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2019 NRL All Stars

Pommy

Coach
Messages
14,657
Got to say I’m going for the Māori team. Too many merkins in the indigenous one.
 

callmack1

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,611
From Zero Tackle,

The revamped All Stars match has the potential to become their version of State of Origin, only better

John Caristo
CONTRIBUTOR
February 1, 2019 - 3:51 pm

If you could bottle up the spirit of State of Origin and sell it, you would become a billionaire. Imagine cruising on the Amalfi coast on the finest yacht in the northern hemisphere with the Roosters grand final starting 13 as your personal butlers. Think of the possibilities, Jake Friend as your footrest and James Tedesco the yacht’s captain.

Sounds great doesn’t it but only problem is that no one knows what makes State of Origin, State of Origin? The secret recipe is more heavily guarded than the Colonel’s herbs and spices.

However, I think we have come as close to the secret formula than we ever have before. As tried with the original concept of the All Stars match with the Indigenous players up against the NRL All Stars who were there more for the pay day and a weekend on the Gold Coast than to celebrate the Indigenous community in the NRL and Rugby League. The World All Stars was a step forward but still lacked the same desire to make it a competitive match up against players who are playing for their family verses the best players in the world who are not injured in mid-February from off season surgeries

Things looked bleak for the future of the unofficial season opener especially when the NRL would not go ahead every year to limit player burnout. It was often the first feature to be cut if the season started to look too jam packed. The problem with this was as soon as the game began to gain some traction, it was quickly lost due to year off. And as we all know, a week is a long time in Rugby League let alone a whole calendar year.

We fell in love with the spirit and support that Tongans showed during the 2017 World Cup. The fans, the colour and the passion were second to none. Only State of Origin can beat that sort of sceptical. At last we had something to take Rugby League to the next level. Nothing but shattered dreams when it comes to the NRL opener taking place in Los Angeles or a hybrid match between the Wallabies and the Kangaroos to finally prove who is the superior Rugby force in Australia.
Along comes the announcement with a long overdue revamp of the concept. The indigenous All Stars will now come up against the New Zealand Maori Kiwis. Finally, a worthy opponent to challenges the Indigenous boys not just physically and skilfully but spiritually. The clash of cultures will explode all over AAMI Stadium in Melbourne that those AFL loving hacks won’t know what hit them. But I’m a dreamer and a realist at the same time. I had to restrain myself from screaming from the rooftops when I heard this match was going to happen.

I am a little disappointed that this game is happening in Melbourne instead of Rugby League heartland like Brisbane or Western Sydney or even Auckland. This could be the start of something special at the start of the NRL calendar. The Indigenous boys will bring the fire as they also do but this time, they have an equally driven competitor in the Maoris. Bringing their own family values, history and heritage to the field and laying it all on the line for themselves and for our entertainment.

State of Origin started with less promise and even the late great Jack Gibson thought it wouldn’t work. Jack wasn’t wrong about much, but it was got terribly incorrect about Origin. The feeling of Origin game day when you woke up on that Wednesday and spoke about it to your colleagues and school friends about who will win and who will throw the first punch. We now have something to rival the pinnacle of the game and get excited about Rugby League in February.

It came to no surprise when I heard the news that Latrell Mitchell has turned down the Roosters World Club Challenge match to crown them the official World Champions (they already are according to American football fans in Atlanta) and select the Indigenous All Stars instead. It shows how much it means to them. This wasn’t just a glorified trial match with players pulling out left, right and centre but a chance for players to showcase their skills in an open free flowing field and proudly represent their brothers in arms. Latrell has won a comp, played for NSW and Australia all in one year but expect him to step up and shine in a way that NRL or other representative footy wouldn’t allow him too.

My prediction is a fast paced and brutal encounter with the Indigenous All-stars winning in a tight match. Latrell for man of the match but Rugby League will be the real winner at the end of the night.
 

Pommy

Coach
Messages
14,657
From Zero Tackle,

The revamped All Stars match has the potential to become their version of State of Origin, only better

John Caristo
CONTRIBUTOR
February 1, 2019 - 3:51 pm

If you could bottle up the spirit of State of Origin and sell it, you would become a billionaire. Imagine cruising on the Amalfi coast on the finest yacht in the northern hemisphere with the Roosters grand final starting 13 as your personal butlers. Think of the possibilities, Jake Friend as your footrest and James Tedesco the yacht’s captain.

Sounds great doesn’t it but only problem is that no one knows what makes State of Origin, State of Origin? The secret recipe is more heavily guarded than the Colonel’s herbs and spices.

