National Rugby League confirms the Indigenous All Stars Festival
The National Rugby League (NRL) and the Australian Rugby League (ARL) Indigenous Council announced on Thursday, December 29 that All Stars Festival, celebrating the indigenous participation across Rugby League, will take place on Friday, February 4, at Burleigh
Bears Junior Rugby League Oval.
The festival will be put up a day prior to the 2012 Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars match at Skilled Park on February 4, which is also a way of exhibiting more commitment to Indigenous Australia. It has been organised by NRL in collaboration with QRL,
CRL, NSWRL and ARL Indigenous Council.
The All Stars Festival will feature the best of the Indigenous Club players who will display their skills in a clash between the Koori and Murri at Burleigh Bears’ Bob Singh Oval during the latter half of the day.
Also, former captain of the Indigenous team, Preston Campbell, whose brainchild is the indigenous All Stars, will present away 2012 Indigenous All Stars player including their Women’s team.
In addition, NACCHO Deadly Choices Interstate Challenge will be contested between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rugby League players from Queensland (Murri) and New South Wales (Koori). Moreover, the winner of the match between, the QAIHC Southern
Dingoes (QLD) and AHMRC Mindaribba Warriors (NSW) will be crowned with the Australian Indigenous and Torres Strait champions.
While talking about the course of events that will unfold at the All Stars Festival, the ARL Indigenous Council Chairman, William Johnstone said, “We recognised the need to include an event in the All Stars Week that really celebrates and showcases Indigenous
participation in Rugby League. From school children, to the Club level, to the Indigenous Under 16s and Indigenous Women’s All Stars, and all the way to our elite Indigenous All Stars side, we want this to be known as a week for all Indigenous and non-Indigenous
community members to be included in Rugby League.”
The All Stars Festival will feature stalls from defence careers, universities, job agencies, TAFE colleges and careers experts in sport and the arts along with health organisations offering free health checks and useful information. It will also have family
entertainment including stage-led activities.
While talking about it, NRL Commercial Director, Mr Paul Kind, said that each year they try to bring the community fresh and “exciting elements to the Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars Week, and the All Stars Festival aims to do just that.”
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