Sin City calling: Sunday footy dishes up perfect Vegas entree

Author: Sofia Bamonte NRL.com reporter
Timestamp: Sat 15 Aug 2026, 08:01 AM

This Sunday’s NRL action will provide an entree for what's to come in Las Vegas in 2027, with the Titans and Wests Tigers getting a chance to build momentum before heading to Sin City next February.

With finals out of reach for both Gold Coast and Wests Tigers, the focus is already shifting towards 2027, and the four remaining rounds are a chance to sharpen up before the bright lights of Allegiant Stadium.

The Titans will be first up, travelling south to face a Newcastle side whose season was sparked by their opening-round trip to Vegas where they took care of business against the Cowboys.

For Josh Hannay’s Titans, Sunday is an opportunity to rediscover the form that briefly had them dreaming of a finals push, after back-to-back wins earlier in the season showed signs of a team capable of competing with the best.

Hannay has already made a significant impact in his first season as an NRL coach, and with four games remaining, the Titans will be determined to finish the year strongly before turning their attention towards next season.

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"The hope is there is energy there to get back to the team we were becoming," said coach Josh Hannay on Friday.

"The teams we are playing are the teams we want to be competitive with moving forward, they are finals footy teams and that's where we are heading so we see it as an opportunity to build towards next year."

Then come the Tigers and Dragons at CommBank Stadium.

The Tigers will be desperate to snap a six-game losing streak and finish a season that promised so much on a high.

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Benji Marshall’s side made a flying start to 2026 and spent much of the season in the finals conversation, but their campaign has unravelled in recent weeks.

They’ll also have revenge on their minds after the Dragons claimed victory when the sides last met in Round 18.

For the Titans and Tigers, Sunday represents more than just another round of footy.

It’s the first step towards Viva Las Vegas.

Four games remain to find combinations, build confidence and make sure they’re ready to put on a show when the NRL season opens at Allegiant Stadium.