Can the All-Stars game become more than a gimmick?

Oikee - you idiot - you mention that Bristish and Irish Lions is a joke as people follow players they at other times barrack against then talk about how good SOO is (and it is) where we hate QLD or NSW player but then go onto to cheer them in the test side. The only minor difference is that due to thier hisotry the teams also play seperatly in international rugby union

Personally I tape the game, so that I can discard the politicial garbage that seems to take up about an hour of the tv coverage.

I this blog dead, ? some useful imformation or thoughts can come from these posts. I was just reading today that the Indigenous lads are holding a first ever camp for the players in the NRL in Queensland, along with Preston and Saffa (he is on the commission as well). Then i read that for the first time the All-stars game are inviting a kids camp into the All-stars setup for recognition of indigenous culture and programs being put in place. this also includes the Maori culture as well. This is going along wonderful as far as i can see. It can only grow year on year. Benji Marshal and John Thurston will be help running the kids indigneous camps. Very well run now.

I was just reading this , if anything i really think their is scope to expand the Indigenous culture, of not just Australia. Our game has a pefect opportunity to do some real good work in Nz as well. here is a recent story, study found.,,, A University of Canterbury (UC) lecturer says another New Zealand franchise needs to be entered into the NRL rugby league competition or start a New Zealand competition to provide greater opportunities for Maori players. UC Maori studies lecturer Phillip Borell said today the number of professional opportunities in New Zealand rugby league was limited. However, a solution could be by having another New Zealand entered into the competition or by setting up a professional New Zealand competition. However, it isn’t that simple, the NRL is an Australian competition and there are already a number of clubs vying to be the next NRL franchise, also the NZRL simply couldn’t fund a national professional competition at this stage. Due to lack of opportunity in New Zealand, young rugby league players are forced to seek careers in other countries. Obviously the opportunity for a professional rugby league career in New Zealand is not as accessible as one in rugby union. There is one professional rugby league team in New Zealand compared to the five Super Rugby franchises and also the provincial unions,’’ Borell said. Maori remain over-proportionately represented in the code with 42 percent of all adult rugby league players having Māori heritage according to latest Sport NZ (SPARC) statistics. Yet Maori make up around 15 percent of the total New Zealand population. While it is known that the NZRL are working hard on development and providing pathways for young athletes, the only real opportunities outside of the New Zealand Warriors franchise are overseas competitions. Borell said in reality there was not a lot that could be done to slow the numbers of Maori, or other New Zealanders, seeking opportunities elsewhere. Riki Papakura in 1911 and George Nepia in 1935 are two early examples of how rugby league provided opportunities to Maori, within a professional sport, to achieve success financial security at levels unprecedented in amateur rugby union. I found in my research the increased opportunity that rugby league afforded Maori. A Maori rugby league team toured Australia in 1908, before a game had been played on New Zealand soil, two years before a New Zealand Maori rugby union team was formed in 1910. One benefit that rugby league provides to communities is that is has maintained a very distinct Maori flavour and culture. Due to early involvement by Maori and the continued acceptance of Maori by league many clubs have what could be seen as kaupapa Maori ways of doing things or even tikanga (values) Maori practices.’’ This could also be attributed to the high number of Maori who play the game. League also tends to have higher Maori participation at the coaching, administration, management level compared to rugby. Again, this could be attributed to the inclusive nature of league that has developed since its establishment as a working-class breakaway from rugby union in England. Young Maori guys are immersed in Maori culture in league clubs mostly without realising it. That is, with so many clubs maintaining Maori protocol, conscious or not, there is a sense of marae style/iwi style hierarchy and respect that occurs within the club and clubrooms.’’ The NZ Maori Rugby League was a good model for Maori. It remained an autonomous entity alongside the NZRL. It is predominantly self funded and acts as a partner to the NZRL. A current example of a Maori league player progressing his career elsewhere is the signing of James Tamou to play for New South Wales in the State of Origin and the Australian test team. This has lead to further research of Maori identity in professional sports and the importance of ‘blind' loyalty to the state. Other recent examples of Maori representing countries include Shontayne Hape, Rangi Chase, Henry and Robbie Paul and Quade Cooper. By no means are these athletes any less Maori for representing another country. Their identity as Maori is not determined by the nation state. It appears that, while being professionals in their field, athletes are not allowed the same freedoms of movement in terms of seeking the most lucrative contracts at the cost of patriotism.’’ Last 4 nations the Maori took on England in a warm up game, 18-all.

NZ Māori Rugby League (NZMRL) has a proud history on the international stage for over one hundred years starting with the 1908 and 1909 touring native sides that toured New South Wales and Queensland. These visits were a catalyst for establishing the sport of Rugby League in Australia. Over the last 100 years the NZ Māori team matches were regular fixture as major touring sides from Great Britain, France and Australia touring sides visited New Zealand. Our history shows a commitment to travelling on overseas tours from our very beginning with the trips to Australia. We have had long tours to Australia 1956, to England 1983 and to France in 2004. Our teams have travelled to the Pacific Cup competitions through the 80s and 90s. Our World Cup appearance in 2000 was a first for an Indigenous team playing and representing their people in a Rugby League World Cup. In 2008 the NZ Māori team played two matches one against the Kiwi All Gold’s which served to assist the Kiwis in their World Cup winning preparations .The other match in 2008 was against the Australian Indigenous side in the curtain raiser to the World Cup opener Australia versus the Kiwis. This match was the first fully ARL sanctioned match for the Indigenous team and has lead to them playing the NRL All Stars in 2010. They have now established themselves within the framework of the Australian RL sporting The Maori are indigenous to NZ. They also have a book out called '100 years of Maori rugby league', 1908-2008.'

