Murri Knights
Scott Seamer
Maybe the 9s should be like an auction tournament like the BBL cricket and throw an indigenous team in
2015 Rugby League All Stars Game
- Thread starter rhugh89
- Start date
rhugh89
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Hodges and Sailor have called for the All Stars clash to be moved to Townsville
LEADING indigenous identities Justin Hodges and Wendell Sailor have called for the All Stars clash to be moved to Townsville to save the concept from failure on the Gold Coast.
After a 12-month hiatus, the return of the NRL All Stars threatens to be a PR disaster with less than 10,000 tickets having been sold for Friday night’s clash at Cbus Super Stadium.
Former Test winger Sailor made history in 2010 when he became the first player to score a try in the inaugural All Stars match, which saw 26,687 fans flock to Robina.
But with the fifth edition of the All Stars set to post the worst crowd in the concept’s history, Sailor suggests the event may have a more prosperous future in north Queensland.
The far north Queensland region alone contains 25 per cent of the state’s indigenous population.
And with the All Stars’ headline act, Cowboys half-back Johnathan Thurston, a Townsville resident, Sailor urged the NRL to consider a strategic shift from the Gold Coast.
“Townsville is the perfect venue,” said Sailor, who hails from the north Queensland town of Sarina.
“Robina is a great venue but it seems to me there is an issue with rugby league on the Gold Coast in general.
“If you look at the Titans, they have found it hard to consistently get fans turning up week in, week out.
“Whether the Gold Coast public have fallen out of love with rugby league because of the problems at the Titans, I’m not sure, but if they are ever going to turn up, this is the game.
“Personally, the NRL should look at moving the game. It’s a celebration of indigenous culture and there is a huge Aboriginal population in north Queensland.
“The Queensland government have a contract to keep the All Stars (for the 2016 season), so there’s no reason we couldn’t take it up north.
“Townsville would attract a huge crowd — we’d have people from the Torres Strait and places like Mt Isa.
“This All Stars concept can’t be lost to rugby league, Johnathan Thurston is up in Townsville with the Cowboys, so let’s give the concept the respect it deserves.”
The Cowboys’ home ground, 1300 Smiles Stadium, can host 26,500 fans, making it almost identical in capacity to Gold Coast’s Cbus Super Stadium.
Former Cowboys CEO Peter Parr, now the club’s football manager, said North Queensland hierarchy would help host the All Stars with Thurston the ideal promotional tool.
“We would be keen to host it,” Parr said.
“It would be well supported, the indigenous people up here love their rugby league and having Johnathan on our books would be a huge attraction for the locals.”
Indigenous All Stars centre Hodges, a Cairns Kangaroos junior, sees merit in shifting the gala pre-season affair to Townsville.
“It would be massive in north Queensland,” he said.
“I’m from Cairns and you’d have a huge following.
“It’s definitely worth taking a game up north and seeing if it works.”
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...save-the-concept/story-fni3fbgz-1227213613682
- PETER BADEL
- THE COURIER-MAIL
- FEBRUARY 10, 2015 12:00AM
LEADING indigenous identities Justin Hodges and Wendell Sailor have called for the All Stars clash to be moved to Townsville to save the concept from failure on the Gold Coast.
After a 12-month hiatus, the return of the NRL All Stars threatens to be a PR disaster with less than 10,000 tickets having been sold for Friday night’s clash at Cbus Super Stadium.
Former Test winger Sailor made history in 2010 when he became the first player to score a try in the inaugural All Stars match, which saw 26,687 fans flock to Robina.
But with the fifth edition of the All Stars set to post the worst crowd in the concept’s history, Sailor suggests the event may have a more prosperous future in north Queensland.
The far north Queensland region alone contains 25 per cent of the state’s indigenous population.
And with the All Stars’ headline act, Cowboys half-back Johnathan Thurston, a Townsville resident, Sailor urged the NRL to consider a strategic shift from the Gold Coast.
“Townsville is the perfect venue,” said Sailor, who hails from the north Queensland town of Sarina.
“Robina is a great venue but it seems to me there is an issue with rugby league on the Gold Coast in general.
“If you look at the Titans, they have found it hard to consistently get fans turning up week in, week out.
“Whether the Gold Coast public have fallen out of love with rugby league because of the problems at the Titans, I’m not sure, but if they are ever going to turn up, this is the game.
“Personally, the NRL should look at moving the game. It’s a celebration of indigenous culture and there is a huge Aboriginal population in north Queensland.
