Nick Newlin is Representing the USA in a New Way

By Jennie Reid

There is no greater stage in rugby than being able to represent your country for the sport you love. Newlin is honored to be named on the Hawks’ squad for the Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers-Americas, beginning Dec 4th.

Newlin first played rugby in college in 2008 for the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and then played one season with the Misfits on Camp Lejeune for the US Marines. After getting out of the military in 2012, Newlin moved to Georgia and almost immediately sought out the local rugby team. Knowing the connectedness of people in rugby and how he enjoyed playing in the past it was definitely something he wanted to pursue. He also knew it would be a great opportunity to get to know some guys in the area his age, network for a new job and occupy free time.

After playing rugby union for two years in Georgia, for North Atlanta Rugby Club and Atlanta Renegades, Newlin heard about the Atlanta Rhinos starting up a rugby league team for the 2014 season. With no prior knowledge of rugby league, except for the games he watched on YouTube, he decided to discover if it was for him. He went to the weekend training camp/tryout in Atlanta and says that he “was hooked the moment we started going over the basics of the game.”

“I really love this game, as they say it is the greatest game in the world and I’m really beginning to believe that.”

His newfound passion was off to a fantastic start, with Newlin being named the inaugural Team Captain for the Atlanta Rhinos. Australian coaches Jordon “Smuggler” Smedley and Dave Barrie out of Canberra, Australia came over to the USA for the first year to help the development of the club. Newlin started for their first game against the Central Florida Warriors and scored the first try in the history of the Atlanta Rhinos.

“That is something I will never forget,” said Newlin.

According to Newlin, and anyone else who has played, “rugby in general, no matter what code, really has a different culture and pride and respect woven into the game.”  With just two years playing rugby league, Newlin says it has definitely changed his life for the better, by opening up so many doors, and presenting him with many opportunities that any other sport would not have. The game has introduced him to great people like Peter Illfield and Spinner Howland. It’s also given him the opportunity to represent his country on the playing field and “be coached by one of the greats,” he says.

“It is a sport that demands every ounce of energy from the 13 players on a team and it is a beautiful thing when all 13 come together and play as one.”

Although the USA is still a “developing” nation for rugby league in the eyes of fans, Newlin says “we still earn the respect of the world and its fans.” Supporters in Leeds follow the Atlanta Rhinos week in and week out and want to wear the Atlanta Rhinos jersey just because they are associated and share the Rhinos name.  Newlin says, “things like that make me really proud to be a part of this game and now represent the USA on the grandest stage.”

“The respect that the game earns worldwide is amazing,”

When Newlin first heard the news that he made the national team and the World Cup Qualifiers training squad, his reaction was full of pride. The news did not come as too much of a surprise, because he has certainly earned it and he did have a feeling that he would make the Hawks’ team.  Newlin has worked very hard to be the best that he can be at rugby league. He leads his teammates as Captain of the Rhinos and is making a name for himself, while also looking out for the best interests of the Rhinos.

“I remember getting the email at work and kind of just soaking it in, leaning back in my chair and just feeling blessed about the opportunity.”

The road to his current success hasn’t been without its challenges. “The camp back in July was a real test of commitment,” said Newlin.  The team had a two hour training session the day after playing an eighty minute game.  Reflecting on his performance in the first test match with the USARL vs Canada, Newlin thought he performed well, but unfortunately didn’t get an opportunity in the second match. “That didn’t deter me,” he said.  “I have always thought what I bring to the table as a rugby league athlete would put my name on the squad.”

Mental skills Newlin has gained from playing rugby league are patience and dealing with adversity.  In 2015, playing for the Rhinos, a second year club, they were without a coach or any imports on the team about three weeks before they started playing.  “It was put on my shoulders with the help of teammate Salesi Tongamoa, to keep the team a reality, keep us coached to the best of our ability, and keep us moving in a positive direction for the season,” said Newlin. With hard work and battling a lot of adversity, they proudly made it to the USARL final, coming in second in the country. Newlin said, “It was a huge test on our patience and we came out for the better even though the result in the final wasn’t what we were looking for.”

