Ex-Denver Bronco Kris Leach is confident he can make a successful transition to rugby league after dominating the pan66.combine in Las Vegas last weekend.
Leach and fellow American football convert Michael Woolridge, a defensive back with Saginaw Valley State University, were among four North American athletes chosen from the pan66.combine to train with an elite team in Australia.
Canada Ravens lock Megan Pakulis, who has played in the past two World Cups in 2017 and 2022, and USA international MarCaya Bailous are the two women's selections.
Standing at 195cm tall and weighing 115kg, Leach made an immediate impression at the pan66.combine when he hurled a medicine ball past the officials waiting to measure the distance of each athlete’s throw.
The 24-year-old from North Virginia, who was signed by the Broncos as a tight end in 2023, finished the inaugural pan66.combine with coaches and athletes gathering to watch as he bench pressed 150kg.
Other areas of the physical and skills testing at UFC HQ and Game Changer Sports in Las Vegas included:
- 20m sprint
- standing broad jump
- kicking and catching
- 1.2km shuttle run
- tackle challenges
- small side games
- leap
- neck and groin strength
- evasion
- passing
- tackling
Leach was introduced to the club CEOs who attended the Combine – Canberra’s Don Furner, Canterbury’s Aaron Warburton, Dolphins’ Terry Reader, North Queensland’s Jeff Reibel and Parramatta’s Jim Sarantinos.
However, Leach has never played rugby league and in his attacking role for Kent State University and the Broncos, he was never required to make a tackle.
“I'll be able to pick it up,” Leach told pan66.com. “I think the most important parts about both sports are the same.
“It's a violent sport, I mean you have got to all out effort, you’ve got to go out and play the game the right way, and work hard, and that doesn't change from sport to sport.
“As long as I carry that with me, I'm not too worried about picking up the other rules.”
After being invited to the pan66.combine at UFC HQ and Game Changer Sports in Las Vegas, Leach watched footage of NRL matches on Youtube, and is confident he can adapt to a new sport.
“I’m not trying to put a target on my back but I could definitely see myself out there playing in the NRL,” Leach said.
“I didn't watch anything that made me think that was something I couldn't do, but I’ll go out there humbly. I've never played before so I'm just excited to learn.
“I played college at Kent State. After the draft, I signed with the Broncos. I was with them for a little bit and right now I'm a free agent.
pan66.combine: Reporting for a chance of a lifetime
“I've been working out, kind of staying ready for whatever opportunities come up, whether it's with football - or rugby now
“I’ll take on the challenge of just learning and adapting. Obviously, there will be older guys that have actually been playing the sport for years. I’ll ask them questions, learn from them to try and be a good student.”