Indigenous All Stars face major changes for 2025

Four big-name players have been ruled out.

WRITER | February 1, 2025 - 8:57am

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The Indigenous All Stars will need to rethink key positions for the 2025 match, with Nicho Hynes and Cody Walker set to join Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr on the sidelines for their clash against the New Zealand Maori All Stars in February.

The absence of these four star players—Hynes, Mitchell, Addo-Carr, and Walker—is a significant setback for organisers, fans, and broadcasters ahead of the February 15 game at CommBank Stadium.

Hynes has chosen to focus on preparing for the Cronulla Sharks' season opener in Las Vegas in March and will not take part in the All Stars match.

Other Sharks players, including Braydon Trindall, Will Kennedy, and Jesse Ramien, will also be unavailable, as will Newcastle's Bradman Best and Adam Elliott.

TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 16: Latrell Mitchell of the Indigenous All-Stars gestures during the NRL All-Stars match between Men's Australia Indigenous All Stars and Aotearoa NZ Men's Maori Tane at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on February 16, 2024 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Mitchell and Addo-Carr were ruled out due to suspensions and have now been given approval to count the All Stars match as part of their respective bans.

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ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys acknowledged concerns about the scheduling of the All Stars game and confirmed discussions would take place with key stakeholders, including the Rugby League Players Association, to determine if there is a more suitable time on the calendar.

“I understand the four clubs going to Vegas want their players to focus on [their season-opening games]. But this issue also came up last year. I said then how important the All Stars game is to us, and we certainly encourage all players to make themselves available. Nothing has changed there, but we'll certainly review it,” V'landys told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“I'm surprised if any of the Indigenous players who are available pull out of this game because I have found them to be so passionate about the game.”

Discussions were previously held about moving the All Stars match to the week after the NRL Grand Final, with a proposal to have the winners of Queensland's Murray Carnival and NSW's Koori Knockout play in a curtain-raiser.

In the long term, there have also been talks of including an Indigenous team in the Pacific Championships against second-tier nations like the Cook Islands.

However, sources familiar with the discussions have indicated that senior players are hesitant to shift the game, fearing it could diminish its cultural significance.

Coach Ronald Griffiths has acknowledged both February and October as viable options for the fixture but admitted that it may be time to “revamp the concept.”