With just two days to go until voting closes for the 2012 NRL All Stars team, a record 15,000 fans have already taken the rare opportunity to play selector and pick their team for the Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars match at Skilled Park on February 4.
Rugby league fans who have already voted are also reminded to make their team selections count, following the withdrawal today of Wests Tigers’ centre Chris Lawrence with a shoulder injury.
Lawrence was the top-ranked Wests Tigers player, marginally ahead of Adam Blair in overall votes for the one Wests Tigers position on the team and was polling well in the centres along with Manu Vatuvei (Warriors) and Michael Jennings (Panthers) in the Stage Two public voting process which started on December 27.
Tim Moltzen will now replace Lawrence as one of the four Wests Tigers’ “shortlisted” players in the 64-man list.
The “selectors” have two days left to lodge their votes or make changes to their submissions if they have already voted at www.nrl.com/allstars with voting closing on Wednesday (January 18), ahead of the team announcement the next day.
Fans face the challenging task of deciding which of their favourite players to select for NRL All Stars honours as the cut-throat final stage of voting pits team-mates against each other for a prized spot in the third annual All Stars match.
Sharks and NSW captain Paul Gallen is currently the most popular Cronulla player ahead of team-mate Todd Carney, with a thrilling race still on between other team-mates including Jarryd Hayne and Nathan Hindmarsh (Eels); Brent Tate and Dallas Johnson (Cowboys);Tony Williams and Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles); Vatuvei and Shaun Johnson (Warriors); Jack Reed and Corey Parker (Broncos); Frank Pritchard and Josh Morris (Bulldogs); Nate Myles and Luke Bailey (Titans); Jason Nightingale and Matt Cooper (Dragons); Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Anthony Minichiello (Roosters); Michael Jennings and Luke Lewis (Panthers); and Kade Snowden and Neville Costigan (Knights).
The 16 players chosen by the public (one from each club) will join NRL All Stars captain Benji Marshall and Storm captain Cameron Smith, who are automatic team selections, and two “coach’s picks” by Wayne Bennett in a 20-man squad for the third annual All Stars match.
The Indigenous All Stars, named on December 7, will be coached by Laurie Daley and the line-up includes: Johnathan Thurston (c), Ben Barba, Jharal Yow Yeh, Greg Inglis, Justin Hodges, Nathan Merritt, Chris Sandow, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Travis Waddell, George Rose, Sam Thaiday, Jamal Idris, Greg Bird, Andrew Fifita, Cory Paterson, Matthew Bowen, Scott Prince, Anthony Mitchell, Joel Thompson and Nathan Peats.
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, with the new player having recorded the second highest number of votes from that club, either as a forward, back or utility, depending on the position needed for the bench.
Tickets:
Tickets for the 2012 Harvey Norman All Stars match are still available through Ticketek outlets, on 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au. New Zealand customers can call 0800 842 538 or +61 132 849.
Results:
2010 – Indigenous All Stars 16 def NRL All Stars 12
2011 – NRL All Stars 28 def Indigenous All Stars 12.
You have skipped the navigation, tab for page content
National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.
