Shark against Shark at All Stars

It will be mate against mate at the All Stars match in Brisbane when Sharks skipper Paul Gallen lines up on the opposite side of the field to Cronulla teammate Andrew Fifita at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on February 9.

Gallen was voted onto the NRL All Stars team by the fans, while Fifita was chosen to represent the Indigenous All Stars with the two Sharks forwards to do battle in the NRL showcase event.

With only one player chosen by the fans from each NRL club, new Sharks recruits Luke Lewis and Beau Ryan were reported to have polled strongly but couldn’t earn enough votes to oust the popular Sharks captain Gallen from the All Stars team.

While Gallen was expected by most astute judges to make the NRL All Stars starting line up, the news that Fifita had been named in the run-on 13 for the Indigenous All Stars team would have come as a huge boost for the emerging Sharks forward.

Fifita has been named to line up alongside Manly big man George Rose in the Indigenous teams’ front row.

Other noteworthy selections came in former Internationals Willie Mason and Timana Tahu, with the pair to make a return to representative football as rivals after the Knights team-mates were today named as ‘coach’s selections’ for next month’s Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars in Brisbane.

Newcastle and NRL All Stars Coach Wayne Bennett chose Mason to make his All Stars debut alongside Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs), James Tamou (Cowboys), Billy Slater (Storm) and Tim Grant (Panthers), while Tahu was chosen by Laurie Daley for his Indigenous All Stars side featuring seven newcomers. The others are Raiders’ trio Reece Robinson, Jake Foster and Jack Wighton, Aidan Sezer (Titans), Joel Romelo (Bulldogs) and Dane Nielsen (Warriors).

Indigenous All Stars captain Johnathan Thurston and Broncos NRL All Stars selection Ben Hannant joined Bennett and Daley in Brisbane for the announcement of both squads for the fourth annual Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars match.
More than 40,000 Rugby League fans have had their say via two online voting stages to select a representative from each of the 16 NRL Clubs in the 20-man NRL All Stars squad, while fans could choose from all of Rugby League’s best Indigenous talent for Daley’s Indigenous All Stars.

Following the closing of the public online voting on Monday, Bennett was able to select two extra players alongside automatic selections Benji Marshall (New Zealand captain) and Cameron Smith (Australian captain); while Daley could pick three extra players in addition to automatic selection (as captain) Thurston.

Bennett’s other ‘coach’s selection’ is the Storm’s Cooper Cronk, while Daley also chose Wighton and Nielsen.

Daley said: “We certainly have some strike-power in our team and when you look at the calibre of players we have, I think fans will be excited at the style of footy we will play.

“The NRL All Stars is a formidable side with big, powerful, class players in key positions, but I know how determined our team is to perform well and I think we have a squad capable of achieving something special.”

Bennett said the public had selected him a balanced side that would be capable of playing the exciting brand of football that had become synonymous with the All Stars game.

“There is no doubt the fans will be in for an entertaining game with the great mix of talented and exciting backs and powerful forwards in both teams, as well as the blend of experience and youth,” Bennett said.

“Just as important as the game though is the whole week of All Stars activities and community events and I commend the players for their ongoing commitment to the All Stars concept which continues to help make a real difference to the lives of many Australians.”

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.

The 2013 NRL All Stars team is:

Player (*All Stars debutants)
1. Billy Slater* - Storm
2. Akuila Uate - Knights
3. Shaun Kenny-Dowall - Roosters
4. Josh Morris - Bulldogs
5. Brett Morris - Dragons
6. Benji Marshall (c) (automatic selection) - Wests Tigers
7. Adam Reynolds* - Rabbitohs
8. James Tamou* - Cowboys
9. Cameron Smith (automatic selection) - Storm
10. Ben Hannant - Broncos
11. David Taylor - Titans
12. Anthony Watmough - Sea Eagles
13. Paul Gallen - Sharks
Interchange
14. Robbie Farah - Wests Tigers
15. Tim Grant* - Panthers
16. David Shillington - Raiders
17. Feleti Mateo - Warriors
18. Jarryd Hayne - Eels
Coach’s Selections
19. Willie Mason* - Knights
20. Cooper Cronk - Storm

The 2013 Learn Earn Legend! Indigenous All Stars team is:

Player (*All Stars debutants)
1. Ben Barba - Bulldogs
2. Reece Robinson* - Raiders
3. Justin Hodges - Broncos
4. Greg Inglis - Rabbitohs
5. Blake Ferguson - Raiders
6. Johnathan Thurston (c) - Cowboys
7. Scott Prince - Broncos
8. George Rose - Sea Eagles
9. Travis Waddell - Not contracted
10. Andrew Fifita - Sharks
11. Joel Thompson - Raiders
12. Greg Bird - Titans
13. Nathan Peats - Rabbitohs
Interchange
14. - Ryan James - Titans
15. - Aidan Sezer* - Titans
16. - Joel Romelo* - Bulldogs
17. Jake Foster* - Raiders
Coach’s Selections
18. - Dane Nielsen* - Warriors
19. - Timana Tahu* - Knights
20. - Jack Wighton* - Raiders

Previous Results
2010 Indigenous All Stars 16 def NRL All Stars 12
2011 NRL All Stars 28 def Indigenous All Stars 12
2012 NRL All Stars 36 def Indigenous All Stars 28