However, I think we have come as close to the secret formula than we ever have before. As tried with the original concept of the All Stars match with the Indigenous players up against the NRL All Stars who were there more for the pay day and a weekend on the Gold Coast than to celebrate the Indigenous community in the NRL and Rugby League. The World All Stars was a step forward but still lacked the same desire to make it a competitive match up against players who are playing for their family verses the best players in the world who are not injured in mid-February from off season surgeries

Things looked bleak for the future of the unofficial season opener especially when the NRL would not go ahead every year to limit player burnout. It was often the first feature to be cut if the season started to look too jam packed. The problem with this was as soon as the game began to gain some traction, it was quickly lost due to year off. And as we all know, a week is a long time in Rugby League let alone a whole calendar year.

We fell in love with the spirit and support that Tongans showed during the 2017 World Cup. The fans, the colour and the passion were second to none. Only State of Origin can beat that sort of sceptical. At last we had something to take Rugby League to the next level. Nothing but shattered dreams when it comes to the NRL opener taking place in Los Angeles or a hybrid match between the Wallabies and the Kangaroos to finally prove who is the superior Rugby force in Australia.
Along comes the announcement with a long overdue revamp of the concept. The indigenous All Stars will now come up against the New Zealand Maori Kiwis. Finally, a worthy opponent to challenges the Indigenous boys not just physically and skilfully but spiritually. The clash of cultures will explode all over AAMI Stadium in Melbourne that those AFL loving hacks won’t know what hit them. But I’m a dreamer and a realist at the same time. I had to restrain myself from screaming from the rooftops when I heard this match was going to happen.

I am a little disappointed that this game is happening in Melbourne instead of Rugby League heartland like Brisbane or Western Sydney or even Auckland. This could be the start of something special at the start of the NRL calendar. The Indigenous boys will bring the fire as they also do but this time, they have an equally driven competitor in the Maoris. Bringing their own family values, history and heritage to the field and laying it all on the line for themselves and for our entertainment.

State of Origin started with less promise and even the late great Jack Gibson thought it wouldn’t work. Jack wasn’t wrong about much, but it was got terribly incorrect about Origin. The feeling of Origin game day when you woke up on that Wednesday and spoke about it to your colleagues and school friends about who will win and who will throw the first punch. We now have something to rival the pinnacle of the game and get excited about Rugby League in February.

It came to no surprise when I heard the news that Latrell Mitchell has turned down the Roosters World Club Challenge match to crown them the official World Champions (they already are according to American football fans in Atlanta) and select the Indigenous All Stars instead. It shows how much it means to them. This wasn’t just a glorified trial match with players pulling out left, right and centre but a chance for players to showcase their skills in an open free flowing field and proudly represent their brothers in arms. Latrell has won a comp, played for NSW and Australia all in one year but expect him to step up and shine in a way that NRL or other representative footy wouldn’t allow him too.

My prediction is a fast paced and brutal encounter with the Indigenous All-stars winning in a tight match. Latrell for man of the match but Rugby League will be the real winner at the end of the night.

Better than origin? I don’t think so, it’s a game organised along race do you really think Kiwis and Ausies are supposed to get behind a game which is essentially our black people are better than your black people?
I hope the guys go and have fun and have pride in what it represents to them but it’s never going to and is never going to rival origin.
 

callmack1

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,611

callmack1

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,611
Last edited:

callmack1

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,611
Cody has also just been named captain of the Indigenous side!!!!! How awesome is that?! A huge honor and congrats Cody, well deserved!
 

callmack1

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,611

callmack1

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,611
Man, I'm starting to get so excited!! What a celebration of our game this is going to be!!
 

Souths Till I Die

First Grade
Messages
5,929
Should be a quality game tonight. I'm expecting the Maori boys to get up. Couple of trials going around tonight. Eels are looking good in their trial.
 

callmack1

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,611
Really enjoyed that game! Lot's of passion on show and heaps of highlights! Gags bagging two tries, some great plays, Ferguson's backflip and Cody's try just to rattle of a few. Was a mit messy at times which is expected but over all, great to watch.

Cody was great all game, as was Gags. AJ disappointed me though, he was hardly seen.

That was a great celebration for our game, I'm just glad to have the footy back and no major injuries from that game!!
 

ThingFish

Juniors
Messages
1,665
Really enjoyed that game! Lot's of passion on show and heaps of highlights! Gags bagging two tries, some great plays, Ferguson's backflip and Cody's try just to rattle of a few. Was a mit messy at times which is expected but over all, great to watch.

Cody was great all game, as was Gags. AJ disappointed me though, he was hardly seen.

That was a great celebration for our game, I'm just glad to have the footy back and no major injuries from that game!!
The whole event was great from the women’s game, to welcome to country right through to the presentation. If they do it again next year I’d even think of going wherever they hold it.

Gag’s finishing was great but some of his defensive reads were embarrassing. But that indigenous backline was something else. Cody was solid. But I agree AJ seemed lost. He did make one great defensive stop on the line though.
 
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