How a rare defeat is driving Panthers' Vegas bid

Penrith Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo is confident his side has learned the lessons of last year's World Club Challenge loss to Wigan as they prepare to open their 2025 NRL campaign in Las Vegas. 

The four-time defending NRL premiers will travel abroad in February for the second-straight season, having flown to England for the World Club Challenge in 2024. 

The trophy remains the one piece of silverware to elude the Panthers juggernaut, the side falling to Wigan 16-12 in a tense contest.

While the match did not deliver the desired outcome, Yeo said there were plenty of lessons to take from the defeat as they prepare for another international odyssey, this time to the United States.

"It's not every day you get to experience a different culture on the different side of the world," Yeo said. "We've spoken about it as a group, we're looking forward to starting the season with a bang.

"You have the excitement that you're jetting over to the other side of the world but you have to try not fall into the trap of it's a holiday. You're still going over there to try and win competition points. 

"That's the main challenge, everything else comes off the back of that. You want there to be that excitement, it is a bit of a novelty, you don't get to do it everyday. This is probably the only time us as a group will do it so you make sure you enjoy the trip but you're also there to do a job."

Penrith will commence their quest for a stunning fifth-straight NRL title when they take on the Sharks in the final game of a quadruple header in Las Vegas. 

The event will bring the reigning champions of the NRL and Super League competitions together, however they will be thousands of kilometres from Wigan's home base.

Wigan have their sights on a third-consecutive UK title and will take on the Sam Burgess-led Warrington Wolves in the opening match of the Vegas spectacle.

The Raiders will then face the Warriors before the Jillaroos play England in a historic women's Test match, with Penrith and Cronulla set to finish the event with a bang at Allegiant Stadium. 

Thousands of fans are set to travel from Australia and Great Britain for the festival of rugby league, with the crowd expected to surpass the 40,746 that turned out for last year's inaugural event.

The Las Vegas expedition comes as the NRL expands into new markets while also consolidating support in Australia, the UK and the Pacific.

Like many Australians, Yeo has developed into an NFL fan, the forward closely following the Indianapolis Colts throughout the rugby league off-season. 

It's a situation he hopes US sports fans can embrace in reverse, with rugby league positioned to become their sport of choice during the NFL off-season. 

While the games have plenty of differences, Yeo said there are more similarities than meets the eye and is confident American football fans will appreciate the physicality and teamwork required to succeed in the NRL.

"There's so much hard work and struggle you do," Yeo said. "Whether it's at training, it's form slumps individually or as a team, you go through all those things together. 

"There's no better feeling than going through that struggle as a group and then having success at the back of it. It's a rewarding job but it's not an individual job. You're doing it alongside blokes you're with more than you're with your family over that nine-month stretch so it's very fulfilling and good fun."