The Mole: Phil Gould hunting 'fine athletes' as part of NRL's American combine

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Bulldogs boss Phil Gould has flown out to Las Vegas this week intent on signing two American athletes to play for Canterbury.

Gould will cast his eye over the NRL Combine in Sin City, where 25 male and 25 female elite athletes will be put on trial.

The club is hoping to sign one NRL and one NRLW player to join in 2026.

Hundreds of college football stars from around the USA have applied for the combine, where they are put through a host of tests to see if they are suitable to play league.

The tests include running, passing and tackling as well as flexibility and toughness.

Every year, thousands of talented American college footballers retire in their early 20s, with less than five per cent making it into the NFL.

"There's no doubt there are a lot of fine athletes over there and I want to run my eye over them and see if any would adapt to league," Gould told Wide World of Sports.

The combine will be one of several events leading up to the big double-header to open the season in Vegas on Saturday week.

In the 1970s, former NFL star Manfred Moore was signed by the Newtown Jets, becoming the first American to play in Sydney.

He scored with his first touch of the football but returned home after half a season.

'REMARKABLE' RISE FOR TEENAGER
A few weeks ago I wrote that the Roosters had signed big bopper brothers Itula and Fanafou Seve from the Bulldogs.

Remarkably, Itula, just 17, has made such an impression in his short time at the club that he is poised for an upgrade and extension in coming days.

The bulky prop who was captain of the Bulldogs' Harold Matthews Cup squad last season is being groomed as an NRL player by the Roosters in either 2026 or 2027.
 
Think tight ends would be most suited....guys like Kittle, Kelce, Gronkowski.
Big and fastish, have to catch and run and also mix it up with blocking on offense.
 
The problem with tapping into the American market isn't the size or physique of the players, it's their understanding of the game.

The last RL World Cup the USA qualified for was in 2017, and from a total of 3 games, they scored ONE try. That's the best they've got.

Wishful thinking.
 
Moedogg said:
Seems like a waste of time and money, not only do they have to learn new skillsets but NFL is a stop-start game, they wouldn't have the endurance to play even at park footy level.
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Totally agree, the concept of grabbing an ex NFL player is nothing new and has always seemed to fail. The women's side has a better possibility of working out, that league is still very much in its infancy, they are actively recruiting women with athletic ability but don't necessarily have league experience/knowledge to try out, it still wouldn't be easy for them, but a little more realistic.
 
Wahesh said:
The problem with tapping into the American market isn't the size or physique of the players, it's their understanding of the game.

The last RL World Cup the USA qualified for was in 2017, and from a total of 3 games, they scored ONE try. That's the best they've got.

Wishful thinking.
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Didn’t a USA team do an nfl play one day at a rugby league match? Haha. Or did I dream that. I’m pretty sure they threw the ball down field haha.

Nfl and NRL are vastly different sports. And nothing is brought over. Better off getting a elite college sprinter and work on them rather then a nfl player who is generally not accustom to playing both sides of the sport (offence and defence) and generally is on the field for a few actual mins at a time before they come off.
 
The U.S. have some incredible athletes, could easily cross over given time to learn and develop.

anyone know who the most promising U.S. cross-over athlete was trying to get into league?
 
Rugby Union has some footing in the Ivy league Unis and the military (particularly the Navy i think). Could be some potential there.
 
That's what I love about Gus.
He thinks outside the square.
Why limit ourselves in a AUS/NZ/UK competitive player market, when he can roam uncontested elsewhere?
Might be speculative but as Plato says 'necessity is the mother of all inventions'.
 
Huge upside in this.

Biggest issue will always be learning the game, but we’ve seen players come from the pacific islands and learn it in 2 years.

If you can bring a top 1% athlete over, and develop him over two years, then there’s no reason why you can’t have a really good winger or centre.
 
Bulldog_4_Life said:
Huge upside in this.

Biggest issue will always be learning the game, but we’ve seen players come from the pacific islands and learn it in 2 years.

If you can bring a top 1% athlete over, and develop him over two years, then there’s no reason why you can’t have a really good winger or centre.
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Kids from Pacific Islands had a rugby background. NFL skills are so different from league, they don't pass, they don't leap....even their running on the spot footwork wouldn't work.
 
Moedogg said:
Kids from Pacific Islands had a rugby background. NFL skills are so different from league, they don't pass, they don't leap....even their running on the spot footwork wouldn't work.
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Agree with the skill sets being miles apart.

However the pool of potential players to pick from in the US is huge. It’s not like Gus is over there trying to put a full team together.

He is looking at athletes that have all the physical attributes, speed and fitness as a base to start with.

Skills can be learnt. Particularly if they have had some exposure to Rugby at all …..
there could just be a diamond amongst them. There is zero downside to him having a look.
 
Could work to find wingers or front rowers maybe. Get one of those 300 pound lineman that run as fast as wingers in the middle could be a a sight
 
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