Oikee has an aneurism every time someone brings facts to the table re AFL's 1983 (yes, 1983!) Indigenous All-Stars vs Richmond. Settle petal, your "heart on the sleeve" defense is tiresome.

Greg, i wear my heart on my sleeve mate, and i dont disguise it, as my fellow league colleague's know. A lemon is a lemon. My wife is a pom, i disgussed this very issue with her. She loves the lions but she said yes, i dont want to ever back a Welshman. Colleague's. ::::- From the Greek word 'Col'lin, a fine Greek name and the word League, from the dictionary meaning of Men, a group of like minded citizens and the modern term a League of Nations. Sums up league.

I'd prefer the innocence of a child rather than the lies of an adult :)

It is also great to see that countless thousands of indigenous people feel comfortable congregating in one place at one time. I watched on NITV a couple of weeks ago the ALL Aboriginal NSW knockout tournie, which had 10,000 spectators and people saying how great it was to gather and catch up with one's 'mob'. is this replicated in any other sport? are the criticisms stemming from jealousy that this can't be achieved elsewhere in professional Australian sport let alone amateur sport? We could possibly see up to 20,000 indigenous Australians descend on Suncorp, what a hisotircal occasion. lets go a step further and have a indigenous cultural precinct around the stadium in celebration. Rugby league does what our govt struggles to do, and thus the govt does it thru our sport now as we are the most historically capable in a sporting sense.

Debating with you is like debating with a small child. Il now join the rest of all roar followers and treat your posts as nothing but a joke.

The Hyde and Jekyll of Union, play a six Nations, then get 4 countries together to play a Lions tour. I am not interested in this fluff tour, and if the English, Welsh, Irish and Scots have not woken up yet that they are barracking for their enemies, that is not my problem. Thick is thick. Origin is watched by 12 million a series in Australia, with a growing international audience and a growing reputation as worlds best rivalry. The Lions are a fluff team. Imagine south Africa, NZ and Australia touring the world,,,as one team bunched together and we call them the mellons, might as well.. ????

Haha whatever oikee, google lions tour and watch the crowds in the packed out stadiums and tell me that's not passion.. Watch the last tour of south Africa, the place was like a powderkeg ready to explode. I don't need to google the league lions oikee, I remember offiah playing for them and it was good to watch. I never attacked their existence did I? No. You did. And union knows of the rivaly, heard of six nations?

Typical union supporter, its all about money, not passion,. Rugby league Origin will blow this fluff lions tour out of the water, as will any AFL game played. You mention money nearly every second post. Rugby league has passion in this country. It was built on passion.

Seems like Greg has quickly gone away to look up the rugby league lions. The Kangaroos played the Brittish Lions at Wembley 1994 i think dont quote me, and meninga scored the winning try in the second match. The Kangaroos went on to win the series. We let go of the Brittish game so each indvidual country could strive on their own. Union seems to have not realised, that Ireland, Wales Scotland and England have a fierce rivalry. everyone in the world knows this, apparently not Union.

Because it wasn't as treasured as the lions union tours, I'm guessing... Maybe you should take this up with the queen.. Funny thing is, if it were league that had a huge lions tour coming up, which will sell out huge stadiums (even with 300 dollar plus ticket prices), we wouldn't be arguing the relevance, now would we...

So let me get this right, your great Britain in the Olympics, but your seperate teams in the world cup, ? or are you going back to Great Britain in the World cup,. ? cant have it both ways . Again, i say, how can a welshmen with his so-called pride barrack for the english, a scotsman, you given up on pride, i ask the question. The rugby league Lions also toured, we gave it away.

Your a joke. Great Britain is a sovereign state of the united kingdom, represented by the British ( and Irish) lions. They have been touring since 1888, it's not a cash cow. Britain competes as one in the Olympics, is that for cash as well? If league had a similar tradition which was as huge, you would love it. Don't hate because its a union tradition.

Maybe you need to go back to the union blog and ask this question, how can a welsh supporter go on to cheer for a english player in the lions team. ???????? Hey, league fans, if you cheer for the Kangaroos, would you be willing to change your spots and cheer for the Kiwis. ? The lions will never come back in rugby league. This series was used to bring Great Britian up to speed in rugby league. Union seem to be useing this as a cashcow, why are we not surprised. I have more pride in my country, union dont seem to care.

What are you on about, if your injured your injured, you a doctor now as well are you. Mate you quickly lose credibilty on these blogs if you talk nonsense. The NRL top players are in this game, ? you going to dispute that fact as well. ?

You stated and I quote"two seperate teams based on race is appalling", on 17th jan @11.33am'.That is what drew my response. Am I missing something? There are not two seperate teams based on race.Race was not the criteria(nor must it ever be) set for fans to choose the NRL All Stars. Correct me ,if I am wrong.