'Know your identity': Why All Stars means so much to Foxx

For Josh-Addo Carr, representing his Indigenous heritage in the annual All Stars fixture means even more now that his son Fox has started school.

After missing last year’s All Stars due to suspension, Addo-Carr will return for the February 15 match against Aotearoa Māori at FMG Stadium Waikato determined to inspire his littlest fan.

Fox, who attended his first day of school this week, was only three-years old when Addo-Carr last played All Stars in 2024 in Townsville.

“My son, little Fox, he is like my little shadow. He is my little best mate,” Addo-Carr said.

“If I can show him and teach him who he is and where he is from, by seeing his dad do his thing, then when he grows up, he can hopefully chase his dreams and be proud of where he comes from and who he is.

“The whole idea of All Stars is about representing, and the big thing is identity. Some people lose track of that, and I think it’s a very important thing to know your identity.”

Addo-Carr was among eight players confirmed for the men’s and women’s All Stars double-header in Hamilton on Thursday. They are:

• Casey McLean (Māori Men)
• Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Māori Men)
• Josh Addo-Carr (Indigenous Men)
• Jack Wighton (Indigenous Men)
• Gayle Broughton (Māori Women)
• Tenika Willison (Māori Women)
• Jada Taylor (Indigenous Women)
• Taliah Fuimaono (Indigenous Women)

They joined James Fisher-Harris (Māori Men), Nicho Hynes (Indigenous Men), Kennedy Cherrington (Māori Women) and Jaime Chapman (Indigenous Women), whose selections were announced on Tuesday.

Addo-Carr had his first taste of All Stars in 2011 when he played for the NSW U16s Indigenous team against Queensland U16s Indigenous team in the curtain-raiser to the second All Stars match on the Gold Coast.

His family turned out to watch him play, as they do nearly every year.

“It is something I always want to do every year. I am very proud to be Indigenous,” he told NRL.com at the launch of Rexona Rivals, which airs on Kayo Sports on March 1 and pits Addo-Carr, Reece Walsh, Ali Brigginshaw and Jaime Chapman against rival teams from other codes.

"It is one thing to represent your country but then it is another thing to represent your people.

"My family talk about it every year, my family actually love it - my dad, my mum, all of my cousins and brothers and sisters. It puts a smile on their faces knowing us boys are going out there to rip in for them."

The Eels winger has the opportunity to become the outright Indigenous All Stars try scoring record holder - a mark he currently shares with Ben Barba.

Addo-Carr's four try haul includes a brace in the Indigenous All Stars 22-14 defeat of the Māori All Stars in Townsville in 2024 - both of which he finished with a celebratory dance.

“You have got little kids out there that are watching us represent our culture and just doing a little shake-a-leg or something like that after you score a try, who knows - they might start getting into Indigenous dancing," he said.

It just shows how proud I am of my culture and they should be too.

“That’s why I do it and hopefully they can take that and represent our culture the best way I can."