Why the All Star clash must stay a permanent fixture

City Country is to be abolished,replaced by at least 5 NRL matches in country areas, in mainly regional towns/cities.

Wazza ;Do some research and actually find out the countries with rl comps.And BTW most players in these comps are local players,not Calathumpian speaking Aussies. If you don't know the difference between playing and not playing,I can't help. The only country listed above I would query as to having a comp is Scotland.You continue along the same lines.

Yep, it is artificial for some, but for the majority of my people, who languish in poverty and disadvantage, footy is the only outlet. So having some Aboriginal role models and celebrating our people's contribution to the game is a great thing IMO

Dean people in those countries wouldn't know that the World Cup is on. Its just lucky there is a big Polynesian community in Sydney and Brisbane that will support some teams. Enjoy the Australia vs NZ final mate

Comments that place so much emphasis on "they" and "we" is why we need more of this sort of event.

Wazza - of course there will be media and supporters from other nations beside NZ and Australia. Fans from PNG, Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji now have easy affordable flights at their disposal into Queensland. The French also travel well, so expect a few of them to turn up as well. I'm in a group that has tickets with good seats for the final. Unfortunately our Air BnB place in Brisbane that was booked and paid for a few months ago has just been closed down by Council. If anyone has a place with 8 beds they they want to rent out for on Fri 1/12 until Monday 4/12 then please let me know. We paid $900 for the one that fell through. Cheers.

With all the player migration, I'm another one of these - although I do "support" Parra and Newcastle (oh, woe is me), I wouldn't consider become a member of either. I more strongly support players, and where a number of players I support come together in one team, I support that team. As for the All-Stars game, I'll be there in bay 9, next to the Indigenous supporters area - should be good fun.

Its a trial / exhibition game ! And a chance for Foxtel & Channel 9 to blow out their off season coverage cobwebs. Its a long awaited sugar hit for the deprived NRL fans following a stinking hot summer of prima donna sports. It heralds that the new season is about to start . The only real culture on display is the footy culture and the high anticipation of a new footy season featuring the very same lauded players we all loved last season.

It doesn't have to be a rivalry like state of origin. It doesn't have to be as intense as an NRL game. It doesn't have to be like anything else. It's a pre-season game. You don't have to pick a side. If you're not indigenous it's okay to cheer for the indigenous side. We have heaps of intense, angry, bitter rivalry footy through the year. By June we'll be asking if it's all too serious. There's nothing wrong with starting the season with a game that's supposed to be fun. The players involved do a lot of work with indigenous communities in the week leading up to the game. There's a carnival type atmosphere in the lead up but I haven't seen anything to suggest that the players aren't trying or are going easy on one another. When this game first started I was very cynical about it and hoping Bulldogs didn't get selected or injured. But after watching it that first year I was into it - if you don't think there's passion surrounding this game then you either haven't watched it or you don't have a pulse. You see players playing together that don't normally get the chance. There's usually a couple of experimental rules. There's plenty to like about it from a footballing sense. andrew makes a very good point below that we shouldn't be telling indigenous people what they want or need but I haven't seen anything that suggests indigenous players or fans don't want this fixture. As I've said elsewhere I don't think we celebrate indigenous culture very well or often enough in Australia. I'm proud that the NRL has chosen to do so. We don't need to dillute it to make it about other cultures. It's about the indigenous people of this country. There is more about this than just a game of footy.

You do highlight a genuine problem. Is the contest about sport or is it about promoting a social cause. Alas to me its the latter, its a well-meaning feel-good exercise. its not an actual sporting contest. the All Stars team is just a hodge podge of anyone. this game doesnt reflect a real life rivalry like NSW v Qld does. Its completely artificial.

Happy to keep the All Stars game if we abolish City-Country.

Yep, let us know when the AFL has a grand final where both captains are aboriginal. Encouraging Indigenous players is the one thing the NRL has done BETTER than any other sport in this country. The Champion QLD team of the past 10 years had been full of indigenous players and no one makes a big deal about it because its not for Rugby League. . poor article.

you don't have to put a game on to go out into the community just ask kris sandow . there stars don't even support this they pull out every year with so called injury;s so why should we risk players on a game that dose not matter .

Completely and utterly agree. It should be Indigenous Australian's vs Maori. Could you imagine the big hitting Maoris against the fleet footed Indigenous? I'm a rugby man first and foremost, but do like my league however the All Stars clash as it is, has absolutely no interest to me. Maori v Indigenous Aussies on the other hand, is something i'd definitely put on my must see list. Make it happen NRL.

I do accept it for what it is, it is you that is attempting to belittle it!

Your mate Lachlan Maranta broke his wrist at training last year. Masoe did his knee at training. Mansour did his training for the Kangaroos. Injuries happen in trial games or in origin. I don't think that is any reason to abandon games like this that reach the community outside rugby league and paint rugby league in nothing but a positive light.

He didn't play last year either but we coped. That's got nothing to do with whether the all star team is trying or not though...

Sleiman out of the Visiting countries how many will bring their own supporters and media?? 1 England! the rest of the supporters will come from players family and friends in Western Sydney. Do you think the World Cup will get any traction in those other countries? Honestly, putting your one eyed passion aside?

If the Indigenous jersey is important then put a team together and play 4/5 nations at then end of the season against PNG, Fiji, Samoa, tonga

If their career is on the wane then they aren't "All Stars"