Journalists covering the NRL's Las Vegas games fear for their lives after shocking incidents - with

Two shocking late-night incidents have left journalists fearing for their safety as they cover the lead-up to the NRL’s double header in Las Vegas on Sunday.

One footy reporter was bailed up by a knife-wielding man while working late at night in the beachside Los Angeles suburb of Santa Monica, with the Roosters and Broncos basing themselves in the city before flying to Vegas.

The man accused the journalist of damaging his car but left when the Australian denied the accusation, News Corp reported.

‘We were not fully aware of the dangers of working at night in this country,’ the reporter, who chose to remain anonymous, told the publication.

Footy stars like Souths hooker Damien Cook (pictured) have been warned about being targeted by criminals in the USA – but so far it’s the reporters who have run into trouble

Las Vegas police (pictured responding to a shooting in the city) have warned the stars about drugs and extortion 

‘We were simply naive … This is a great city but it’s a dangerous city after dark if you get off the bright lights in isolated areas.

‘I’m just relieved we came out in one piece.’

The other incident saw a separate reporter and his TV crew fear for their lives when they were hemmed in by three cars during a late-night job in Westlake Village, a short drive north of Los Angeles.

They were filming their report when the vehicles converged on them from different directions and cornered them.

The crew managed to finish their report, with the journalist believing that one of his colleagues saved them when he made a phone call and possibly led the people in the cars to believe he was contacting the police.

‘It was the most terrifying experience of my life,’ the reporter said.

‘It was the first time in my life that I thought I was going to die.

‘The honest feeling was we were either going to be robbed or killed. I was genuinely worried about not surviving.’

Safety has been a big concern for stars from the Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles, Roosters and Broncos during their time in the USA.

One journalist feared for his life and those of his colleagues when they were cornered by three cars as they reported near the Broncos team hotel when the side was based just north of Los Angeles (pictured, Brisbane stars Pat Carrigan and Andrew Reynolds in LA) 

While most of the worries about security have revolved around the players’ time in Las Vegas, the two incidents involving reporters both occurred in California

Last week one of the top police officers in Las Vegas, Lieutenant Kendall Bell, warned players about the dangers of taking illicit drugs in the city.

He told them illegal substances can be laced with the deadly drug fentanyl, a powerful synthetic drug used for severe pain and known to be 50-100 times more potent than heroin. 

Misuse of the substance, whether through improper prescription use or illegal distribution, poses a significant risk of overdose and respiratory distress, leading to fatalities. 

Players were also warned of possible extortion attempts in Sin City, with victims targeted after the use of alcohol and drugs, or sexual encounters.

Footballers were told to avoid taking women back to their rooms and to be vigilant when it comes to drink spiking. 

The four clubs playing in the double header have each been given 10 security guards in an effort to ensure they stay free of trouble. 

ncG1vNJzZmhqZGy7psPSmqmorZ6Zwamx1qippZxemLyue8Snq56qpJa2r7nEp6too6mntqZ5yKutoqaXYsCmscyipaCkqWKxqr%2FSnqpmppmgsm7DyK2fZqafqbJur86vnKuhnpx6tbTEoqlmpJ%2BcvG67zWafoqtdqLWwsdJmmJ%2Bslad6rbvSoqWgZZKnrq%2BwjKmYq6yemr%2B0tMipZg%3D%3D