Bulldogs are scouting American talent in preparation for the season opener in Vegas.
The Bulldogs are considering becoming the first club to recruit a player from the NRL’s venture into North America, as officials are scouting talent in Las Vegas for a potential NRLW team. Canterbury CEO Aaron Warburton and director Andrew Gifford attended the NRL Las Vegas 9s on Thursday, where they identified several players of interest while preparing for an expanded NRLW from 2025.
“The Nines was quite enlightening, and we were intrigued by the caliber of talent present in the USA and Canada, where all teams originated for the tournament,” Warburton stated. “We’re actively pursuing an NRLW license as soon as possible, and witnessing the talent in the women’s games was particularly gratifying.
“We had numerous athletes approach us directly, expressing their passion for playing and asking us to keep an eye on them. We duly noted their interest and were impressed with the current state of the game in North America.
“We initially expected to witness rugby league for the first time at Allegiant Stadium [for the NRL double-header], so it was a pleasant surprise to find hundreds of athletes playing the sport just 20 minutes out of town,” he added. “Observing their enthusiasm for rugby league and their determination to play in the NRL or NRLW in the future was truly inspiring.”
Among the standout players was Chicago North Shore center Nira Fowler, who received an invitation to the NRL Combine, alongside Cyrus Habibi-Likio, who has experience in the systems of the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans.
Following physical and skills assessments at the NFL-style Combine, two male and two female players will be chosen to travel to Australia and train with an elite team.
Fowler, who transitioned to rugby union while at university in 2021, expressed her dedication to reaching a high level in the sport and eagerly awaits the opportunity to play in the NRLW.
“I was very light at 120 pounds [55kg], just a pair of legs out there, so I started working out with my teammate Kris Smith at the Foundry 13 gym in Detroit,” Fowler shared with NRL.com. “I’ve gained 20 pounds [9kg] and feel much stronger. I enjoy defense, especially tackling opponents larger than myself, and I’m focusing on improving my decision-making skills.
“My approach is to never decline a rugby opportunity because I never know where it might lead me, and that excites me,” she added.
Habibi-Likio, who previously played college football as a running back at the University of Oregon and had stints with the 49ers and Texans, was experiencing rugby league for the first time with the East Palo Alto Razorbacks.
