No Vegas hangover: Clubs using record-breaking opener to launch finals charge

The NRL's four Las Vegas clubs are drawing on lessons from the past two years as they look to use last week's season opener at Allegiant Stadium as a springboard for a successful season.

All four of last year's Vegas clubs qualified for the finals, however their journeys to the post-season were vastly different. 

The Raiders and Warriors burst out the gates upon returning home from America and rocketed into the top eight. The Sharks were up and down during the first half of the season before eventually hitting their stride at the midway point of the year. 

The Panthers suffered the biggest post-Vegas hangover and struggled considerably upon returning home. The four-time defending premiers lost five games in a row and slumped to last on the ladder after 12 rounds.

From there Penrith reeled off nine-straight victories to ultimately finish seventh before losing a thrilling preliminary final to eventual premiers Brisbane. 

This year's teams have looked closely at the experiences from last year and have had conversations with club officials who travelled to Vegas in the past to learn strategies on how to hit the ground running leading into Round 2.

While they ultimately fell short in heartbreaking fashion, Dragons halfback, and former Shark, Dan Atkinson said it's vital his side uses the experience to move closer together.

"It's a great chance to build cohesion and team chemistry," Atkinson said. "Away trips are a good time for the team to buy into what we're building for the year. 

"All the players hang out together, you don't go home to your families and everyone's in the same spot so you get to know the boys a lot more. 

"You can use it to your advantage to build team chemistry and getting a win would have got the energy and confidence up but with a loss we know we have things to work on."

There was plenty of drama in front of a record crowd at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday night (local time) as the Knights launched the Justin Holbrook era with a win and the Bulldogs claimed a thrilling golden-point victory over the Dragons.

Newcastle five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe will be sent for scans after injuring his knee, while a number of players face nervous waits before the Match Review Committee releases the charge sheet. 

The four teams will enjoy a week off as the final six games of Round 1 take place this weekend, starting with a showdown between new rivals Melbourne and Parramatta on Thursday night.

Canterbury have an additional week of rest courtesy of the bye in Round 2 as they recover from a 90-minute epic. 

Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton has had plenty of conversations with his former Panthers teammates as he looks to avoid the post-Vegas slump Penrith endured in 2025. 

The struggles faced by Ivan Cleary's side were compounded by the mental drain of four-straight titles, the off-season departure of multiple players including five-eighth Jarome Luai, and the condensed pre-season that follows when big names play international football at the end of the NRL season.

The Panthers, however, refused to use those factors as excuses. 

In reviewing last year's campaign, multiple senior players conceded standards started to slip in the weeks following the Las Vegas experience and contributed to losses on the field.

In many ways, Penrith are the one team you'd expect to handle Vegas the best.

The sheer size and scale of the week is repeatedly compared to the grand final, with fan days, media commitments and corporate events that can quickly become a distraction from the game. 

The Panthers navigated the lead up to secure a hard-fought win over Cronulla, but co-captain Nathan Cleary concedes his team struggled with the come down on the other side. 

"It's built up as such a big thing," Cleary said. "It felt like a grand final going over there and you want it to feel that way. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity so you want to make the most of it and enjoy it. 

"It's being aware of complacency once you get back and generating your own energy and momentum heading into the rest of the season. As much as we'd like to have done it differently, it's a good lesson to learn."

While this is the first time the four clubs have played at Allegiant Stadium, there is plenty of shared knowledge among the sides. 

A handful of players travelled to Las Vegas for the second time this year, having previously ventured to the US with former teams. A number of officials have also changed jobs and brought past experience to their new roles. 

The Knights, in particular, have a strong connection with the Roosters. The Bondi club defeated Brisbane in the inaugural edition of the Las Vegas extravaganza and there were plenty of lessons learnt along the way. 

Newcastle utility Sandon Smith played for the Roosters in 2024, while Dominic Young travelled with the squad but did not play.

Current Director of Football Chris James was the Head of Football Operations at the Roosters when they played in Vegas and head coach Justin Holbrook was part of Trent Robinson's coaching staff. 

The Roosters finished third in 2024 and progressed to the preliminary finals after successfully navigating the post-Vegas period.

Holbrook plans on drawing on those lessons as he looks to ensure Newcastle enjoys similar success in 2026. 

"It's an exciting experience to be part of and it's great for the team to spend so much time away together," Holbrook said. "We did it a bit different with the Roosters, we stayed in LA for a few days. This year we went straight to Vegas and it was a special game to be part of. 

"You don't want the hangover to linger for long so it's important what we do after we get home to get it right for our next game."