All Stars voting - stage 1 results

Sharks captain Paul Gallen has come in ninth follwoing stage one voting for the 2013 All Stars Game.

Results released today showed exciting backs Billy Slater and Jarryd Hayne, dynamic wingers Akuila Uate and Brett Morris and powerhouses James Tamou and Fuifui Moimoi as the most popular players among the 15,723 fans who took part in the first stage of online voting for Wayne Bennett’s 2013 NRL All Stars.

Hayne (Eels) was the overall favourite with 9491 votes, 208 ahead of Uate (Knights) after six weeks of voting at www.nrl.com/allstars where fans chose their favourite two backs and two forwards from all 16 NRL Clubs to be considered for Bennett’s team for the 2013 Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars.

The top 10 fan favourites also included GallenAdam Reynolds (Rabbitohs), Josh Morris (Bulldogs) and Cooper Cronk (Storm). Cronk finished just one vote ahead of Michael Jennings (Panthers).

Hayne said: "I feel really honoured; it's such a privilege to be a part of the whole All Stars concept … it's become an important part of the Rugby League calendar. It's nice to be thought of by the fans who voted for me.”

Bennett now has a 64-man ‘shortlist’ from which the public will get a second chance to pick 16 players (one only from each club) to join automatic selections Benji Marshall and Cameron Smith for the fourth annual Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on February 9.

Joining Gallen on the stage two shortlist are Sharks new recruits Michael Gordon, Beau Ryan and Luke Lewis.

The top 10 players for the 2013 NRL All Stars in Stage One voting:
Player Club
1. Jarryd Hayne Eels
2. Akuila Uate Knights
3. Brett Morris Dragons
4. James Tamou Cowboys
5. Billy Slater Storm
6. Fuifui Moimoi Eels
7. Adam Reynolds Rabbitohs
8. Josh Morris Bulldogs
9. Paul Gallen Sharks
10. Cooper Cronk Storm

The publicly-chosen 64-man ‘shortlist’ for the 2013 NRL All Stars:

Club Backs Forwards
Broncos Peter Wallace Ben Hannant
Corey Norman Corey Parker
Bulldogs Josh Morris Sam Kasiano
Krisnan Inu Tony Williams
Cowboys Ashley Graham James Tamou
Kane Linnett Matthew Scott
Dragons Brett Morris Ben Creagh
Jason Nightingale Trent Merrin
Eels Jarryd Hayne Fuifui Moimoi
Ken Sio Tim Mannah
Knights Akuila Uate Danny Buderus
Darius Boyd Kade Snowden
Panthers Michael Jennings Tim Grant
Lachlan Coote Sika Manu
Rabbitohs Adam Reynolds Ben Te’o
Andrew Everingham Issac Luke
Raiders Josh Dugan David Shillington
Jarrod Croker Josh Papalii
Roosters James Maloney Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
Shaun Kenny-Dowall Frank-Paul Nuuausala
Sea Eagles Brett Stewart Glenn Stewart
Jamie Lyon Anthony Watmough
Sharks Beau Ryan Paul Gallen
Michael Gordon Luke Lewis
Storm Billy Slater Ryan Hoffman
Cooper Cronk Kevin Proctor
Titans Will Zillman David Taylor
Kevin Gordon Nate Myles
Warriors Shaun Johnson Feleti Mateo
Konrad Hurrell Ben Matulino
WestsTigers Chris Lawrence Robbie Farah
Tim Moltzen Aaron Woods

Note: Brent Tate (Cowboys), Todd Carney (Sharks) and Jack Reed (Broncos) were removed from voting because of injuries.

Bennett will now have two weeks to review the list and place the players into preferred positions, including how he would like to see the make-up of the interchange bench, ahead of Stage Two voting opening on December 10.

The public will have until January 14 to select just one player from each of the 16 NRL Clubs to join Marshall and Smith in the final 20-man squad, which will also feature two players chosen by Bennett and the NRL All Stars coaching staff.

Voting for the Indigenous All Stars team will also open on December 10 with both teams announced on January 16.

Overview of NRL All Stars voting:
•The first player to be chosen in the NRL All Stars team will be the player who scores the highest number of overall votes in a position.
•Once a player from one club is placed in the team, no other player from that club can be selected.
•If a player withdraws from the team due to injury, he will be replaced by someone from the bench.
•The open bench spot will then be replaced by someone from the injured player’s club, depending on the position needed for the bench.

2013 Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars Ticket Categories and Prices
Tickets for the 2013 Harvey Norman All Stars match are available through Ticketek outlets, on 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au. New Zealand customers can call 0800 842 538 or +61 132 849.