“The Queensland government have a contract to keep the All Stars (for the 2016 season), so there’s no reason we couldn’t take it up north.
“Townsville would attract a huge crowd — we’d have people from the Torres Strait and places like Mt Isa.
“This All Stars concept can’t be lost to rugby league, Johnathan Thurston is up in Townsville with the Cowboys, so let’s give the concept the respect it deserves.”
The Cowboys’ home ground, 1300 Smiles Stadium, can host 26,500 fans, making it almost identical in capacity to Gold Coast’s Cbus Super Stadium.
Former Cowboys CEO Peter Parr, now the club’s football manager, said North Queensland hierarchy would help host the All Stars with Thurston the ideal promotional tool.
“We would be keen to host it,” Parr said.
“It would be well supported, the indigenous people up here love their rugby league and having Johnathan on our books would be a huge attraction for the locals.”
Indigenous All Stars centre Hodges, a Cairns Kangaroos junior, sees merit in shifting the gala pre-season affair to Townsville.
“It would be massive in north Queensland,” he said.
“I’m from Cairns and you’d have a huge following.
“It’s definitely worth taking a game up north and seeing if it works.”
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...save-the-concept/story-fni3fbgz-1227213613682
Joshhh
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Jeremy Smith & Dane Gagai interview eachother about how their camps are going are so far.
http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2015/02/10/inside_all_stars_cam.html
http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2015/02/10/inside_all_stars_cam.html
rhugh89
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Captain Beau buoyed by call-up
By Jack Brady and Tony Webeck
NRL.com
3:00pm Tue 10th February, 2015
Despite not captaining his club side through the weekly grind of the NRL, Beau Scott is naturally excited for the opportunity to lead the NRL All Stars out of the tunnel this Friday night.
Lining up in the All Stars fixture alongside Raiders captain Jarrod Croker, Sharks and New South Wales captain Paul Gallen and former Broncos skipper Corey Parker as well as club-captain hopefuls James Graham and Mitchell Pearce, Scott was given the nod by coach Wayne Bennett.
After leading the Country Origin team last year – his first appearance as captain since his Jersey Flegg days with the Illawarra Steelers – Scott was effectively simple when defining what being a captain means to him.
"I see a captain as one who leads by example and puts themselves after the team," Scott told NRL.com.
"Obviously there was a bit more responsibility [when I captained Country] and I just tried to lead by example and I'm hoping to play a similar role here.
"There isn't too much you have to say to this bunch of people. I'm all excited to play with them.
"I'm pretty excited to see the 'c' next to my name though and see the high calibre of players in this team get out there and combine.
"A lot of them are captains of their own clubs to start with so to be able to captain this team, I'm very privileged."
Heading up to the Gold Coast along with Newcastle teammate Jeremy Smith, Scott said the most exciting aspect of the weekend apart from game day was the chance to meet other players.
With 11 Test players, along with Origin representatives Pearce and Trent Merrin, Scott said the All Stars match was a great opportunity to bond with his fellow top line players – an opportunity rarely given on the rugby league calendar.
"I've never met Manu [Vatuvei] before.
"I've obviously played against him a fair few times but it's been great to meet people who I've never had time to sit down and have a coffee with I suppose James Graham and the likes," Scott said.
"I'm just excited to be able to spend a week with them and get to know them off the field.
"I've never really had much to do with Jared [Waerea-Hargreaves] either, but I get along with him quite well.
"It's players like that where you don't really get much of an opportunity to spend time with them off the field. This is a good chance to do that."
Now with the experience of two representative captain berths to his name, the benefits are set to extend to the Knights.
Pre-season in Newcastle has seen Under 20s captain Danny Levi and recent NYC graduates Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Pat Mata'utia, Tuiala Togiatasi, Jaelen Feeney, James Elias, Michael Steele and James Taylor throw themselves into training with the first grade squad.
As well as first grade rookies Jake Mamo, Joe Tapine, Tyler Randell, Sione and Chanel Mata'utia and Paterika Vaivai, the Knights' squad has been boasted by a sea of rookies.
Such is the Knights' enormous rookie influx, Scott's leadership skills will extend to greater lengths this season – something the enforcer is more than prepared for – as Newcastle look to improve on their 12th placed finish last year.
"I like to steer a few fellas in the right direction on and off the field and on the training paddock.
"Any young kid that comes through the club, where you get to know the fella over a prolonged period of time, it's always good to see him make his mark in first grade.
