The foundations of Rotorua International Stadium will shake on Saturday when the clash between the Māori All Stars and Indigenous All Stars is played in New Zealand for the first time.
This will be the fifth meeting between these two proud cultures, with the Māori holding a 2-1 advantage courtesy of wins in 2022 and 2020 while the Indigenous side claimed victory in the first meeting in 2019 and the 2021 clash in Townsville was drawn.
Since 2010, when the All Stars concept was launched on the Gold Coast with Preston Campbell and Johnathan Thurston leading a passionate Indigenous team to a 16-12 over the NRL All Stars, the pre-season showpiece has been a highlight of the rugby league season.
With James Fisher-Harris, Joseph Tapine and Jordan Rapana leading the way, the Māori will prove extremely tough to beat in front of a passionate home crowd but Cody Walker, Latrell Mitchell and Nicho Hynes are sure to have the Indigenous All Stars fired up.
If Walker and Mitchell get hot and Hynes carries on from where he left off for Cronulla in 2021 then new Indigenous coach Ronald Griffiths could be in for an enjoyable debut.
His counterpart Ben Gardiner also takes charge for the first time after being part of the Māori All Stars’ last three campaigns in an assistant role and he will rely heavily on the power of Fisher-Harris, Tapine, Royce Hunt and Corey Harawira-Naera to lay a foundation for success.
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The rundown
Team news
Māori All Stars: The Māori will line up 1-20 with no late changes to the starting side on game day. Hayze Perham, Zach Dockar-Clay, Paul Turner and Corey Harawira-Naera form an inexperienced spine but hard men James Fisher-Harris, Royce Hunt and Joseph Tapine will ensure a strong platform is laid for the playmakers. Tukimihia Simpkins, Leo Thompson, Paul Turner, Austin Dias, Creedence Toia and Sheldon Pitama all came into the squad as late inclusions.
Indigenous All Stars: Veteran Ryan James has been promoted to the starting side with Tyrone Peachey reverting to the bench in a game day shift. James has come out of retirement to represent the Indigenous side and will be pushing off the back fence early. Rabbitohs magician Cody Walker and 2022 Dally M Medal winner Nicho Hynes team up in a dynamic halves combination with Latrell Mitchell chiming in from fullback. Daine Laurie will come off the bench and is among four new faces to the team along with veteran playmaker Albert Kelly, hard-running Rabbitoh Isaiah Tass and speedy Shark Braydon Trindall after Josh Addo-Carr, Ezra Mam, Chris Smith and Will Smith were forced to withdraw.
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Key match-up
James Fisher-Harris vs Shaquai Mitchell: The dual premiership-winning Panther took home the Preston Campbell Medal in 2021 on the back of 16 runs for 137 metres and backed that up with 138 from 19 in 53 minutes of game time. One of the game's best props and most inspirational leaders, JFH will again be relied upon to set the standards in camp and enforce them on the paddock as the Māori look to go back-to-back. Mitchell, meanwhile, heads into 2023 with a new deal locked up at the Rabbitohs and a golden opportunity to become a regular member of Jason Demetriou's pack. The 26-year-old is sure to relish the opportunity to share the stage with brother Latrell and he'll look to make an impact every time he carries the ball into the teeth of the Māori defence.
James Fisher-Harris claims Preston Campbell Medal
Stat attack
After the first two clashes between the Indigenous and Māori sides in 2019 and '20 produced 18 tries and a total of 94 points, the ensuing two games have seen just eight tries scored and 46 points scored. Of the 26 tries scored in the four clashes, the Māori have posted 13 and the Indigenous All Stars have also scored 13. The leading tryscorers across the four games are Josh Addo-Carr, Blake Ferguson, Brandon Smith, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Kodi Nikorima and Dane Gagai all with two apiece.
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