The Panthers, Sharks, Raiders and Warriors travel to Vegas to showcase the beautiful game of rugby league to America and the rest of the world. Whilst some of the games biggest stars will be on display, there are a number of young guns that have made their way into their teams best 17 for the start of the season. The remarkable thing is that many of them won’t be able to get on the beers and celebrate with their team if they secure the win. The NRL integrity unit might be pleased that there are a handful of players who won’t be partying on, it also puts in perspective just how young some of these athletes are. Let’s take a look at the players under 21 representing their team and the NRL in Vegas this weekend.

Savelio Tamale has managed to grab a spot on the wing for the Raiders having impressed Ricky Stuart since making the moved down to Canberra from the Dragons. He has an incredibly strong running game having lead the NSW cup competition for tackle busts, run metres and line breaks in 2024. Ethan Strange has already established himself in the NRL despite being only 20 years old. He stood up and took control of the Raiders when Jamal Fogarty missed a large chunk of last season and he will have gained invaluable experience that could catapult him up another level in 2025. It’s easy to forget just how young he is.

Demitric Vaimauga wasn’t even in the Warriors top 30 squad until only recently after he made a huge impression in the preseason challenge. Whilst not many people will know him yet, you can bet that he will become a household name by the end of the year. He’s a natural athlete who could have pursued rugby union as well, but has committed to honing his craft in rugby league, keep an eye out for him. Leka Halasima is another big body that is on the verge of breaking into the Warriors forward pack. He dominated the SG Ball competition and has made his mark in NSW cup despite a few injury concerns last year. If he can stay fit there’s no doubt he’s got what it takes to make it in the NRL.

Casey McLean is still on 18 years of age despite having made himself known on the internationals stage already. He remarkably scored 4 tries in his debut for New Zealand and did not look out of place at a representative level. He may have only had 7 games under his belt in the NRL but he looks destined for a long career as one of the many incredible talents coming through the Panthers pathway program. Luron Patea is another name to keep your eye out for, the hulking prop has recently committed to the Panthers for the next few years after weighing up his options in rugby union. From what we have seen in preseason he doesn’t look like he will shy away from the physicality of the NRL and has the potential to step up and fill the void left by James Fisher-Harris in the Panthers forward pack.