"Obviously we have had a few of these fellas come through like the Mata'utia brothers and even young Dane Gagai who is playing in the Indigenous Team – he has a big career in front of him.
"It's good to see everything come together for them on the field after all the hard work they have done off it."
http://www.nrl.com/captain-beau-buoyed-by-call-up/tabid/10874/newsid/83770/default.aspx
By Jack Brady and Tony Webeck
NRL.com
3:00pm Tue 10th February, 2015
Despite not captaining his club side through the weekly grind of the NRL, Beau Scott is naturally excited for the opportunity to lead the NRL All Stars out of the tunnel this Friday night.
Lining up in the All Stars fixture alongside Raiders captain Jarrod Croker, Sharks and New South Wales captain Paul Gallen and former Broncos skipper Corey Parker as well as club-captain hopefuls James Graham and Mitchell Pearce, Scott was given the nod by coach Wayne Bennett.
After leading the Country Origin team last year – his first appearance as captain since his Jersey Flegg days with the Illawarra Steelers – Scott was effectively simple when defining what being a captain means to him.
"I see a captain as one who leads by example and puts themselves after the team," Scott told NRL.com.
"Obviously there was a bit more responsibility [when I captained Country] and I just tried to lead by example and I'm hoping to play a similar role here.
"There isn't too much you have to say to this bunch of people. I'm all excited to play with them.
"I'm pretty excited to see the 'c' next to my name though and see the high calibre of players in this team get out there and combine.
"A lot of them are captains of their own clubs to start with so to be able to captain this team, I'm very privileged."
Heading up to the Gold Coast along with Newcastle teammate Jeremy Smith, Scott said the most exciting aspect of the weekend apart from game day was the chance to meet other players.
With 11 Test players, along with Origin representatives Pearce and Trent Merrin, Scott said the All Stars match was a great opportunity to bond with his fellow top line players – an opportunity rarely given on the rugby league calendar.
"I've never met Manu [Vatuvei] before.
"I've obviously played against him a fair few times but it's been great to meet people who I've never had time to sit down and have a coffee with I suppose James Graham and the likes," Scott said.
"I'm just excited to be able to spend a week with them and get to know them off the field.
"I've never really had much to do with Jared [Waerea-Hargreaves] either, but I get along with him quite well.
"It's players like that where you don't really get much of an opportunity to spend time with them off the field. This is a good chance to do that."
Now with the experience of two representative captain berths to his name, the benefits are set to extend to the Knights.
Pre-season in Newcastle has seen Under 20s captain Danny Levi and recent NYC graduates Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Pat Mata'utia, Tuiala Togiatasi, Jaelen Feeney, James Elias, Michael Steele and James Taylor throw themselves into training with the first grade squad.
As well as first grade rookies Jake Mamo, Joe Tapine, Tyler Randell, Sione and Chanel Mata'utia and Paterika Vaivai, the Knights' squad has been boasted by a sea of rookies.
Such is the Knights' enormous rookie influx, Scott's leadership skills will extend to greater lengths this season – something the enforcer is more than prepared for – as Newcastle look to improve on their 12th placed finish last year.
"I like to steer a few fellas in the right direction on and off the field and on the training paddock.
"Any young kid that comes through the club, where you get to know the fella over a prolonged period of time, it's always good to see him make his mark in first grade.
"Obviously we have had a few of these fellas come through like the Mata'utia brothers and even young Dane Gagai who is playing in the Indigenous Team – he has a big career in front of him.
"It's good to see everything come together for them on the field after all the hard work they have done off it."
http://www.nrl.com/captain-beau-buoyed-by-call-up/tabid/10874/newsid/83770/default.aspx
rhugh89
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Beau's All Star ready
Thu 12th February, 04:39PM
On the eve of the NRL All Stars match on the Gold Coast, captain Beau Scott says his All Stars teammates have bonded exceptionally well despite many having met for the first time this week.
“It’s really good considering they are a bunch of fellas that haven’t even met each other before,” Scott said.
“It has been pretty crisp training and we’ll have another run tonight before the game.
“I’ve been getting to know new players that I’ve played against, but haven’t known off the field."
The 2014 Australian test representative adds the All Stars captaincy to his career highlights, honoured to lead and play against some of the game’s most talented.
“It’s really good.;I’m really excited to be captain of the team,” he said.
“It’s been enjoyable and I’m looking forward to tomorrow night.”
