- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Poor ticket sales suggest the league community on the Gold Coast is pretty much turning its back on Friday’s Nights NRL All Stars versus Indigenous All Stars game. However, I am not one of them.
I’m up for it – there will be plenty to savour as we round off preparations for the 2015 season.
As usual, there are critics who say the game is based on an invented rivalry. There is a degree of truth in that, but if you are a genuine rugby league fan you should be able to sit back and marvel at the skills of so many elite players on show.
The game finishes an important week of grassroots promotion for the code and waning interest in the Gold Coast Titans suggests the district needs a biggish event to stir up some interest before the struggling side get their season underway.
It’s a given that the AFL will be particularly active in the area as the Gold Coast-based Suns ready themselves for a big year.
Both teams will field a galaxy of superstars at Robina. Johnathan Thurston, Greg Inglis, Paul Gallen, Manu Vatuvai and Kieran Foran will be strutting their stuff on the field.
There will also be an array of the code’s best young talent, eager for the valuable experience of playing with and against the big guns.
Naturally, I am keen to see what shape the big boys are in a few weeks before the premiership kickoff but just as interesting will be the performance of the young brigade headlined by the likes of fullback Matt Moylan, halfback Luke Brooks, utility back Jack Wighton and the late forward inclusion from Souths, Chris Grevsmuhl.
Moylan was a standout for the Panthers last year and was chosen in Australia’s Four Nations squad but didn’t make it onto the field. I really like watching this kid play and if he keeps improving at such a rate, he’ll be a rep team regular for the rest of his career.
Brooks has now had a full season of NRL football under his belt and I believe that 2015 could see him manufacture wins for the Wests Tigers on a regular basis. He had to learn a lot about defence in 2014 but looks to be a very good student.
Wighton is quickly developing into a major weapon for the Canberra Raiders, showing that he can comfortably handle a number of backline positions.
He looks destined to settle down in the No 6 jumper and he definitely displays all of the necessary traits.
Grevsmuhl, a North Queensland product picked up by Souths in 2013, was called into the Indigenous squad when Raiders’ star Tom Learoyd-Lahrs succumbed to injury.
He is a big, strong and mobile player who caught the eye with some powerful bursts in Souths triumphant Nines campaign. I was surprised at Grevsmuhl’s call-up but coach Laurie Daley clearly thinks he has the hallmarks of a future top-liner.
There will be much to like about Friday’s game irrespective of the crowd size.
If the Gold Coast folk don’t want a bar of it, that’s their loss. A quality contest for the price of a $35 ticket? If I could be there, I would.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.