NRL in Las Vegas LIVE: Updates as Souths, Manly, the Roosters and Broncos make footy

A fan just posted this shot of Allegiant, with the crowd looking relatively healthy on the lower decks of the stadium, but the upper decks remain very sparsely populated.

Some supporters are already taking to social media to accuse the coverage of being over the top when it comes to talking up the atmosphere and the number of seats that have been filled – but this image shows the numbers are still building up.

It’s great to see the fans have brought their age-old rivalries to the other side of the world with them, but any Yank who locks eyes on this ‘Manly hates you too’ sign is going to be left scratching their head.

However, all they have to do is ask any Souths supporter why people hate Manly so much to get a passionate explanation that could last for the entire first half.

Footy supremo Peter V’landys is being interviewed on the sideline at Allegiant, and even though the stadium is nowhere near full of fans at the minute (pictured below), he said the atmosphere is ‘unlike anything I’ve ever experienced’.

It’s almost like he’s never been to a grand final or State of Origin match.

As the below shot of the officials taking a selfie shortly before play was due to kick off shows, they’ve got a bit of a different look for the double header – almost making them look like they’re supporting Collingwood in the AFL.

The switch is to provide a bit of familiarity for our American mates, who are used to seeing their NFL officials wear a very similar strip, which has seen them nicknamed ‘zebras’. However, the Yank refs don’t wear shorts like ours, which makes perfect sense considering some of their games are played outside in subzero temperatures in places like Green Bay.

Las Vegas is currently being hit by wind gusts of up to 100kmh – forcing the ground to fans 30 minutes earlier than planned in order to get them out of harm’s way.

There are concerns this could have an impact on the number of fans who walk up and buy their tickets at the last minute.

Allegiant has giant Lanai doors – essentially huge folding doors that peel back on themselves – that can be opened to provide fans inside the ground with views of the city outside, but they’ll remain closed due to the current conditions.

The 30-year-old said his ‘brilliant’ better half is ‘very supportive’ of his decision – and is hoping their new arrival will be ‘induced literally when I get back’ to Australia after the double header.

The Sea Eagles winger has been one of the faces of footy’s attempt to crack the American market, appearing on TV shows to explain the sport to the Yanks (pictured below).

The most expensive seats for the double header are iin the Owners’ Club Suites (pictured), which come with nlimited food and beverages – alcohol included – provided, along with a private in-suite bathroom, VIP parking passes so guests can get out of their vehicle right in front of the stadium and have a valet take care of it, and a private lounge area complete with a buffet and bar.

If the recent Super Bowl menu in the stadium’s best suites is anything to go by, fans will be in for a culinary treat, with dishes like surf and turf nachos, seafood-stuffed potatoes and wagyu beef hot dogs served as the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers.

We’re T-minus 65 minutes from lift-off in Vegas and as you can see below, footy diehards are making their way into the ‘Death Star’. One of the big questions will be, how many of the spectators who rock up will be American? The NRL will be hoping a lot of locals are curious enough to give the new sport in town a go.

The cheapest tickets are currently going for $19 on Ticketmaster – a low price a lot of footy fans down under would be absolutely stoked with the next time they want to go to a game.

‘For me, this is everything,’ Mitchell told Fox Sports as he took in the field a bit over an hour before kickoff in Souths’ clash with Manly, saying he still can’t believe the NRL has pulled this off and he’s got ‘goosebumps’ just looking at the field.

Much has been made of the dimensions of the playing surface at Allegiant, which has shaved a bit of space off the standard NRL field – and Trell reckons that will lead to a more defensive game, with the Bunnies trying to play through the Sea Eagles more instead of working the flanks.

Allegiant’s field is 94.5 metres from goalposts to goalposts instead of the usual 100 metres, and 64 metres wide instead of 68.

The most famous Manly fan on the planet has been forced to drop his plan to be the biggest VIP at the double-header due to ‘unforeseen’ circumstances, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Jackman had been in Vegas on Friday but had to fly back to New York, it has been reported.

Souths co-owner Russell Crowe is also unable to attend due to filming commitments but provided the voiceover for an advertisement that explained rugby league to Americans.

The queues to get into the ground are forming and one of the biggest questions surrounding the NRL’s foray into the States is, will they attract enough fans to avoid having rows of empty seats appearing on the TV coverage?

So far the answer appears to be yes, with estimates putting the number of tickets sold at 40,000 – and footy bosses will be hoping that number swells thanks to walk-up fans snapping up more seats on match day.

Allegiant Stadium – which has been nicknamed the ‘Death Star’ – holds 65,000 people in the set-up that’s being used for the NRL matches.

G’day and thanks for joining Daily Mail Australia for our live coverage of footy’s history-making Vegas double header. Stick with us for all the latest updates, scores, photos and eye-catching video from Sin City’s Allegiant Stadium as Souths take on Manly, followed by the Roosters’ clash with the Broncos in what will be a season opener like no other.