2015 All Stars

[TITAN PETE]

After actually looking at the teams I can't believe the difference in forward packs , the All Stars is Origin like & the Indigenous looks more like a Q Cup team....if you are setting a bookmakers market I would expect the All Stars to be $1.20 against $4

[TITAN PETE]

All Stars the spark Barba needs
By Tony Webeck, Chief Queensland Correspondent
NRL.com
9:00pm Mon 19th January, 2015


On the back of his Dally M-winning season in 2012, Ben Barba's awe-inspiring display in the 2013 Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars game unequivocally answered the question of whether he could recapture that type of form year after year.

He scored three tries and embodied exactly the player who had taken the competition by storm the previous season, week after week producing a personal highlights reel that few players in the game's history could hope to match.

And then it stopped.

As brilliantly as this flame was first struck it wasn't even granted the time to burn out of its own volition, instead hastily extinguished by off-field controversies and personal crises that had the doubly debilitating effect of clouding his mind and slowing his feet.

Two years on and preparing to start an NRL season with a new club for the second consecutive year, Barba's selection in the Indigenous All Stars team for the fourth time could be the catalyst for what reignites his career.

Indigenous All Stars assistant coach Wendell Sailor has worked closely with Barba in previous All Stars camps and believes his combination with captain Johnathan Thurston in the halves could be the perfect tonic for his return to form.

"I like Ben Barba in the halves there with Thurston and hopefully that can spark Benny Barba to how he was a couple of years ago when he was man of the match," said Sailor.

"He hasn't probably reached those heights since. A couple of times it looks like he's getting there and getting there but he hasn't been able to unleash.

"I always have a talk to Benny and he's got some good people around him now and I'm pretty sure once he gets into camp he'll do a good job. He enjoys it, he feels like he belongs there and hopefully we can get that Benny Barba magic back. But he doesn't need me talking to him too much because when he plays, he's hard to stop.

"We all make mistakes, it's how you bounce back. I think about when I finished my career off back in 2010, a couple of years before that I wasn't liked that much and then you have to come back and earn that respect. So if you earn it, you play well.

"He's doing all the right things in the community, I think he's just had his third kid, you just never know where it leads."

Like Barba, Josh Hoffman had a season at the Broncos last year that he'd prefer to forget and is now out to re-establish himself as an NRL fullback at the Gold Coast Titans.

The irony that their first competitive game of the year will be against the coach who cut them both adrift won't be lost on either man but Hoffman said he is eager to mark his fresh start with a memorable All Stars debut and put 2014 behind him.

"It wasn't a great season for both of us last year so it gives us the chance this year to open up 2015 with an exciting time ahead," Hoffman said.

"[Joining the Titans] does allow me to get a fresh start and hopefully I can do that this year and play some consistent footy and injury free season.

"For himself as well consistency is a big part of the game and if he starts playing some consistent footy and he finds his confidence it won't be long until he is out in open space.

"I talk to him now and again and he seems happy and his family's happy and that's all that matters I guess. The main thing as an individual is that you are happy and the footy will come."

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans enforcer Greg Bird set to miss All Stars game with injury

GOLD Coast enforcer Greg Bird is set to be the first player ruled out of the Indigenous All Stars team.

Bird is on the mend from a knee injury he sustained before the Christmas break but he may not make a full recovery in time for the February 13 clash at Cbus Super Stadium.

The 30-year-old injured the medial ligament in his knee on December 11, the same day he was stripped of the club’s co-captaincy for urinating in *public.

He went overseas on his honeymoon soon after and has been back in training for the past two weeks.

Bird won’t play in next weekend’s Auckland Nines or the Gold Coast’s first pre-*season trial against New Zealand in Toowoomba on February 7.

And if he isn’t back at full fitness at least a week before the All Stars game, the NSW Origin star will be ruled out.

“He’s going OK. He’s progressing nicely,” Titans coach Neil Henry said. “We’re not sure when he’ll play.

“He’ll be pushing it to play in the All Stars but we’ll see if he’s ready.

“That would be at the ear*liest in his preparation and you’d have to say he’s doubtful for that seeing as he hasn’t done any contact and it was a six-week injury and you can only do contact after that.

“But we’ll see. He’s working pretty hard on it.”

Bird returned to training with the main squad this week and participated in opposed sessions with restrictions.

He isn’t allowed to be involved in contact work yet and physiotherapist Greg Condon said it was touch and go if he’d be fit for the All Stars.

“He’s probably just on track at the moment,” he said.

“If he slowed down at all he probably wouldn’t be OK.

“He’s changing direction when doing skills but he needs to do contact which probably won’t happen until the week after next.

