Wendell Sailor unhappy about the Indigenous under 16's game getting bumped.
"IT’S the interstate match that has produced some of the NRL’s finest indigenous players, like Greg Inglis and Ryan James.
The NSW versus Queensland Indigenous under 16s fixture has traditionally been played as the lead-up game to the NRL All Stars.
But this won’t happen next month due to a contractual agreement with Hunter Stadium that stipulates only one lead-up match can be played prior to the All Stars on February 10.
The NRL has opted to play the women’s All Stars game as the curtain-raiser, bumping the 16s match to Thursday night at Newcastle’s No. 2 Sportsground.
This has annoyed the indigenous community, who believe the 16s deserve to play on the main stage.
Former international Wendell Sailor, who played for the Indigenous team in the first All Stars game in 2010, questioned the NRL’s decision.
“You want these kids playing before their heroes, so I’m very disappointed that won’t be the case this year,” Sailor told The Sunday Telegraph.
“I love the fact the women get to play on that main stage, but these 16s are the future.
“All the NRL players get to the game early and watch the kids play and that inspires them to play well and impress.
“This 16s game is a big reason why we have the All Stars game.
“I remember back in 1993 when I played Queensland 19s and we got to play before the main Origin.
“You are seeing guys like Mal Meninga and Allan Langer and you are in the same dressing room — it was unbelievable.
“It’s why I think the playing the 16s match the day before the All Stars doesn’t have the same impact. They should play before the main match.
“I think the NRL should have thought about that more about that process.”
The NSW and Queensland under 16s will still have their jerseys presented to them by the indigenous All Stars players prior to their game.
The 16s match will also be a lead-up game to the popular Redfern All Blacks versus Cherbourg Hornets contest, which always attracts a strong crowd.
Sailor respects this, but says the 16s deserve to play on the main game day.
As a proud indigenous man who has played an integral role in the All Stars concept as a player and mentor, he understands the significance of involving the next generation stars.
“This is not just about football, it’s also about education,” he said.
“I remember when Johnathan Thurston was sitting down next to one of the 16s players who had left school to work on a station.
“JT told him the best thing he could do was finish school first, so after the tournament the young boy enrolled to go back to school the next year.
“That’s one of many stories of the impact of this 16s game.”
Former Newcastle and Penrith winger Ashley Gordon said there are “so many reasons why the 16s is so important”.
“And now it is not treated with the same importance,” Gordon said. “This 16s game provides so much benefit, like playing on the biggest stage, being spotted by scouts. This game is worthy of a bigger stage.”
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...y/news-story/36a9366bcfd3ae9e826a973a5d11f2d2
