BY CURTIS WOODWARD
Check out today’s rugby league news cycles on Sydney’s two biggest newspaper’s websites. There’s the NRL Bunker, Darius Boyd’s captaincy announcement at Brisbane and Ben Barba crying foul of his “mistreatment” by League Central.
Hell, there’s even a story about former South Sydney forward Ben Te’o, now playing rugby union in England, and his plans to travel through North Korea.
There’s never a dull moment.
The problem is, we’re only a few days away from one of our biggest nights of the year and we don’t even know it.
On Friday in Newcastle, the Indigenous All Stars represent their people and we all celebrate the aboriginal culture, its people and the huge contribution they have had on the greatest game of all.
But does it not feel like an afterthought?
The Auckland Nines have come and gone, the World Club Challenge is ahead, this weekend however is more significant than the aforementioned by a country mile.
Cronulla’s tilt at the World Club Challenge is significant for them, more so for the continued growth of league in the United Kingdom which has taken a hit in recent seasons.
But here, in Australia?
This Friday is about the Indigenous All Stars.
Much has been made recently of former St George five-eigth Anthony Mundine who said he’d refuse to stand for the National Anthem in his boxing match at the Adelaide Oval against Danny Green.
That is another argument for someone else.
What rugby league does better than any other sport is celebrate the Indigenous people. Our best players are Indigenous and they are proud of it.
The great @greg_inglis signing autographs! #NRLAllStars #NRL pic.twitter.com/aY3ZXr2Lxi
— NRL (@NRL) February 7, 2017
🔥🔥🔥 time @danejgagai #NRLAllStars#NRL pic.twitter.com/pTQqUZCWgS
— NRL (@NRL) February 8, 2017
Through their talents, whether it’s Johnathan Thurston’s greatness, the poetry in motion of Greg Inglis or the sheer size and strength of Ryan James and Andrew Fifita, these men show the way for other young Indigenous men and women around the country.
And what about Thurston?
The man could play 40 games this season due to NRL commitments, State of Origin and a World Cup yet he still says representing the Indigenous All Stars means everything.
“I understand it’s a hectic pre-season schedule,” Thurston said.
“The stuff we do throughout the week in the community far outweighs the game.
“The power of sport and rugby league is to create social change — that’s what this game does.”
This Friday night is also a chance to remember the trailblazers that came long before us.
Like Lionel Morgan, the first Indigenous Australian to play for any national team way back in in 1960 before playing another 11 games in the green and gold.
Then there’s the Immortal Arthur Beetson.
A larger-than-life wizard with ball-in-hand, Beetson was as tough as nails and never took a backward step. Back in those days, a backward step was the end of you.
After captaining Australia and winning premierships through a tumultuous career, Beetson was pulled from obscurity at 35 to lead Queensland in the first ever real State of Origin clash in 1980.
He punched his buddy and Parramatta teammate Mick Cronin in the head and the rest is history.
More than 600 people attended Beetson’s funeral in Roma in 2011.
“He was proud to be indigenous, proud to be a Queenslander and proud to be Australian,” fellow league legend Ron Coote said at the time.
“He brought honour to all three.
“He leaves a mighty footprint on rugby league that will guarantee he is remembered not just now, but forever.”
There’s Mal Meninga, Laurie Daley, Larry Corowa, John Ferguson, Gorden Tallis, Sam Thaiday, Steve Ella and the man that began the All Stars concept – Mr. Preston Campbell.
The 2017 version wearing the Indigenous jersey on Friday night play for these men, alive and no more. Kids like Ash Taylor, Latrell Mitchell and Jack Bird will pull on that jumper with the pride of Indigenous Australia behind them.
And long after we’re all gone, sitting in a box far beneath the ground, someone will be writing about the legends of Thurston, Campbell and Inglis.
The Indigenous All Stars who wowed us all.
@woodward_curtis
great yarn curtis ..keep going bruzzer