The Indigenous All Stars concept is too important for it to be squeezed out of an increasingly packed NRL pre-season, says Brisbane veteran Sam Thaiday.
But like just about everyone else, he doesn’t have a clue where it best fits into the rugby league calendar.
“It’s the same conversation we have every year, at the start of the year,” said a bemused Thaiday.
“How do we fix it? No idea.
“I just show up and do the best I can in whatever jersey I have on.
“Hopefully the powers that be can sit down and figure out a way where we’re not putting so much loading on players.”
NRL head of football Todd Greenberg sent tongues wagging on the weekend when he admitted the All Stars match, which has run for five of the last six years, has an uncertain future.
Greenberg conceded he had to “do some thinking” about when it is played, if it’s indeed played again, with more players pulling out on Monday as a congested pre-season also featuring the NRL Auckland Nines and the World Club Series continues to take its toll.
The All Stars team have been decimated, with calf injuries to captain Paul Gallen and crowd favourite Roger Tuivasa-Sheck forcing them to withdraw along with North Queensland’s Antonio Winterstein.
Beau Scott, Konrad Hurrell and Matthew Wright will replace them, while Ryan Hoffman is in for Warriors captain Simon Mannering, who last week announced he would be staying with his wife in New Zealand after the birth of their second child.
The Indigenous side, meanwhile, have lost South Sydney duo Chris Grevsmuhl and Alex Johnston, with David Fifita and Leilani Latu taking their spots.
Hoffman said his Warriors teammate Tuivasa-Sheck’s injury was legitimate, having pushed through a calf strain during the final of the Nines.
“It was really good for him to do that for club but that’s the sacrifice he made,” Hoffman said.
But, like Thaiday, Hoffman doesn’t hold the answer to the All Stars conundrum.
“Thankfully, I’m not in charge of making those decisions,” he said.
Thaiday said the NRL simply has to find a place for the All Stars match, and is confident “some aspect” of the concept will linger.
One option to reinvigorate the match is to take it outside of south-east Queensland and to places like Townsville, which would guarantee a “dead set sellout”, said Thaiday.
“There’d be people hanging off the lights to see the game,” he said.
“Who knows where this game can go?
“We kind of have set a benchmark now and it will continue, in some way, shape or form.
“It does a lot of work in the communities, gives a lot of hope and lets a lot of young indigenous kids dream to be bigger, greater and get out of certain situations.
“That is the most important thing about this game – not the 80 minutes on the Saturday.”
Parra
Guest
Perhaps at the end of season select an all Australasian team to play the best of the northern hemisphere. That might work? Not sure, there is so much content on throughout the year not sure this concept is needed. Perhaps an NRL week celebrating indigenous culture would be better? I would follow the Nfl example and limit preseason to games only. This would be followed by the NRL season, then world club challenge then 9s over the summer. International matches will be only played every four year at World Cup. It works for soccer. The benefit of their approach is that is builds strong clubs that ultimately provide players for the World Cup etc. all countries should build strong domestic leagues which compete for a champions league format. Who knows.
Richard Maybury
Guest
Like you, I have never been convinced by the burn out argument. You never hear the Pommy players complain about burn out and yet their season is longer than ours and they play challenge cup on top of that. One postponed game due to weather (not exactly unusual in the north of England) and you can suddenly find clubs playing 3 games in 10 days. The one thing the Poms do that we don't is manage their teams. They don't always put their first team on the pitch but rotate their stars with youngsters depending on opposition. This recognises that the responsibility for managing burnout and player welfare in general lies with clubs and not the governing body. Maybe we do need to relax some of our rules around SC and the make up of teams but putting the onus for this issue fairly and squarely on the shoulders of the coach and medical staff would do much to make the problem go away. Its easy to blame the NRL, like the ATO they are the root of everything that is wrong including poverty and world hunger.
Dean - Surry Hills
Guest
Cricket ratings were not better than the NRL Nines in both NSW and QLD - which accounts for more than half of Australia's population. I'd like to see the ratings figures added for those who paid to watch via the Telstra live streaming app - like I did. I was going to pay the $80 for the year so I could watch NRL anywhere and at anytime throughout the year. I decided to see what it was like first, and just paid $2.99 for two weeks. Firstly I could not download the app on my Microsoft Surface PC through the Windows App Store as it was not listed - yet it was clearly advertised by Telstra that I could. I therefore decided to download the app on my Iphone through Itunes, and stream the Nines through my Optus very fast NBN connection which has consistent speeds of 45-50 MBPS. What a disappointment. The vision kept freezing and i missed most of the action in each game. Since I had paid to view these games I decided to see what I could find online, and quickly discovered numerous international sites where I could watch the event for free. Using a virtual private network I accessed a live stream in no time. It was over 20 seconds ahead of the supposed live Telstra stream - and this one did not keep on freezing and missing huge parts of each match. Trying to contact Telstra to remedy a fault is an absolute nightmare. I think Telstra's servers are basically incapable of handling any significant volume. Save your cash if you're thinking of using the NRL Digital Pass.
rebel
Guest
Make it like the NFL, have a 2 week build up to the GF with the all star match the weekend between. Sure some players wont be involved, but I feel this would be the best compromise for the clubs who don't want to risk losing players at the start of the year. Maybe alternate the nines and all star match. Maybe have areas bid to host as well. This should mean both GF teams are fit and ready to go also.