The Newcastle Knights will be well represented on Friday night with Scott joined by Jeremy Smith in the All Stars team set to face Dane Gagai and Tyrone Roberts, representatives in the Indigenous All Stars side.
"It’s an unlimited interchange so we’ll use that a fair bit considering it will be a lot of the fellas first run,” he explained about the game.
"I’m sure it will be an entertaining match anyway and that we’ll get a good crowd there and people will enjoy it.
"We are picked as a group of people for a reason. We need to go out there and play for each other and hopefully we’ll do a good job."
For the players, the NRL All Stars match isn’t simply about football.
In the lead up, both teams have spent time in the community promoting the importance of Indigenous culture in rugby league.
“It’s a good week. We have had a few workshops with the Indigenous kids and it’s a good eye opener and a learning curve for me as well,” Scott added.
“It’s also a good week to get away from the grind of pre-season."
NRL All Stars coach Wayne Bennett regards Scott as one of the best players in the competition and has praised his ability to lead by example.
“He’s one of my favorites. Beau brings a lot and he’s great to work with. I love having him in the teams that I coach,” he said.
“I’m pleased to have him here and pleased he is captain.
“No one will have any question marks about his intentions and about his commitment because he’s always doing his best and is a guy that’s just good to be around.
“He gives everyone a lot of confidence.”
Bennett meanwhile has been impressed with the professionalism and attitude of the players this week in camp.
“Their training session has been excellent. It has been a real pleasure to be with them and to be around such good professionals,” Bennett said.
“We don’t take it any less serious than the Indigenous boys, they just have a different motivation to what we do.
“They play for a different reason.
“They all want to be here, to their credit. They all love the week and get real enjoyment out of it."
http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2015/02/12/beau_s_all_star_read.html
Thu 12th February, 04:39PM
On the eve of the NRL All Stars match on the Gold Coast, captain Beau Scott says his All Stars teammates have bonded exceptionally well despite many having met for the first time this week.
“It’s really good considering they are a bunch of fellas that haven’t even met each other before,” Scott said.
“It has been pretty crisp training and we’ll have another run tonight before the game.
“I’ve been getting to know new players that I’ve played against, but haven’t known off the field."
The 2014 Australian test representative adds the All Stars captaincy to his career highlights, honoured to lead and play against some of the game’s most talented.
“It’s really good.;I’m really excited to be captain of the team,” he said.
“It’s been enjoyable and I’m looking forward to tomorrow night.”
The Newcastle Knights will be well represented on Friday night with Scott joined by Jeremy Smith in the All Stars team set to face Dane Gagai and Tyrone Roberts, representatives in the Indigenous All Stars side.
"It’s an unlimited interchange so we’ll use that a fair bit considering it will be a lot of the fellas first run,” he explained about the game.
"I’m sure it will be an entertaining match anyway and that we’ll get a good crowd there and people will enjoy it.
"We are picked as a group of people for a reason. We need to go out there and play for each other and hopefully we’ll do a good job."
For the players, the NRL All Stars match isn’t simply about football.
In the lead up, both teams have spent time in the community promoting the importance of Indigenous culture in rugby league.
“It’s a good week. We have had a few workshops with the Indigenous kids and it’s a good eye opener and a learning curve for me as well,” Scott added.
“It’s also a good week to get away from the grind of pre-season."
NRL All Stars coach Wayne Bennett regards Scott as one of the best players in the competition and has praised his ability to lead by example.
“He’s one of my favorites. Beau brings a lot and he’s great to work with. I love having him in the teams that I coach,” he said.
“I’m pleased to have him here and pleased he is captain.
“No one will have any question marks about his intentions and about his commitment because he’s always doing his best and is a guy that’s just good to be around.
“He gives everyone a lot of confidence.”
Bennett meanwhile has been impressed with the professionalism and attitude of the players this week in camp.
“Their training session has been excellent. It has been a real pleasure to be with them and to be around such good professionals,” Bennett said.
“We don’t take it any less serious than the Indigenous boys, they just have a different motivation to what we do.
“They play for a different reason.
“They all want to be here, to their credit. They all love the week and get real enjoyment out of it."
http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2015/02/12/beau_s_all_star_read.html
Murri Knights
Scott Seamer
Big George Rose for first try scorer,
Get on it
Get on it
Nickwpearce
Banned
Was with added crap in front grrr so far not bad... Like to see Tyrone out there
Nickwpearce
Banned
New rules are good
Nickwpearce
Banned
Great kick from Tyrone, had money on g I as well
