The 2013 NRL All Star Game is being played at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium this year and I tend to think it needs to be a belter this year if this game is going to continue into the future.
When it was first announced, I liked the idea. I felt like it was something Rugby League needed at the time. In my opinion this game has lost a bit of momentum though.
This really should be a game that Rugby League uses to not only promote charitable causes, but promote itself too. Taking the game to places like Melbourne and Perth would be great for this game. On top of that I’d like to see the NRL All Stars team replaced by a Pacific Islands All Star team.
Anyway here are the NRL All Star teams. I won’t pretend to know or care about the process that happened to get this teams, but they both look pretty good!
Indigenous All Stars:
1. Ben Barba (Bulldogs)
2. Reece Robinson (Raiders)
3. Justin Hodges (Broncos)
4. Greg Inglis (Rabbitohs)
5. Blake Ferguson (Raiders)
6. Johnathan Thurston (capt) (Cowboys)
7. Scott Prince (Broncos)
8. George Rose (Sea Eagles)
9. Travis Waddell (Not contracted)
10. Andrew Fifita (Sharks)
11. Joel Thompson (Raiders)
12. Greg Bird (Titans)
13. Nathan Peats (Rabbitohs)
Interchange: Ryan James (Titans), Aidan Sezer (Titans), Joel Romelo (Bulldogs), Jake Foster (Raiders), Coach’s Selections: Dane Nielsen (Warriors), Timana Tahu (Knights), Jack Wighton (Raiders).
My only question? Where the hell is Matthew Bowen? Also, if I was Travis Waddell, there is no way I’d be playing in this game. Uncontracted….if he gets injured, he is stuffed!
NRL All Stars:
1. Billy Slater (Storm)
2. Akuila Uate (Knights)
3. Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Roosters)
4. Josh Morris (Bulldogs)
5. Brett Morris (Dragons)
6. Benji Marshall (capt) (automatic selection) (Wests Tigers)
7. Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs)
8. James Tamou (Cowboys)
9. Cameron Smith (automatic selection) (Storm)
10. Ben Hannant (Broncos)
11. David Taylor (Titans)
12. Anthony Watmough (Sea Eagles)
13. Paul Gallen (Sharks)
Interchange: Robbie Farah (Tigers), Tim Grant (Panthers), David Shillington (Raiders), Feleti Mateo (Warriors), Jarryd Hayne (Eels), Coach’s Selections: Willie Mason (Knights), Cooper Cronk (Storm).
Once again, a good lineup. People are blowing up that Willie mason was selected by the coach but I don’t really mind. Its just the All Star game.
I tend to think that the NRL All Stars will win this simply because their forwards look a hell of a lot better. At the end of the day though the result isn’t all that important.
It is the first game of footy we get to see in 2013. Bring it on!
