All Stars: Eels trio causing selection nightmares

NRL All Stars Team voting shows Parramatta’s biggest stars at the forefront of a selection nightmare that is going to trouble supporters from all 16 teams.<br><br>Jarryd Hayne, Nathan Hindmarsh and FuiFui MoiMoi are three of the four most voted for players so far for the Wayne Bennett-coached All Stars – but only one can make the final team.<br><br>And all three want to play.<br><br>“I’d love to be the one who gets in, so would they, so there’s a bit of friendly rivalry,” said Hayne, the game’s International Player of the Year.<br><br>“It would be an honour to be selected by the fans and I hope I get the chance to represent them.”<br><br>More than 11,000 fans have now cast their votes for the NRL All Stars team in just 11 days, joining more than 18,000 fans who voted for the Indigenous All Stars team announced last month.<br><br>The jostling for positions in the side will test fans at all clubs – Bulldogs fans must choose between the likes of Josh Morris, Mick Ennis and Ben Hannant, Titans fans must weigh up whether to vote for Mat Rogers, Anthony Laffranchi or Mark Minichiello, Panthers fans have to choose between Michael Jennings, Petero Civoniceva and Luke Lewis, and Dragons fans between Brett Morris, Ben Creagh, Ben Hornby and Michael Weyman.<br><br>To vote for the NRL All Stars team, fans can log on to <a href="http://www.nrl.com/fanzone/allstarsvoting/tabid/10918/default.aspx">www.nrl.com/allstars</a> and choose two forwards and two backs from each club.<br><br>Broncos star Israel Folau has attracted the most votes of any player in the opening weeks of the public vote but the overall race for the top two backs and forwards at each club remains wide open.<br><br>Stage One voting will remain open until midnight on December 26.<br><br>Once the public provides 64 names, coach Bennett will determine which positions he wants each player to be considered for, which positions he wants covered on the bench and where he will place the team’s four automatic selections – Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith, Benji Marshall and Adam Blair.<br><br>The public will then commence Stage Two, nominating the top player for each position with the player who scores the highest number of overall votes in a position becoming the first chosen.<br><br>Once a player from one club is placed in the team, no other player from that club can be chosen. <br><br>Stage Two voting will open on January 3 and close at midnight on January 29.<br><br>If a player withdraws from the team due to injury, he will be replaced by someone from the bench. <br><br>The bench spot will then be filled by another representative from the injured player’s club – 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.&nbsp; &nbsp;<br><br>With just three weeks left in the Stage One selection process, NRL Chief Executive, Mr David Gallop, today urged all supporters to register and make their vote count. <br><br>“The fans have really embraced the All Stars concept and we want as many as possible to be involved in the selection process,” Mr Gallop said.<br><br>“Fans are going to have to make some choices went it comes to choosing the team and every vote will count, so I encourage everyone to get in and play their part in selecting the NRL team to represent the fans at the All Stars match.”<br><br>Less than 2,000 tickets remain on sale for the February 13 match at Skilled Park, on the Gold Coast.<br><br>Tickets can be purchased through Ticketek outlets, on 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au. <br><br>The Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars game will mark the second anniversary of Prime Minister Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generation.