Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah has been selected by the fans to join Benji Marshall in the NRL All-Stars side.
Farah will start on the bench in Wayne Bennett's team to take on the Indigenous All-Stars side in Brisbane on February 9.
Australian captain Cameron Smith will start at hooker as another automatic selection.
Former Internationals Willie Mason and Timana Tahu will make a stunning return to representative football as rivals after the Knights team-mates were today named as coachs selections for next months Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars in Brisbane.
Newcastle and NRL All Stars Coach Wayne Bennett chose Mason to make his All Stars debut alongside Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs), James Tamou (Cowboys), Billy Slater (Storm) and Tim Grant (Panthers), while Tahu was chosen by Laurie Daley for his Indigenous All Stars side featuring seven newcomers. The others are Raiders trio Reece Robinson, Jake Foster and Jack Wighton, Aidan Sezer (Titans), Joel Romelo (Bulldogs) and Dane Nielsen (Warriors).
Indigenous All Stars captain Johnathan Thurston and Broncos NRL All Stars selection Ben Hannant joined Bennett and Daley in Brisbane today for the announcement of both squads for the fourth annual Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars match to be played at Suncorp Stadium for the first time on February 9.
More than 40,000 Rugby League fans have had their say via two online voting stages to select a representative from each of the 16 NRL Clubs in the 20-man NRL All Stars squad, while fans could choose from all of Rugby Leagues best Indigenous talent for Daleys Indigenous All Stars.
Following the closing of the public online voting on Monday, Bennett was able to select two extra players alongside automatic selections Benji Marshall (New Zealand captain) and Cameron Smith (Australian captain); while Daley could pick three extra players in addition to automatic selection (as captain) Thurston.
Bennetts other coachs selection is the Storms Cooper Cronk, while Daley also chose Wighton and Nielsen.
Daley said: We certainly have some strike-power in our team and when you look at the calibre of players we have, I think fans will be excited at the style of footy we will play.
The NRL All Stars is a formidable side with big, powerful, class players in key positions, but I know how determined our team is to perform well and I think we have a squad capable of achieving something special.
Bennett said the public had selected him a balanced side that would be capable of playing the exciting brand of football that had become synonymous with the All Stars game.
There is no doubt the fans will be in for an entertaining game with the great mix of talented and exciting backs and powerful forwards in both teams, as well as the blend of experience and youth, Bennett said.
Just as important as the game though is the whole week of All Stars activities and community events and I commend the players for their ongoing commitment to the All Stars concept which continues to help make a real difference to the lives of many Australians.
The 2013 NRL All Stars team is:
Player (*All Stars debutants)
Club
Billy Slater*
Akuila Uate
Shaun Kenny-Dowall
Josh Morris
Brett Morris
Benji Marshall (c) (automatic selection)
Adam Reynolds*
James Tamou*
Cameron Smith (automatic selection)
Ben Hannant
David Taylor
Anthony Watmough
Paul Gallen
Interchange
Robbie Farah
Tim Grant*
David Shillington
Feleti Mateo
Jarryd Hayne
Coachs Selections
Willie Mason*
Cooper Cronk
The 2013 Learn Earn Legend! Indigenous All Stars team is:
Player (*All Stars debutants)
Club
Ben Barba
Reece Robinson*
Justin Hodges
Greg Inglis
Blake Ferguson
Johnathan Thurston (c)
Scott Prince
George Rose
Travis Waddell
Andrew Fifita
Joel Thompson
Greg Bird
Nathan Peats
Interchange
Ryan James
Aidan Sezer*
Joel Romelo*
Jake Foster*
Coachs Selections
Dane Nielsen*
Timana Tahu*
Jack Wighton*
Farah will start on the bench in Wayne Bennett's team to take on the Indigenous All-Stars side in Brisbane on February 9.
Australian captain Cameron Smith will start at hooker as another automatic selection.
Former Internationals Willie Mason and Timana Tahu will make a stunning return to representative football as rivals after the Knights team-mates were today named as coachs selections for next months Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars in Brisbane.
Newcastle and NRL All Stars Coach Wayne Bennett chose Mason to make his All Stars debut alongside Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs), James Tamou (Cowboys), Billy Slater (Storm) and Tim Grant (Panthers), while Tahu was chosen by Laurie Daley for his Indigenous All Stars side featuring seven newcomers. The others are Raiders trio Reece Robinson, Jake Foster and Jack Wighton, Aidan Sezer (Titans), Joel Romelo (Bulldogs) and Dane Nielsen (Warriors).
Indigenous All Stars captain Johnathan Thurston and Broncos NRL All Stars selection Ben Hannant joined Bennett and Daley in Brisbane today for the announcement of both squads for the fourth annual Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars match to be played at Suncorp Stadium for the first time on February 9.
More than 40,000 Rugby League fans have had their say via two online voting stages to select a representative from each of the 16 NRL Clubs in the 20-man NRL All Stars squad, while fans could choose from all of Rugby Leagues best Indigenous talent for Daleys Indigenous All Stars.
Following the closing of the public online voting on Monday, Bennett was able to select two extra players alongside automatic selections Benji Marshall (New Zealand captain) and Cameron Smith (Australian captain); while Daley could pick three extra players in addition to automatic selection (as captain) Thurston.
Bennetts other coachs selection is the Storms Cooper Cronk, while Daley also chose Wighton and Nielsen.
Daley said: We certainly have some strike-power in our team and when you look at the calibre of players we have, I think fans will be excited at the style of footy we will play.
The NRL All Stars is a formidable side with big, powerful, class players in key positions, but I know how determined our team is to perform well and I think we have a squad capable of achieving something special.
Bennett said the public had selected him a balanced side that would be capable of playing the exciting brand of football that had become synonymous with the All Stars game.
There is no doubt the fans will be in for an entertaining game with the great mix of talented and exciting backs and powerful forwards in both teams, as well as the blend of experience and youth, Bennett said.
Just as important as the game though is the whole week of All Stars activities and community events and I commend the players for their ongoing commitment to the All Stars concept which continues to help make a real difference to the lives of many Australians.
The 2013 NRL All Stars team is:
Player (*All Stars debutants)
Club
Billy Slater*
Akuila Uate
Shaun Kenny-Dowall
Josh Morris
Brett Morris
Benji Marshall (c) (automatic selection)
Adam Reynolds*
James Tamou*
Cameron Smith (automatic selection)
Ben Hannant
David Taylor
Anthony Watmough
Paul Gallen
Interchange
Robbie Farah
Tim Grant*
David Shillington
Feleti Mateo
Jarryd Hayne
Coachs Selections
Willie Mason*
Cooper Cronk
The 2013 Learn Earn Legend! Indigenous All Stars team is:
Player (*All Stars debutants)
Club
Ben Barba
Reece Robinson*
Justin Hodges
Greg Inglis
Blake Ferguson
Johnathan Thurston (c)
Scott Prince
George Rose
Travis Waddell
Andrew Fifita
Joel Thompson
Greg Bird
Nathan Peats
Interchange
Ryan James
Aidan Sezer*
Joel Romelo*
Jake Foster*
Coachs Selections
Dane Nielsen*
Timana Tahu*
Jack Wighton*
