2013 All Stars in Brisbane

[DIEHARD]

Shaun Johnson called into NRL All Stars

NRL All Stars Coach Wayne Bennett has chosen electrifying Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson to play with some of the game?s most outstanding talents in the 2013 Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars in Brisbane next week.

Johnson, 22, received the call-up from Bennett today to replace injured champion Storm halfback and ?coach?s pick? Cooper Cronk in the fourth annual clash at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday week (February 9).

Cronk withdrew today because of a back injury. He will continue on a modified program with the goal of being fit for the club?s World Club Challenge match on February 22 against Leeds Rhinos.

A stunned Johnson, who?s heading into just his third NRL campaign, becomes the third Warriors player involved in this year?s match with Feleti Mateo alongside him on the NRL All Stars bench and new signing Dane Nielsen on the bench for the Indigenous All Stars.

?It?s all a bit surreal for me at the moment,? said the 38-game halfback.

?(Coach) Matt (Elliott) called me to let me know. It?s exciting. I?m really looking forward to the opportunity of playing alongside so many quality players and being in a side coached by Wayne Bennett. It?s a massive honour.?

http://www.nrl.com

[DIEHARD]

Just hope for a great game. At least Cronk replaced by a quality player and a Kiwi.

[TITAN PETE]

NRL.com Sat, Feb 02, 2013 - 12:20 PM


The NRL All Stars will trial three experimental rules at Suncorp Stadium on February 9 Copyright: NRL Photos


Quick taps and restarting the tackle count for ruck infringements will be among the experimental rules on show in the Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars clash at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium next Saturday, February 9.

NRL General Manager of Football Operations, Mr Nathan McGuirk, said this year’s match would feature three experimental rules aimed at enhancing the attacking nature of the All Stars contest.

“The All Stars match is designed to provide fans with an attacking spectacle and it provides a great opportunity for us to trial some experimental rules,” Mr McGuirk said.

“These changes will certainly add to the speed of the game and also reward teams for attacking kicking.”

The experimental rules are:

Ruck Penalties

- For infringements in the ruck area by the defending team (holding down, leg pull, hand on ball etc.) which does not result in the breakdown of play (i.e. drop ball), the referee will indicate the infringement by blowing his whistle and signaling the infringement. The match referee will then immediately signal the restart of the tackle count which shall occur at the point of the infringement with a zero tackle.

- There will be no kick for touch for these infringements. Play will continue immediately from the point of the infringement via a play the ball.

- Any foul play in the ruck area by the defending team will result in a traditional penalty.

- Any infringement by the attacking team in the ruck area will result in a traditional penalty.

Quick Restarts

- This will see an extension of the quick restart from the 20m, with players allowed quick penalty tap kicks/restarts (apart from ruck penalties) from the point of the offence. Captains questioning decisions will be restricted to when they are in possession and scrums.

Restarts from Kicks

- For any attacking team that kicks the ball from the outside the opponents 30m line (30m from try line) and the ball goes dead in-goal, the opponent will receive the ball via a handover (tap restart) from the point where the kick originated once the match officials are in place.

The Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars is supported by Tourism and Events Queensland as part of a growing calendar of sporting, cultural, regional and business events across Queensland.

[DIEHARD]

Watnough out Foran. Unprecedented number of withdrawals...

[Chaos]

Ruck Penalties -I love this rule...I've been calling for this a few years now and now small infringements wont turn the whole game around like it has been.

Quick Restarts -good idea but I don't know how they are going to determine when and when not to talk to the captains.

Restarts from Kicks -I don't fully understand what they are trying to do here...you will still get the same amounts of attacking kicks inside the thirty, which I feel we do too much...kicks from outside the thirty will be shortened making it easy for defending teams to make ground...I don't see the point in that...teams will now just put bombs up at the end of the set...making the game more of a lottery...we'll start losing the small, exciting fullbacks like Bowen and Barba.

[TITAN PETE]

Watnough out Foran. Unprecedented number of withdrawals...

I think the game is losing its appeal for a lot of players now, probably more their clubs encouraging them to pull out incase they break a nail

[Chaos]

I think the game is losing its appeal for a lot of players now, probably more their clubs encouraging them to pull out incase they break a nail

The timing wouldn't be helping the game...every club wanting to start the season off well and wouldn't want injuries.

[DIEHARD]

Most of the withdrawls have been from NRL and not Indigenous All Stars as well.

[TITAN PETE]

Foran called into All Stars

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NRL.com Sun, Feb 03, 2013 - 9:00 AM



Kiwi international Kieran Foran will make his Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars debut next week after being called into the NRL All Stars side today on the eve of the team coming together at Coogee tomorrow.

The 22-year-old Manly five-eighth was chosen by NRL All Stars coach Wayne Bennett to replace his Sea Eagles teammate Anthony Watmough in the fourth annual clash at Suncorp Stadium next Saturday (February 9).

Watmough withdrew today because he had not fully recovered from knee surgery in December. Sea Eagles Medical Staff were not confident he could go the distance in the prestigious and intense Harvey Norman All Stars match.

“I was shocked to get the call today but I am thrilled to be part of the game and I can’t wait to get into camp with the team tomorrow,” said Foran, who has played 88 games with the 2011 Telstra Premiership-winning Sea Eagles.

[Chaos]

Bennett is choosing same exciting players...I think the game is starting get interesting again

[DIEHARD]

Gal out of NRL All Stars.

Im about to switch tribes here!

[TITAN PETE]

Gal out of NRL All Stars.

Im about to switch tribes here!

Well u were once a Donkeys supporter

[DIEHARD]

Yuck. In my defence it was before Super League. I was born in Brisbane and I liked horses and Kevin Walters.

[Tamwelg]

Well u were once a Donkeys supporter

Me too My old man and I started following them when they started in 1987, but in my defense I was only 10 back then, easily mislead

[Toads]

Well u were once a Donkeys supporter

Bumma, how could you, Diehard?

Admittedly I've admired some players over the years. But I could never bring myself to backin' the Donkies. It's been St George, Cowboy's, Titans (in that order) for me.