Interesting to see that Snowden wasn't ruled out due to injury.
Knights stars up for fans' final selection
By BRETT KEEBLE Wed, Dec 28 2011
IN THE MIX: Knights forward Kade Snowden.
THE Knights will have a new NRL All Stars representative next year.
Stage-two voting kicked off at noon yesterday and the four Newcastle players who made the 64-man selection short list were forwards Kade Snowden and Neville Costigan and backs Junior Sau and Jarrod Mullen.
Captain Kurt Gidley (2010 and 2011) and NSW and Australian winger Aku Uate (2011) have worn the NRL All Stars colours in previous games.
But Gidley and Uate were left off the list of eligible players for the February 4 pre-season exhibition against the Indigenous All Stars at Skilled Park because they are yet to begin full-blown training with the Knights after off-season surgery.
More than 13,400 fans voted in stage one, which closed at midnight last Friday, to pick four players from each of the 16 NRL clubs.
Knights coach Wayne Bennett, who will be in charge of the NRL All Stars for a third straight season, has since assigned those 64 players into various positions, and fans have until January 18 to nominate a 16-man squad containing one player from each NRL team.
New Zealand and NRL All Stars captain Benji Marshall and interim Australian skipper Cameron Smith are automatic selections, and Bennett will choose two players for the bench to complete the 20-man squad.
Ive got to say I am pleased with the names the fans have put forward in stage one of voting, but I think the real challenge lies in this second phase, as there is a lot to consider, Bennett said.
In the years gone by the public has delivered me an exceptional team, and I am counting on the fans to do the same in 2012, especially with both sides going into the match with the series level.
Backs have been divided into fullbacks, outside backs (centres and wingers) and inside backs (five-eighths and halfbacks). Bennett will consider forwards as hookers, tight forwards (front-rowers and second-rowers) and edge forwards (second-rowers or locks who can play on the right or left side).
Utility players have been classified as such because they can cover several positions.
Bennett wants at least three tight forwards in the starting side and the bench to contain two tight forwards, an edge forward, an inside back, an outside back and two utilities.
Snowden topped the stage-one voting for Newcastle players. He has been classified as a tight forward, Costigan qualifies as a tight forward or edge forward, Sau an outside back and Mullen an inside back.
