Sharks ask Gallen to meet secret US billionaire

NRL great Paul Gallen was asked to meet a secret billionaire while in America as part of a sponsorship push by Cronulla powerbrokers. The former Sharks captain revealed on 2GB's Wide World of Sports radio that Sharks CEO Dino Mezzatesta and chairman Steve Mace will fly to New York next week to meet the mystery money man. Gallen - who led Cronulla to a drought-breaking premiership in 2016 and later made a name, and plenty of money, for himself as a boxer - was asked to join the pair after working for Nine at the Las Vegas double header on Sunday. "That's true," Gallen told 2GB host Mark Levy during Monday night's program. "Dino Mezzatesta and Steve Mace, as far as I know, will be flying in a private jet from Las Vegas to New York, spending a couple of days in New York and will be meeting this particular person. "Hopefully trying to get some sponsorship, I don't know whether they will or not. "Apparently he's got plenty of dollars and he's a big Sharkies fan, lives over there in America, he's involved in IT." Gallen joked he had to turn Mezzatesta, Mace and the billionaire down given his media responsibilities in Australia. The retired forward is a regular on Levy's radio show as well as Nine's 100% Footy and NRL broadcasts. "You wouldn't let me off though mate, so I'll be home ready to rip in," he joked to Levy.

Emotional reunion as Rabbitohs touch down in America

The South Sydney Rabbitohs arrived in Los Angeles ahead of their NRL season opener to strong support from locals. The Rabbitohs are the first of the league's four teams to touch down on American soil with the 2024 premiership to kick off in Las Vegas on March 3. At the airport the team was met by American Rabbitohs fanatic Kaine Charleston —who came with a gift after the club supported him through his cancer battle. "I'm supposed to be at chemo now but my doctor let me off," Charleston told Australian media at the airport. "It was touch and go but my numbers are good so he said, 'Go see your guys'. So we came straight from the hospital to here. "I just wanted to see them off and say welcome and how much they mean to me." The rest of the club's stars, including Latrell Mitchell, set off on the long commute on Tuesday. "It's not as bad as going to England so I should be all right. We're looking forward to it," Thomas Burgess said of the flight to the states. After slipping out of the competition's top eight last season, the Rabbitohs are ready to make amends with a successful campaign. "It's probably been the longest pre-season I've had since being with Souths in my 12 years so if that's something to go by, and it definitely sets up the season," Burgess said. South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou echoed the sentiment of having a strong season, encouraging his players to look beyond the bright lights of Vegas. "We're not here for a holiday. We're here to work and the players know that," he said. "But we want to enjoy the experience as well, be respectful of the area that we're in, and we understand the interest so we'll soak that up for eight days and then look forward to getting into Vegas."

'Just makes me more shy': Gun teen's brutal try racks up more than 100 million views

A video of a Parramatta junior scoring a brutal length-of-the-field try has been viewed more than 100 million times after going viral in America. The clip is of Viliotu Masila's storming run off the opening play of the game for the Merrylands Rams in the Parramatta Junior Leagues under 18s competition last season. From the kick off, Masila came off the back fence and shrugged off at least nine defenders to score, and was then mobbed by teammates. The Eels originally posted the clip to TikTok last May. That original clip has been viewed more than seven million times. It was also picked up by YouTube channel Highlight Reel Sports, where it has racked up another 95 million views. It has also been picked up by similar sports accounts in the US and Europe. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it won try of the year at the Parramatta Junior League's 2023 awards night. "I wasn't expecting the try to be posted ... it's kinda crazy to see my try get that many views on TikTok," Masila said in an interview at the presentation night. "I had people bring it up speaking to me, but it just makes me more shy." Several comments suggested Masila should be scouted for an NFL contract, while others praised the courage shown by some defenders in trying to tackle Masila despite a significant size difference.