USA Olympian Adam Channel plans to seek tips from Storm rugby sevens convert Moses Leo ahead of next month’s NRL talent combine in Las Vegas.
Channel, who represented the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has closely followed the NRL since being introduced to rugby league by team-mate Naima Fua’laau when he joined the USA Rugby Sevens program four years ago.
With the likes of Leo, Storm and former All Blacks team-mate Will Warbrick and Australian sevens pair Mark Nawaqanitawase and Nathan Lawson having made the switch to the NRL, Channel is out to impress talent scouts in Vegas.
“Rugby league is so cool. I am such a big fan, and I would love the opportunity to come to the NRL,” Channel said.

“If you look at Will Warbrick, who has been playing with the Storm, and Moses Leo is coming this year, and you have also got Nathan Lawson, who has signed with the Dragons, I think that shows that players can make the transition from rugby sevens.
“Moses Leo and I are pretty good friends, as well, and I am actually going to Melbourne so I’m hoping to catch up with him. It will be pretty cool to chat with him about how it is going so far.”
The 28-year-old has been playing rugby union since he was seven years-old, thanks partly to the influence of his maternal grandparents, Catherine and Shelley.
Catherine, who passed away when Channel was young, was from New Zealand and after meeting Shelley, who was in the US Navy, she moved from Raglan to California.
Growing up in Long Beach, Channel played for Belmont Shore RFC and was selected in an All-American High Schools team that toured France and Portugal before being chosen for the USA Rugby Sevens squad in 2021.
His room-mate at the squad's San Diego training centre was Fua’laau, a halfback with Samoan heritage who had a passion for the NRL and the Broncos which has rubbed off on Channel.
“I had known about it (the NRL) before, but I had only really watched highlights of big plays. Then when we moved in together, we really started watching it a bunch and I just developed a big support for the Brisbane Broncos,” Channel said.
With my family connection to New Zealand I will always support the Wahs, but there is something about the Broncos and I have just really stuck with them.
“I’m a big fan of Origin, I think it is absolutely incredible. In the US, if there was anything where each state had to play each other it would be huge so getting NSW and Queensland to play each other and the way the whole state gets behind their team is awesome.
“The comeback that the Blues had last year was crazy, I didn’t expect that. After the year before, you think maybe Queensland are going to have a run for a couple of years and then the Blues come back ... I love how it is always a toss-up and one team never dominates for long.”
Asked to nominate his favourite player, Channel says: “Kotoni Staggs is freaking unbelievable. I am just a big fan of his playing style. Excuse the French but he just has a big f*** you mindset and is like, ‘I’m a dog’. I admire that a lot.”
Staggs goes 100 metres
Channel will be one of 25 male and 25 female athletes taking part in the NRL Combine at Silver Bowl Park on February 28 and the UFC Performance Center on March 1.
The NRL will then select two male and two female athletes to travel to Australia to train with elite teams for the chance to earn an NRL or NRLW contract.
NRL Combine: Athletes put to the test
A winger in sevens, Channel believes he would be more suited to playing lock in the NRL.
“With sevens I am pretty light, just because of the amount of running we have to do, but I would put on a decent amount of weight if I did get the opportunity to come to the NRL.
“I am just really excited for this opportunity, and I am hoping to get a shot at playing in the NRL. I think it would be really cool.”