The Australia Aboriginal rugby league team (also known as the Indigenous All Stars[1] or Indigenous Dreamtime[2] team) is a rugby league football team that represents Australian Aborigines. The team was first formed in 1973 and currently plays in an annual All Stars Match against a National Rugby League All Stars team.
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The first Australian Aboriginal rugby league team was assembled in 1973 for a February match against Auckland club Te Atatu, which the Aboriginal side won 17–13.[3]
The side competed in the Pacific Cup in 1990, 1992 and 1994. During this period the team contained players such as Ricky Walford, Graham Lyons, Ron Gibbs, Darrell Trindall, Paul Davis, Wayne Alberts, George Longbottom and Will Robinson.
In the post-1999 NRL season an Aboriginal side managed by Arthur Beetson defeated the Papua New Guinean national team and the Immortal was pushing for an Australia Day match against the Australian national team.[4]
As part of the official opening of the 2008 World Cup on 26 October, the "Dreamtime Team" played a commemorative match against the New Zealand Māori side which the Dreamtime Team won, 34–26.[5][6][7] The match was called the "Welcome to the Country match".
Head Coach: Neil Henry ()
| Player | Games | Points | Position | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhys Wesser | 1 | 8 | FB | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Justin Carney | 1 | 4 | WG | Canberra Raiders |
| Maurice Blair | 1 | 0 | CE | Melbourne Storm |
| Jamal Idris | 1 | 0 | CE | Bulldogs |
| Ty Williams | 1 | 0 | WG | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Jamie Soward | 1 | 10 | FE | St George Illawarra Dragons |
| Preston Campbell (captain) | 1 | 0 | HB | Gold Coast Titans |
| Carl Webb | 1 | 0 | PR | Parramatta Eels |
| Ian Lacey | 1 | 0 | HK | Ipswich Jets |
| George Rose | 1 | 0 | PR | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Daine Laurie | 1 | 0 | SR | Penrith Panthers |
| Derrick Watkins | 1 | 0 | SR | Brisbane Broncos |
| Dean Widders | 1 | 0 | LK | Castleford Tigers |
| Chris Sandow | 1 | 0 | HB | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Rod Jensen | 1 | 8 | UB | Huddersfield Giants |
| Yileen Gordon | 1 | 4 | CE | Penrith Panthers |
| Peter Jensen | 1 | 0 | UB | CRL |
| Denis Moran | 0 | 0 | HB | Narwan Eels |
Preston Campbell, a highly respected aboriginal rugby league player, was a driving force behind the setup, in 2010, of a curtain raising match between the Indigenous All Stars, and the NRL All Stars. The Indigenous All Stars played what seems likely become an annual match against the National Rugby League All Stars on 13 February 2010.[8] The squad was chosen in part by public vote. Aboriginal NRL player Sid Domic's artistic ability led him to be selected from a field of six artists to design the Indigenous side's jersey, as well as Johnathan Thurston's and Jamie Soward's custom headgear, for the annual All Stars matches.[9]
The Indigenous All Stars won the game.
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