“He has to do a week of contact with us after the Nines and he needs to be fine before going into camp.”

It was a disappointing off-season for Bird whose off-field actions managed to create plenty of headlines.

But Henry said he was happy with how the veteran forward had returned to the club, despite the knee injury limiting his pre-season.

“He’s not too bad. He’s come back and got back into the running,” he said.

“I’ve been pretty happy with him. I don’t think he’s lost too much. He’s certainly a bit underdone at the moment but he’ll pick that up in the next few weeks.”

Henry is planning on fielding his strongest possible team in the Titans’ final trial match against the North Queensland Cowboys in Cairns.

The February 21 hit-out will be the last chance for players to impress before the Titans’ season kicks off against Wests Tigers on March 7.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/...t+bulletin_rss

[TITAN PETE]

Great news for my mate who has just been called up for his 1st rep jersey of his career in Friendy

[TITAN PETE]

Nathan Friend, Joseph Paulo join NRL All Stars

NRL.com
1:14pm Fri 06th February, 2015




Warriors hooker Nathan Friend and Parramatta's Joseph Paulo have been called into the NRL All Stars squad ahead of the Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars at Cbus Super Stadium on Friday, February 13.

Friend replaces Michael Ennis, while Paulo replaces Will Hopoate. Both Ennis and Hopate were forced out of Wayne Bennett's squad due to injury.

Tickets are available for the Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars at ticketek.com.au/allstars

NRL All Stars team
1 Matt Moylan (Panthers)
2 Manu Vatuvei (Warriors)
3 Jarrod Croker (Raiders)
4 Dylan Walker (Rabbitohs)
5 Antonio Winterstein (Cowboys)
6 Kieran Foran (Sea Eagles)
7 Mitchell Pearce (Roosters)
8 James Graham (Bulldogs)
9 Nathan Friend (Warriors)
10 Jarred Waerea-Hargreaves (Roosters)
11 Beau Scott (c) (Knights)
12 Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys)
13 Paul Gallen (Sharks)
Interchange:
14 Jesse Bromwich (Storm)
15 Luke Brooks (Tigers)
16 Joseph Paulo (Eels)
17 Trent Merrin (Dragons)
18 Corey Parker (Broncos)
19 Jeremy Smith(Knights)
20 Dave Taylor (Titans)

[DIEHARD]

I am just so damn proud to see Nathan Friend recognised with an All Stars jersey.

But looks like ticket sales aren't flying?

[Mexican titan]

I am just so damn proud to see Nathan Friend recognised with an All Stars jersey.

But looks like ticket sales aren't flying?

In addition to the 2 for 1 ticket deals in category 3 I also received an email offering the same deal if you were a member of NRL Nation. The higher category tickets seemed pretty expensive but I think interest in this game is waning. Get ready for a deluge of comments about the Coast not supporting footy if this game doesn't sell out. I love my footy but there are no shortage of games to attend that matter. Essentially this game means nothing, however I think young blokes would gain a lot out of being in camp with the more established blokes.

[DIEHARD]

Should have had it in Perth or Newcastle or Townsville.

[TITAN PETE]

Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis plea for NRL to keep All Stars match despite low ticket sales
TRAVIS MEYN GOLD COAST BULLETIN FEBRUARY 09, 2015 12:00AM




WE’RE the cream of the crop — and the game is one of league’s showpieces.

With this rallying call, Indigenous All Stars Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis pleaded with the NRL to not scrap the annual All Stars clash despite player burnout and fears of a poor crowd.

Less than 10,000 tickets have been sold for Friday’s NRL All Stars clash at the 27,400-seat Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.

The match is returning to the Gold Coast after last being played at the Robina venue in 2012 when 26,039 fans came through the gates.

But this could be the last time the exhibition match is played on the Glitter Strip unless there’s a dramatic surge in ticket sales.

In 2013, a healthy 41,201 filled Suncorp Stadium for the match and it will return to Brisbane next year as part of a two-year contract between the NRL and Queensland Government.

Test and Queensland five-eighth Thurston said he was shocked to hear of the paltry ticket sales which could see some of the game’s biggest stars run out in front of half empty grandstands.

“I’m a little bit surprised but we’re still a week away and I’m sure we’ll get a lot of walk-ups,” he said.

“I’m excited to play. This concept is so different to anything.

“Where do you get to see the NRL All Stars who never get the chance to play alongside each other? They’re the cream of the crop

“This is the only concept that can provide that.

“It’s a great spot and a good stadium to have it at.

“I’m thinking ticket sales will pick up. I’m hoping it’s a packed crowd. I’m expecting a massive crowd there.”