Richard Maybury
Guest
To an extent, I agree but that is why we have governing bodies - to ensure that the sport advances and not just the needs of clubs or in this case one relatively small insignificant comp.
Richard Maybury
Guest
Well said Russ, I am all for more Rugby League games and competitions and in as far as that goes then of course I want the All Stars and all the other competitions we can dream up but in a situation where something has to give then quite simply we have to look at what makes money and what grows this game here in Australia and also internationally. As much as it may hurt, the reality is that this game, this business can no longer pander to the likes and wants of a sub-section of society unless it makes commercial sense to do so. I want my grandchildren watching NRL as the number 1 sport in this country and where RL is a major world sport. I don't want them watching old All Stars and City/Country games and saying "so that is what Grandpa used to watch".
Beardan the great
Guest
They do in this game. It's like to globetrotters vs the Washington generals The game means nothing to the other team and is tokenism
Russ
Guest
But Mike I think that's more or less what everyone was saying when you said "strange comments!" It's never been the potential of RL that's worried just the will and the accumen! Stop treating important stuff as preseason or an after thought unless all you're planning is the next installment of Phil Gould's biography! No one was suggesting looking at any other sport just reminding that sport is a competitive and over burdened market, which is yoonion calls itself rugby like it owns the word because it was doing a bit of brand positioning. They undestand and use the global market very well indeed and so should we. and that means looking at events a saleable commodities and treating everyone to the idea that they'd be a fool or left out in the cold if they didn't make an effort to be there! But you're right about the size of the season!
East Bound & Down
Guest
How many $$$$ do they get for this one off game ? Me personally I don't have the slightest interest in it and i feel it probably means more to the indig players and supporters rather than the motley crew thrown together to combat them , I saw somewhere above mentioning playing it every four years , and that's suits the novelty aspect of the concept .
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Yeah, I can see that working. But I think the idea of a week long rugby league celebration of Indigenous culture needs to be a yearly thing and if this current format isn't good enough, then what is?
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Yeah, the indigenous have had it all their way for so long now...
Johnny J-Dog
Guest
I'd take an interest if they played against a colonials team with players only of British heritage.
Johnny J-Dog
Guest
It'll die out once Thurston and Inglis retire which won't be far off. They are the major drawcards.
Johnny J-Dog
Guest
Hey,Train, what the hell are you doing over here?
Johnny J-Dog
Guest
Or perhaps every decade.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Well if they are all individuals i would advise them from paying Union membership to have the RLPA negotiate on their behalf.
Baracuda
Guest
Players play for trophies...
parra
Guest
There is too much congestion at pre-season. I would keep it simple and hold pre-season matches only. Also people are still watching cricket and would rather that completes before revving up for the new NRL season. Ratings for cricket easily beat the 9's. All stars match is at the beginning of the season where players are not match fit and prone to injuries etc. I would cancel this game and introduce an indiginous week during the NRL season. The 9's should be international and held end of season or during SOO (See Mal's comments)? I like Elliot's view on format for the game. I think as a game we need to decide what is important and stick to it. There's too much RL on throughout the year. Quality not quantity. The NFL is on only for 6 months, a short season of 16wks and yet it's the most popular sport in North America. We also need to rationalise Sydney teams as well. The commission and new CEO have lots to do.
turbodewd
Guest
Sorry, Im not a fan of the All Stars game. Its not actually a real rivalry. Its basically indigenous vs The Rest. The Rest is always a recipe for nothingness...what do The Rest have that identifies us as a group - nothing. The game is for the benefit of one team. The Rest is there for the numbers. Its a silly concept. Indigenous culture can be recognised in other ways I believe.
Dean - Surry Hills
Guest
I don't like the All-Stars concept. I think that the segregation of players in opposing teams based upon their heritage fuels long term inequalities, and further highlights the divides among people in our nation from different walks of life. Each time I watch a game, I see a form of apartheid. The greatest thing with Australian sports such as the NRL and AFL is that it has bought a complex range of cultures together and helped to break down a host of barriers. I'd rather see players combating side-by-side, and not splitting teams based on colour, race, or heritage. All citizens of Australian should be empowered by the notion of "where we are going", rather than "where we have been". Just get rid of the month of trial games. Seriously, do we need them? One trial match is more than enough. Move the World Club Challenge to a fortnight after the Grand Final when both clubs still have their full roster (prior to players joining other clubs) and all of the players are at their peak. The game would rate so much better, and stop the unnecessary travel prior to the seasons launch. These measures would leave plenty of time throughout the year for a decent amount of Internationals or stand alone fixtures, and reducing player burnout.