By Christian Nicolussi
If you want to know how much the Indigenous All Stars means to the players, look no further than Latrell Mitchell.
“Twelve months ago there were players who couldn’t play in this fixture because of a lack of preparation after the World Cup, which I totally respected, but Latrell still played,” said Indigenous All Stars coach Ronald Griffiths.
“Now Latrell will get ready to fly out to Vegas on Tuesday week, but he’s playing in this game again. What it shows you is the staunch advocacy they have for our people, and the importance of this game to create change and highlight the plight of the Aboriginal people.”
Mitchell will be the main drawcard again for the Indigenous All Stars, which features fellow stars Nicho Hynes, Cody Walker and Josh Addo-Carr, but could have also included Reece Walsh, Ezra Mam, Selwyn Cobbo and Tyrell Sloan. Mam confirmed to this masthead he injured his groin in the gym on Monday, will not feature in the Broncos trials, but is in no doubt for the Las Vegas double-header.
At least Mitchell’s presence will increase the likelihood of a large crowd in Townsville, with Griffiths happy to declare him “the biggest drawcard in the game right now”.
Griffiths said he could appreciate clubs wanting their players to focus on trials rather than the game against the Maori All Stars, but argued there were many benefits from spending the week in camp.
Indigenous Mega Star: Latrell MitchellCredit: Sam Mooy
“The clubs want their players to be ready for round one, I get that, but if you take a look over the fence and see what we’re doing, and what we do for the week in camp, the way the players perform should highlight they’re more than ready to play once they leave … it’s also our job to get them ready,” Griffiths said.
“You also have to remember the effect the players have on the community. It’s immeasurable.”
Indigenous All Stars and Maori All Stars
Indigenous All Stars (Men)
Josh Addo-Carr, Jacob Alick, Bailey Biondi-Odo, Bailey Butler, Josh Curran, Adam Elliott, Jordan Grant, J’maine Hopgood, Nicho Hynes, Josh Kerr, Alofiana Khan-Pereira, Latrell Mitchell, Shaquai Mitchell, Kierran Moseley, Hohepa Puru, Kotoni Staggs, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Isaiah Tass, Braydon Trindall, Cody Walker
Maori All Stars:
Jessie Arthars, Kenny Bromwich, Dane Gagai, Jacob Gagai, Jack Howarth, Jahrome Hughes, Royce Hunt, Te Maire Martin, Trey Mooney, Briton Nikora, Kodi Nikorima, Adam Pompey, Joseph Tapine, Jazz Tevaga, Leo Thompson, Matthew Timoko, Brandon Smith, Dylan Walker, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Xavier Willison
Griffiths confirmed he had picked Walsh, but the Brisbane star was ruled off-limits, while Wests Tigers youngster Jahream Bula was on the radar but would not be needed next week because of the healthy number of fullbacks already in the squad.
Mitchell, Cody Walker, Isaiah Tass and Shaquai Mitchell will fly home Sunday week, then fly to Vegas on Tuesday. Souths players will fly out in two groups on Monday and Tuesday.
It will be the same for Brisbane’s Kotoni Staggs, along with Maori players Jessie Arthars and Xavier Willison (both Broncos), Souths’ Jacob Gagai and Roosters hooker Brandon Smith who also fly to America for round zero.
Mam, who missed last year’s All Stars because he did not have a passport in time to travel to New Zealand, told this masthead on Thursday: “I was in the gym and felt a little niggle, the physios looked at it and they put me on medication to get [the inflammation] down. I’ll be back doing rehab running next week. I’m bummed I couldn’t play next week.”
Same as making Origin
Josh Addo-Carr and Johnathan Thurston have urged clubs to not stand in the way of Indigenous players featuring in the All Stars as Ezra Mam became the latest highest-profile player made unavailable for next Friday’s game.
On the same day he inked a mega five-year extension at the Broncos, Mam was ruled out of contention for the Indigenous side, joining Bradman Best, Alex Johnston, Reece Walsh, Selwyn Cobbo, the suspended Jack Wighton and Tyrell Sloan.
Latrell Mitchell, Addo-Carr, Cody Walker and Nicho Hynes will still ensure there is plenty of star power for the game against the Maori All Stars that falls on the same weekend as the main club trials.
“Playing this game is the same as making the Origin team or Australian team, and if it means something to the players, you have to let them go ahead,” Addo-Carr told this masthead.
“We don’t get too many opportunities to represent our culture, and this is the best way to do it. Origin means something to the players, and for us boys, this means the absolute world.
“Coaches want players to be game ready – and this is the perfect game to get started.”
Josh Addo-Carr rates the All Stars on par with Oigin and international football.Credit: Rhett Wyman/SMH
Even in retirement, Thurston remains one of the most-loved Indigenous stars in the game, and while he could appreciate players remaining in clubland for trials, he said: “This game is bigger than the clubs – if the players are keen to play in it, it would be very disappointing if they pull their players out of it.
“I love everything about it,” Thurston said. “We’ve got the right concept now with the Maori All Stars, we have two proud cultures go head to head, and it’s about learning about culture and providing our stories to the rest of the nation.”
Walsh was eligible for the Indigenous and Maori teams, but the Broncos made an early call to keep him on ice and fresh for Las Vegas, while Cobbo will use the only trial to transition to the new position of centre.
The Roosters last week asked the NRL about having their players ruled ineligible for the All Stars because they wanted them available for their only trial, to be played 24 hours after the All Stars.
There has been little fanfare about the All Stars match, in just nine days’ time. The NRL will hold a media opportunity on Wednesday to promote State of Origin, which kicks off in June.
Several players were forced to pull out of the game last year because of the late finish to the World Cup, while the Vegas trip has presented its own issues for this year’s All Stars.
One suggestion put forward by club officials was to move the All Stars to the Friday before the NRL grand final, which could even coincide with the popular Koori Knockout.