investigate allegations that assistant coach Richard Agar grabbed a UK-based journalist by the throat at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.

Agar, who previously coached in the Super League and hails from England, allegedly has a long-standing feud with the journalist in history and is alleged to have grabbed him by the throat near the press box.

Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary claims he was ‘being a p****’ after being hit by Briton Nikora.

The press centre and coaches boxes are on the same level at Allegiant Stadium.

“I haven’t had a chance to speak with Richard, but I will,” George said. “There are enough cameras in this building, so I’m sure we’ll get to the bottom of it. Once I have all the information, we’ll deal with it.”

The journalist declined to comment and does not want to be named.

The NRL is aware of the incident.

There it is. Great game. Great finish from Penrith, plenty to like for Cronulla too, though. The premiers hold on in a thriller that could’ve gone either way, especially in those frantic final minutes.

Penrith celebrate Daine Laurie’s match-winning try.Credit: Getty Images

The take-aways? Liam Martin’s an animal. Penrith is just a machine, even with plenty of round one rust. For the Sharks - Braydon Trindall was their dominant play-maker and Addin Fonua-Blake could well be their match-winning spark. It was the former Warrior who produced when they needed points as the clock wound down.

Liam Martin with a great tackle on Ronaldo Mulitalo as he streaked away. All Cronulla at the moment though. A fast play-the-ball almost has Cameron McInnes powering over.

And the next play Braydon Trindall is swamped at the line. He couldn’t get a kick or a pass away, was he not standing deep enough? That was an odd way to end a real momentum set. Liam Martin having a blinder, he’s broken into the backfield himself in return. He’s single-handedly bringing back the country afro. And I for one, applaud him for it.

Liam Martin: the best back-rower in the game and it’s not even close.Credit: AP

Wouldn’t you know it, Penrith are in straight away. They picked out winger Sam Stonestreet being caught at marker and targeted his edge - easy points in the end for Daine Laurie against a sliding, backpedalling defence. Game still alive with three minutes to play though as Nathan Cleary sideline conversion attempt just swings wide.

Panthers 24 Sharks 22

Cronulla has enjoyed a healthy second-half advantage as far as territory goes - more than double the Panthers’ tackles inside the opposition’s 20 as we head inside the final 10 minutes.

High contact on Blayke Brailey gives the Sharks a full set inside Penrith’s half. And they don’t need too long at all. Addin Fonua-Blake winds up against a flat-footed defence, picks out Dylan Edwards and just powers his way over. That looked too easy, but Fonua-Blake can make that sort of four-pointer look much easier than it actually is.

Channel Nine reporting that Penrith actually handed back a HIA card too after Isaiah Papalii came off the field holding his jaw. So they’ve owned up and lost an interchange there - though of course if they were found to have rorted that system, it was potentially a heavier penalty after the fact too. Interesting.

Panthers 24 Sharks 22

Cronulla refusing to go away. Error from Liam Martin with Ronaldo Mulitalo up and hassling him in defence around halfway.

By the end of the set Kayal Iro is able to squeeze through between Nathan Cleary and Izack Tago on Penrith’s right edge - nice face ball from Braydon Trindall for that one. We’ve had some quality ball-playing in this contest, especially for round one.

Isaiah Papalii coming off the field and into the sheds holding onto his jaw, he doesn’t look comfortable at all.

Panthers 24 Sharks 16

Penrith get their chance at Cronulla’s line and Nathan Cleary is taking his time to get going after copping a shot to the ribs. It came from Briton Nikora as he was passing and it knocked him around, Penrith’s champion No.7 was with the trainer for a while.

But he’s up and the Panthers are in. Mitch Kenny the engineer out of dummy-half, getting out and creating a numbers advantage before finding Cleary and Penrith’s backline move finishes with Daine Laurie scoring in the corner.

And they’re just too good. Just like in the first half, Penrith follow up one try with another in quick time. Quick slingshot move down their right side, Paul Alamoti diving over in the opposite corner. Ronaldo Mulitalo gave away a penalty for running into a scuffle leading up to that play too - mirroring the Sharks error between those two first-half tries.

Panthers 22 Sharks 10

And we’re on again in Vegas. Braydon Trindall has come reeling out of an attempted tackle on Liam Martin. He looks to be shaking off a burner to his shoulder in back play.

Shades of last year’s grand final now with five minutes of the second half gone and not a stoppage among them. Penrith love nothing more than this style of footy. Good test for Cronulla.

They get the first real attacking shot of this half and they throw plenty at them. Braden Hamlin-Uele is claiming a try on the last tackle from a Nicho Hynes short ball. He’s given it a decent go but the Bunker shows he’s a fibber - Lindsay Smith has managed to hold him up as he skids over the tryline, with a knock-on along the way.

Panthers 12 Sharks 10

Unaware of the intricacies of rugby league, Renee Gonzalez went straight to the instructional film used to educate American fans.

“Watching that Russell Crowe video definitely helped,” Gonzalez said.

The study session paid off after Gonzalez was trumpeted as one of the four winners of the talent combine in Las Vegas. Gonzalez and Maria Arzuaga were the top female picks, while Adam Channel and Marcus D’Acre were the best of the men.

The quartet, who all have rugby union backgrounds, will now get the chance to come to Australia to fulfil their respective NRLW and NRL ambitions.

Las Vegas NRL combine athlete Marcus D’Acre.

It’s been a big 12 months for Channel. The 28-year-old from Long Beach, California, was part of the US sevens team that competed in last year’s Olympics in Paris.

“If you ask anyone who went to the Olympics, they’ll say it’s the greatest sporting achievement of their life,” Channel said.

“And it was, 100 per cent … Knowing the grand scale of the NRL and its presence in Australia, having the opportunity to hopefully debut one day for an NRL side, it would be on par to playing in the Olympics in my opinion.

“In other people’s opinion it may not feel the same, but in mine I have got such a massive love for the game of rugby league. If one day I get the opportunity to debut, it would mean the absolute world to me”.

D’Acre, meanwhile, had already fielded interest from the North Queensland Cowboys before winning the combine.

“I’m super grateful for this opportunity, it was an honour to be here, an honour to go ahead and win it,” D’Acre said.