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.
Queenslanders Gavin Cooper, Moses Mbye, Jake Friend and Nate Myles will join Jarryd Hayne, Latrell Mitchell, Jack Bird and Adam Elliott as just some of the players named today by new World All Stars coach Mal Meninga and Indigenous All Stars coach Laurie Daley to make their debuts in the fixture.
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 Indigenous All Stars team will be headlined by experience Queensland Maroons campaigners including Johnathan Thurston, Greg Inglis, Sam Thaiday, Dane Gagai and Will Chambers.
The game will be played on Friday, February 10 at McDonald Jones Stadium. 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
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 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).
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