As Captain and stepping into a player-coach role, Newlin was most concerned about how well the Rhinos played as a team.  In 2015, his knowledge for the game of rugby league took a step forward.  The first year he played was with a lot of direction from his teammates who were imports from Australia.  He mostly relied on instinct and just playing hard for eighty minutes.  This year he expanded on that, while also seeing the whole field better and game planning while on the field.  “I saw how field position and kicking at the right times changed the flow and shape of the game,” he said.  Newlin provided a lot of direction in the middle of the field this year, when they had a player take over at hooker (#9) for the first time.  Newlin feels that his personal growth and knowledge of the game this year was a major contributing factor that led the Rhinos to the grand final.

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Newlin has set a great example for his teammates. “I am a true believer of leading by example, and I think that’s what my teammates really see in me to inspire them and mentor them,” Newlin said.  Most of the Rhinos started playing rugby league for the first time in 2014 together and several of them have a lot more experience playing rugby than Newlin, even though they are five or six years younger than him.  At 28 years old, Newlin is still a young man in this game with only about 5 years of total experience in rugby.  “Anybody can talk about what they want and needing to get 110% out of every player, but if you are emulating that yourself in practice and in games then it becomes epidemic and your teammates follow suit,” said Newlin.

Newlin said of his rugby league ambitions, “I think this country is primed to have a great competition that hopefully one day will be professional, play on television and be able to pay its players.  Anything I can do to make that happen I will.  When the game becomes too much for my body in the distant future and it’s time to hang up my boots then I hope to still be involved behind the scenes, whether as a coach, team owner or a position within the USARL.”

Rugby league in the USA is very much a baby in the states in terms of development and fan base, but it is growing and growing rapidly, according to Newlin.  “Being from a football background I know firsthand that getting players to realize the similarities and the opportunities rugby league has can be difficult and to try and sway fans away from the game involving pads, forward passes, and breaks between plays is difficult.”  In high school, Newlin played four sports including football, baseball, basketball, and track in a school and conference where football dominated the landscape, and he also played at the D3 level for one year.

He pointed out a need to start at the youth level and offer an alternative to football and keep it going right up on the line through junior high, high school, and college.  Newlin said, “If we open up the rugby league opportunities to go along with football, then rugby league will be a force to be reckoned with.” Rugby union has established grassroots programs now throughout the USA and rugby league would be wise to follow suit. In his opinion, “rugby league, once it begins to be noticed, will leap frog and take over rugby union in terms of popularity very quickly. The game resembles football and is much easier to understand to the common rugby fan.  It is appealing when you tell people it is 13 running backs vs. 13 linebackers all game long.  It would be a similar story with introducing American football to countries that only really know rugby or soccer.”

In the World Cup Qualifiers, Newlin is looking forward to playing alongside incredible talent on the Hawks squad. “Playing against guys like Taylor Alley and Jon Purnell twice a year is a challenge and it’s awesome to share the field with guys from the southern conference in the USARL,” he said.  “We always keep tabs on the north as well and being able to play with Ryan Burroughs, Casey Clark, Rich Henson, and Kevin Wiggins is a great experience.”  He also said that the players coming from overseas would bring a wealth of knowledge.  “Being able to pick up pointers from them, especially a player like Mark Offerdahl, will be huge for the continued development of my game and my teammates, as I bring back to the Rhinos next year what I have learned,” said Newlin.

Brian McDermott Coach of the Leeds Rhinos 2015 SuperLeague Champions

Most of all, Newlin is thrilled about being coached by one of the greats - Brian McDermott.  Newlin has already seen him coaching and met with him last year when he played with the USA Pioneers squad against Leeds.

“I love playing rugby league, in particular the Rhinos, and now being able to wear the Red, White, and Blue for the World Cup Qualifiers is just an honor.”

Being raised in small suburb of Wisconsin, Newlin never imagined that he would end up in the largest city in the south, playing rugby league and being selected for the national team. He says that Atlanta is “a great place to be and there is so much opportunity.” Newlin has his goal set on being a part of the USARL Hawks team in 2017 when they earn their right to be in the World Cup. He also thinks that for some players, perhaps himself included, they have hopes that playing for the USARL will open up opportunities to play for other clubs outside of the USA.  He also feels that sending a few players to get international experience will only strengthen the game here in the USA when they come back to their clubs. For now, Newlin is one hundred percent focused on growing the game in the USA and playing for his country.