Results released today show exciting backs Billy Slater and Jarryd Hayne, dynamic wingers Akuila Uate and Brett Morris and powerhouses James Tamou and Fuifui Moimoi were the most popular players among the 15,723 fans who took part in the first stage of online voting for Wayne Bennett’s 2013 NRL All Stars.
Hayne (Eels) was the overall favourite with 9491 votes, 208 ahead of Uate (Knights) after six weeks of voting at www.nrl.com/allstars where fans chose their favourite two backs and two forwards from all 16 NRL Clubs to be considered for Bennett’s team for the 2013 Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars.
The top 10 fan favourites also included Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs), Josh Morris (Bulldogs), Paul Gallen (Sharks) and Cooper Cronk (Storm). Cronk finished just one vote ahead of Michael Jennings (Panthers).
Hayne said: "I feel really honoured; it's such a privilege to be a part of the whole All Stars concept … it's become an important part of the Rugby League calendar. It's nice to be thought of by the fans who voted for me.”
Bennett now has a 64-man ‘shortlist’ from which the public will get a second chance to pick 16 players (one only from each club) to join automatic selections Benji Marshall and Cameron Smith for the fourth annual Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on February 9.
The top 10 players for the 2013 NRL All Stars in Stage One voting:
| Player | Club |
| 1. Jarryd Hayne | Eels |
| 2. Akuila Uate | Knights |
| 3. Brett Morris | Dragons |
| 4. James Tamou | Cowboys |
| 5. Billy Slater | Storm |
| 6. Fuifui Moimoi | Eels |
| 7. Adam Reynolds | Rabbitohs |
| 8. Josh Morris | Bulldogs |
| 9. Paul Gallen | Sharks |
| 10. Cooper Cronk | Storm |
The publicly-chosen 64-man ‘shortlist’ for the 2013 NRL All Stars:
| Club | Backs | Forwards |
| Broncos | Peter Wallace | Ben Hannant |
| Corey Norman | Corey Parker | |
| Bulldogs | Josh Morris | Sam Kasiano |
| Krisnan Inu | Tony Williams | |
| Cowboys | Ashley Graham | James Tamou |
| Kane Linnett | Matthew Scott | |
| Dragons | Brett Morris | Ben Creagh |
| Jason Nightingale | Trent Merrin | |
| Eels | Jarryd Hayne | Fuifui Moimoi |
| Ken Sio | Tim Mannah | |
| Knights | Akuila Uate | Danny Buderus |
| Darius Boyd | Kade Snowden | |
| Panthers | Michael Jennings | Tim Grant |
| Lachlan Coote | Sika Manu | |
| Rabbitohs | Adam Reynolds | Ben Te’o |
| Andrew Everingham | Issac Luke | |
| Raiders | Josh Dugan | David Shillington |
| Jarrod Croker | Josh Papalii | |
| Roosters | James Maloney | Jared Waerea-Hargreaves |
| Shaun Kenny-Dowall | Frank-Paul Nuuausala | |
| Sea Eagles | Brett Stewart | Glenn Stewart |
| Jamie Lyon | Anthony Watmough | |
| Sharks | Beau Ryan | Paul Gallen |
| Michael Gordon | Luke Lewis | |
| Storm | Billy Slater | Ryan Hoffman |
| Cooper Cronk | Kevin Proctor | |
| Titans | Will Zillman | David Taylor |
| Kevin Gordon | Nate Myles | |
| Warriors | Shaun Johnson | Feleti Mateo |
| Konrad Hurrell | Ben Matulino | |
| WestsTigers | Chris Lawrence | Robbie Farah |
| Tim Moltzen | Aaron Woods |
NB Brent Tate (Cowboys), Todd Carney (Sharks) and Jack Reed (Broncos) were removed from voting because of injuries.
Bennett will now have two weeks to review the list and place the players into preferred positions, including how he would like to see the make-up of the interchange bench, ahead of Stage Two voting opening on December 10.
The public will have until January 14 to select just one player from each of the 16 NRL Clubs to join Marshall and Smith in the final 20-man squad, which will also feature two players chosen by Bennett and the NRL All Stars coaching staff.
Voting for the Indigenous All Stars team will also open on December 10 with both teams announced on January 16.
Overview of NRL All Stars voting:
- The first player to be chosen in the NRL All Stars team will be the player who scores the highest number of overall votes in a position.
- Once a player from one club is placed in the team, no other player from that club can be selected.
- If a player withdraws from the team due to injury, he will be replaced by someone from the bench.
- The open bench spot will then be replaced by someone from the injured player’s club, depending on the position needed for the bench.
2013 Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars Ticket Categories and Prices
Tickets for the 2013 Harvey Norman All Stars match are available through Ticketek outlets, on 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au. New Zealand customers can call 0800 842 538 or +61 132 849.
Categories |
Cat 1 | Cat 2 | Cat 3 |
Adult |
$90.00 | $50.00 | $20.00 |
Pensioner* |
$80.00 | $45.00 | $18.00 |
Junior |
$70.00 | $40.00 | $16.00 |
Family (2 adults + 2 juniors) |
$265.00 | $150.00 | $60.00 |
The Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars is supported by Events QLD as part of a growing calendar of sporting, cultural, regional and business events across QLD.
* Aged, War, TPI, Invalid and Disability
