BRIGHT light city’s gona set my soul…

One does wonder how many plays – or streams as it is these days – Elvis Presley’s iconic song will be getting in the general Warrington area over the next few days as flight and hotel booking pages are hammered.

This, however, is about so much more than giving their fans the adventure of a lifetime.

In so many ways, it unveils the way forward rugby league simply must take and Warrington Wolves will be delighted to have a part in it.

They may have had their critics for their methods of doing so and some things have been more successful than others, but themselves and Wigan Warriors have been at the forefront of attempts to go outside of the norm for some time now.

And whoever has been the driving force of this latest bold move, everyone involved has a part to play in making sure it works.

On the face of it, it appears ironic that this piece of joined-up thinking between the sport’s only two professional league comes with painful examples of areas in which they remain seemingly at loggerheads – namely the international game and its significance – are still fresh in the memory given the shambles that was France vs England.

Rather than one faction going one way and the other a different one, though, the Vegas venture is the kind of alignment the game needs.

While both the NRL and Super League have to look after themselves and their own first and foremost, they are united by the common goal of making sure rugby league is not a secret kept just for themselves.

Whatever side you’re on, we’re all on the side of the game itself. We love it, and we want others to love it as much as we do.

And that is where, for the good of rugby league, any differences need to be put aside in order to move in one direction together and this is a prime example of that.

And if that means accepting our place on our side of the world, so be it.

Let’s not beat around the bush – in terms of how we play, market and stage the game, we are miles behind the NRL.

A lot of that is due to resource available, but that is just where we are and barring something drastic, that’s not changing any time soon.

Super League is along for the ride with this one but now, we have to make sure we’re not the ones booted out of the car.

If that means going above and beyond to make a success of this chance, let’s get it done. If it means key players getting over there and sell the pants off this game, we have to do it.

While not for one minute suggesting George Williams and Bevan French are going to be sat on Jimmy Kimmel’s couch (although how nice it would be to be proved wrong), we have to get our stars in front of as many American faces as possible in the run-up to this game.

Naturally, that would involve some self-sacrifice – something which has probably held the game back in these parts – but if this is to be a success, it has to be done.

A golden opportunity has been put in our hands. Let’s not waste it.

Viva Las Vegas!