Indigenous coach Daley opts for alcohol-free camp

Laurie Daley has moved to protect the image of the NRL and nullify the potential for off-field trouble by turning this week's Indigenous All Stars camp into an alcohol-free zone.

Daley's decision to enforce a dry camp comes at a time when the game's reputation has taken a battering following a range of off-field indiscretions.

Those incidents came during an off-season NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg described as a "train wreck".

Daley, whose time as NSW State of Origin coach was partly compromised by the impact of alcohol in camp, has asked his players to refrain from drinking during their time in Melbourne for the Harvey Norman All Stars game.

While the New Zealand Maori staff have allowed their players the freedom to do as they choose, the stance of the Indigenous side will be welcomed by NRL clubs who have agreed to release their players so close to the start of the Telstra Premiership.

"What's happened is these camps when they come in we don't allow the guys to have a beer," Daley told NRL.com.

"This is a short week and we have blokes coming in from different clubs. We need to spend time with them. They are big days both on a cultural front and football. We basically don't give them the opportunity to do anything wrong.

"There isn't really that opportunity to have a few quiet ones. They have been good. They understand their responsibility and they understand what's right and wrong … they've been good."

There are a number of players in the squad who have had issues with alcohol at various periods in their career, some whom have gone on self-imposed alcohol bans to help them through it.

They want to do the right thing by our people and generate a change

Indigenous All Stars coach Laurie Daley

The decision by Blake Ferguson and Josh Dugan to drink during NSW Origin camp in 2017 contributed to Daley's demise as Blues coach, however, he doesn't think he will have a problem with this group of players.

"From my understanding, Fergo doesn't drink anymore," Daley said.

"There are other guys who have had issues with it in the past but I haven't had an issue. We've been good.

"We spoke to them when they came in about coming here and learning about our culture and buying into everything. They want to do the right thing by our people and generate a change and inspire people.

"We'll allow them to have few quiet beers together after the game but once we leave the sheds that's all they will have."