NRL All Stars Coach Wayne Bennett will today break new ground by ‘blogging’ with selectors on www.nrl.com to discuss the make-up of his side to take on the Indigenous All Stars in the Harvey Norman All Stars match at Skilled Park on February 13.
The fans who will choose the team will have the chance to discuss their opinions directly with the six-time Premiership-winning coach in what promises to be one of the most watched blogs in Rugby League history.
From 12.30pm AEDT to 1pm AEDT (11.30am-12pm in Queensland), Bennett will offer his thoughts and opinions and give the public a rare opportunity to understand some of the challenges the game’s top coaches face.
With Stage Two voting underway from today until midnight AEDT on January 29, it is now up to the fans to determine which players will receive an inaugural NRL All Stars jersey.
In this stage of voting, fans must select one player from each of the 16 clubs to join Darren Lockyer, Benji Marshall, Cameron Smith, and Adam Blair, who have already been named in the 20-man NRL All Stars squad.
So far 35,000 fans have sat in the selector’s chair – 17,000 voted for the Indigenous All Stars and 18,000 took part in Stage One of the NRL All Stars process.
As fans commence the voting process today, Bennett has made good on his promise to guide the public on the selection process and tomorrow fans will receive a first-hand insight into the mind of one of the most successful coaches in the history of the game.
Bennett has assigned each of the 64 short-listed players the position he wants the public to consider them for and players can only be voted for in one of their designated position/s.
The coach has divided the backs into three groups:
- Fullback – Specialist role
- Outside Back – Includes centres and wings
- Inside Back – A player who can play five-eighth or halfback
Forwards are also divided into three categories
- Tight Forwards – A player who plays front-row and also second-row
- Edge Forwards – A second-rower or lock that can play on both the right and left side edge of a team’s attack and defence.
- Hooker – Specialist role
The coach wants at least three tight forwards in the starting line-up
The Coach’s remaining notes are:
- Players marked as utility players have been designated on the basis of their ability to cover multiple positions.
- The seven man bench will require:
- two Tight Forwards
- one Edge Forward
- one Inside Back
- one Outside Back
- two Utilities
The public now faces the testing task of narrowing down the 64 players to just sixteen, choosing at least one player from every NRL club.
They will join the four internationals, Darren Lockyer, Benji Marshall, Cameron Smith, and Adam Blair who have already been named in the in the first ever twenty man NRL All-Stars squad.
Bennett has already designated Lockyer at five-eighth, Marshall at half, Smith at hooker and Blair in the front row.
The coach has spoken of his excitement at the prospect of having both Marshall and Lockyer in the same jersey:
“One of the exciting things to me is that they can all play together for the first time in their careers.
“I spoke to Benji recently and I’ve got to say that he was so excited about the fact that he would be playing with Lockyer and I know that Lockyer is excited about getting to play with him.
“Just those two alone, I just want to spend a week with them and enjoy their company and watch them play football.”
A full interview between Wayne Bennett and Brad Fitler on the Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars can be viewed online tomorrow at www.nrl.com tomorrow (January 4).
Wayne Bennett’s nominated positions for the 64-shortlisted NRL All Stars contenders are:
Club | Name | Position/s |
Brisbane Broncos | ||
| Corey Parker | Edge Forward |
| Nick Kenny | Tight Forward |
| Israel Folau | Outside Back |
| Peter Wallace | Inside Back |
Canberra Raiders | ||
| Alan Tongue | Edge Forward, Utility |
| David Shillington | Tight Forward |
| Terry Campese | Inside Back |
| Joel Monaghan | Outside Back |
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs | ||
| Michael Ennis | Hooker |
| David Stagg | Edge Forward |
| Josh Morris | Outside Back |
| Luke Patten | Fullback |
Cronulla Sharks | ||
| Anthony Tupou | Edge Forward |
| Luke Douglas | Tight Forward |
| Trent Barrett | Inside Back |
| Luke Covell | Outside Back |
Gold Coast Titans | ||
| Anthony Laffranchi | Edge Forward |
| Luke Bailey | Tight Forward |
| Mat Rogers | Utility, Inside Back |
| Ashley Harrison | Edge Forward |
Manly Sea Eagles | ||
| Anthony Watmough | Edge Forward |
| Glenn Stewart | Edge Forward |
| Michael Robertson | Outside Back |
| Kieran Foran | Inside Back, Utility |
Melbourne Storm | ||
| Ryan Hoffman | Edge Forward |
| Aiden Tolman | Tight Forward |
| Billy Slater | Fullback |
| Brett Finch | Inside Back |
Newcastle Knights | ||
| Ben Cross | Tight Forward |
| Chris Houston | Edge Forward |
| Kurt Gidley | Fullback, Utility |
| Jarrod Mullen | Inside Back |
North Queensland Cowboys | ||
| Luke O’Donnell | Edge Forward |
| Antonio Kaufusi | Tight Forward |
| Ashley Graham | Outside Back |
| Josh Williams | Outside Back |
Parramatta Eels | ||
| Fuifui Moimoi | Tight Forward |
| Nathan Hindmarsh | Edge Forward, Tight Forward |
| Jarryd Hayne | Outside Back, Fullback |
| Feleti Mateo | Inside Back, Utility |
Penrith Panthers | ||
| Petero Civoniceva | Tight Forward |
| Frank Pritchard | Edge Forward |
| Michael Jennings | Outside Back |
| Luke Lewis | Edge Forward, Utility |
South Sydney Rabbitohs | ||
| Dave Taylor | Edge Forward |
| Isaac Luke | Hooker |
| Fetuli Talanoa | Outside Back |
| Colin Best | Outside Back |
St George Illawarra Dragons | ||
| Ben Creagh | Edge Forward |
| Jeremy Smith | Tight Forward, Edge Forward |
| Matt Cooper | Outside Back |
| Darius Boyd | Outside Back, Fullback |
Sydney Roosters | ||
| Nate Myles | Tight Forward |
| Jason Ryles | Tight Forward |
| Anthony Minichiello | Fullback |
| Mitchell Pearce | Inside Back |
New Zealand Warriors | ||
| Micheal Luck | Edge Forward |
| Sam Rapira | Tight Forward |
| Manu Vatuvei | Outside Back |
| Simon Mannering | Edge Forward |
Wests Tigers | ||
| Gareth Ellis | Edge Forward |
| Robbie Farah | Hooker |
| Chris Lawrence | Outside Back |
| Tim Moltzen | Fullback, Utility |
The first player selected in the NRL All Stars team public vote will be the representative who receives the highest overall number votes for a single position. His selection will mean that no other player from that representative’s club will be eligible to make the side. The next player selected will have recorded the second highest number of overall votes for a single position ….and so on.
If a player is unable to play due to injury, he will be replaced by someone from the bench.
The bench spot will then be filled by another player 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.
There are only a handful of remaining tickets, including corporate packages and single seats. Ticket enquiries can made through Ticketek outlets, on 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au.
