Kurri Kurri is set to leave a huge mark on the annual Newcastle Rugby League All Stars game with seven players named in the Indigenous All Stars and two in the Newcastle All Stars.
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The Bulldogs indigenous contingent includes Reid Alchin, Ngangarra Barker, Jarom Haines, Barry McGrady, Tom McKenzie, Jordan Mitchell and Jade Porter, while Mitch Cullen, Tyme Dow-Nikau have been named for Newcastle/
Cessnock Goannas young gun Harry O'Brien, who won last year's Newcastle RL rookie of the year, has been named with Isiah Cooper-Tetevano in the Newcastle All Stars while forward recruit Lincoln Smith is in the Indigenous All Stars after being included in the squad last year as a Maitland Picker.
The Pickers have young forward Jayden Butterfield in the Newcastle squad and centre Josh Griffiths in the Indigenous All Stars.
Ryan Walsh who moved back to Wests after a year with the Pickers is also in the Indigenous team
March 30 will mark the third time the Indigenous All Stars and Newcastle All Stars have met in the now annual pre-season fixture. It will be held at Newcastle No.2 Sportsground this year.
"I think everyone looks forward to this game, there's some quality in the Indigenous side and some quality in the All Stars side," Newcastle rep coach Matt Lantry said. "They've been good contests, two points the difference last year and a draw the first, and I expect the same this time around."
Lantry said this overall group would provide the bulk of the 25-man Rebels squad in 2019 and this upcoming game acts as a "genuine representative trial". "It's a big occasion," he said.
Newcastle RL are scheduled to meet a Ron Massey Cup side at Maitland Sportsground on May 11. A NSW Pioneers team will then be selected to play against the Queensland Rangers on the Gold Coast in June.
INDIGENOUS ALL STARS: Reid Alchin, Ngangarra Barker, Jarom Haines, Barry McGrady, Tom McKenzie, Jordan Mitchell, Jade Porter (Kurri); Randall Briggs, Isaac Briggs, Jayden Rosberg, Adam Swadling, Matt Simon (Macquarie); Josh Charles (Lakes); Josh Griffiths (Maitland); Warren Schillings, Brad Tighe, Mark Walker, Ryan Walker, Luke Walsh, Ryan Walsh (Wests); Lincoln Smith (Cessnock).
NEWCASTLE ALL STARS: Willis Alatini, Matt Herman, Sam Keenan, Tama Koopu, Alex Langbridge, Pat Mata'utia, Chad O'Donnell (Wests); Jayden Butterfield (Maitland); Ethan Cook (Central); Isiah Cooper-Tetevano, Harry O'Brien (Cessnock); Tom Cronan, Ryan Glanville, Luke Higgins, Cameron King, Brendan Simpson (Souths); Mitch Cullen, Tyme Dow-Nikau (Kurri); Matt Hay (Macquarie); Jack Kelly, Daniel Peck (Lakes).
