A host of players will make their World and Indigenous All Stars debuts in Newcastle next year when the two teams meet for the seventh Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars occasion.
A total of 24 NSW-eligible players - 14 in the Indigenous All Stars team and 10 in the World All Stars team - will feature in the match, while NSW VB Blues coach Laurie Daley will coach the Indigenous team to take on Mal Meninga's World All Stars.
Jarryd Hayne, Latrell Mitchell, Jake Friend, Jack Bird, Moses Mbye and Adam Elliott were just some of the players named today by Meninga and Daley ahead of the game on Friday 10 February at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Meninga said he was excited by the opportunity to coach the World All Stars team for the first time, with many of the World All Stars players also new to the team and experience.
“The All Stars match is a fantastic way to kick off the rugby league season in Australia and I’m looking forward to the chance to be part of the build-up,” Meninga said.
Daley, who will coach his fourth consecutive Indigenous All Stars team, said he was pleased to see the game being shared with a new audience and fan-base outside of Queensland for the first time in the match’s history.
“The All Stars is a wonderful celebration for players and fans alike and I am sure that the people of Newcastle and further afield will get right behind the chance to see some of the best Indigenous and non-Indigenous players on-field,” Daley said.
The Women’s All Stars teams will be announced in the new year and further information about the week-long All Stars celebration will also be available in the new year at www.nrl.com/allstars
The Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars match will be played on Friday 10 February at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.
Tickets are on sale at www.nrl.com/tickets
World All Stars (made up of players representing their Heritage)
- Jarryd Hayne* (Gold Coast Titans) – Fijian Heritage
- David Mead* (Brisbane Broncos) – PNG Heritage
- Joseph Leilua* (Canberra Raiders) – Samoan Heritage
- Konrad Hurrell (Gold Coast Titans) – Tongan Heritage
- Nene Macdonald (St George Illawarra Dragons) – PNG Heritage
- Mitchell Moses* (Wests Tigers) – Lebanese Heritage
- Adam Reynolds (South Sydney Rabbitohs) – Australian Heritage
- Nate Myles* (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles) – Australian Heritage
- Jake Friend* (Sydney Roosters) – Australian Heritage
- Jordan McLean* (Melbourne Storm) – Australian Heritage
- Gavin Cooper* (North Queensland Cowboys) – Australian Heritage
- Bryce Cartwright* (Penrith Panthers) – Australian Heritage
- Jake Trbojevic* (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles) – Serbian Heritage
- Reagan Campbell-Gillard* (Penrith Panthers) – Fijian Heritage
- Sosaia Feki* (Cronulla Sharks) – Tongan Heritage
- Sione Mata’utia* (Newcastle Knights) – Samoan Heritage
- Sam Lisone* (New Zealand Warriors) – NZ Heritage
- Moses Mbye* (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs) – African Heritage
- Tepai Moeroa* (Parramatta Eels) – Cook Islands Heritage
- Jordan Turner* (Canberra Raiders) – English Heritage
* Denotes debut World All Stars players (NB, some players may have played in previous All Stars teams, prior to the new World All Stars team introduction in 2016)
Indigenous All Stars
- Jack Wighton (Canberra Raiders)
- Blake Ferguson (Sydney Roosters)
- Greg Inglis (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
- Will Chambers (Melbourne Storm)
- Dane Gagai (Newcastle Knights)
- Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys)
- Ash Taylor* (Gold Coast Titans)
- Ryan James (Gold Coast Titans)
- Nathan Peats (Gold Coast Titans)
- Andrew Fifita (Cronulla Sharks)
- Joel Thompson (St George Illawarra Dragons)
- Wade Graham (Cronulla Sharks)
- Sam Thaiday (Brisbane Broncos)
- Tyrone Peachey (Penrith Panthers)
- Jack Bird* (Cronulla Sharks)
- Leilani Latu (Penrith Panthers)
- Latrell Mitchell* (Sydney Roosters)
- Aidan Sezer (Canberra Raiders)
- Kyle Turner (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
- Adam Elliott* (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs)
* Denotes debutants