The All Stars, which is the brainchild of Gold Coasters Michael Searle and Preston Campbell, was first played in 2010 in front of a packed Cbus Super Stadium.

It headed to Brisbane after three years then was left off last year’s schedule due to the introduction of the Auckland Nines.

The economic benefits of the Nines means it will be on the pre-season schedule for a long-time to come and with the All Stars returning this year, players have voiced their concerns over the amount of matches they’re playing in a season.

Scrapping the All Stars is an option to limit player burnout but Thurston said the concept was too important.

“It needs to be on the calendar, that’s for sure,” he said.

“I’m hoping it’s around for many years.

“What we do during the week is probably the most important part of it because we’re doing a lot of chats with the youth students as well. There’s a wide range of things they’re exposed to.

“The game’s the showpiece at the end of the week.

“This game makes a difference in the community. It’s vital it stays in the calendar.

“I’m not exactly sure what the answer is. I know the RLPA (Rugby League Players’ Association) are voicing our concerns over the hectic schedule.

“I’m hoping we can come up with something that relieves the elite players who are under so much stress throughout the year.

“We need to be a little smarter with how things are done.”

Inglis will star at fullback for the Indigenous team and said it was the highlight of his pre-season.

“Everyone looks towards this. I look forward to this game,” he said.

“Besides the Charity Shield, this one is one I’m always looking forward to coming into camp.

“Everyone talks about long seasons and that’s something the NRL and players’ association needs to sit down and be honest with each other.”

[Titanic]

My only interest in this game is to watch Moseley … so many have pulled out now and Bennett refusing to use Broncos just makes me ill.

[TITAN PETE]

NRL player Jared Waerea-Hargreaves wants to see an indigenous New Zealand All Stars team

TRAVIS MEYN
GOLD COAST BULLETIN
FEBRUARY 10, 2015 12:00AM

KIWI enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has called for the NRL to look at introducing an indigenous New Zealand side to breathe fresh air into the All Stars concept.

The future of the All Stars clash has come under the microscope with a record low crowd of about 15,000 expected for Friday’s exhibition match at Cbus Super Stadium.

The event will be played in Queensland next year, most likely at Suncorp Stadium, but is not locked into a contract beyond 2016.

The Australian indigenous community benefits greatly from the concept and Waerea-Hargreaves said the same could be done for New Zealand’s indigenous population.

The NZ Maori side is currently a second-string team while a Pacific team has also been mooted as a potential replacement for the NRL All Stars, which is made up of the code’s best players who aren’t indigenous Australians.


There are about 700,000 New Zealand citizens living in Australia, meaning a team would garner plenty of support. Roosters star Waerea-Hargreaves, who has Maori heritage, is one of five players in the NRL All Stars who has played for New Zealand at Test level and said he would support the idea.

“That would be pretty cool, a Maori side — definitely,” Waerea-Hargreaves said.

“To see the indigenous of New Zealand and Australia come together and see who’s better would be a cool idea, definitely. It’d be awesome.

“But there’s a lot of footy during the season and I don’t know if they’d be able to squeeze another game in.”

Waerea-Hargreaves will form an imposing starting front row partnership with Bulldogs weapon James Graham. The 26-year-old is renowned for his firebrand attitude and said he wouldn’t be holding anything back.

“As hard as you can,” he said when asked how hard he would be tackling.

“There’s a time and place and if it’s on you go for it.

“When you’ve got the boys we’re playing against playing for their people, they’ll be coming out as hard as anything.

“We’ll be up to it. I look forward to it.”

The Indigenous All Stars have plenty of motivation to perform but Waerea-Hargreaves said the NRL team was also determined to win.

“I’m very humbled to be selected to play in such a great side,” he said.

“Obviously, it means quite a bit to all the boys in the NRL All Stars side. To be in camp with this calibre of players is awesome. I’m really looking forward to the week.”

[DIEHARD]

Anyone know the ticket sales?

Why are prices so high?

[TITAN PETE]

Anyone know the ticket sales?

Why are prices so high?

Pretty sure they just cracked the 10k mark & ticket prices are probably so high to cover the cost of all the freebies they give to the Aboriginal community..

I'm catching up with my mate tomorrow & i'll ask how the All Stars are travelling

[Titanic]

Now-now Pete, I've called you out before, any more of that and I will be totally convinced that you're a cynic ... bloody hilarious.

[TITAN PETE]

Now-now Pete, I've called you out before, any more of that and I will be totally convinced that you're a cynic ... bloody hilarious.

One must attend said match before one questions one's belief's