Queensland and Newcastle star Kalyn Ponga has been named in the Maori All Stars squad just four months after making himself unavailable for the Kangaroos.
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Dally M Medal winner Ponga ignited controversy at the end of last season when he released a statement saying he wouldn’t be available for Australia in the Pacific Championships to focus on the Knights.
But the move contravened availability rules and the Australian-born fullback was forced to make himself available, but the 26-year-old wasn’t picked in the end.
Now Ponga, who lived in New Zealand between the ages of eight and 13, returns to the Maori All Stars for the first time in five years and will be joined by Warriors star recruit James Fisher-Harris.
Dolphins superstar Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Dally M Medal winner Jack Wighton headline the Indigenous side for the clash in Sydney on Saturday week.
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Those inclusion offsets a number of huge outs from both teams, with the likes of Nicho Hynes, Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr missing for the Indigenous side, while Jahrome Hughes and Joseph Tapine won’t be there for the Maori team.
Next weekend’s game at CommBank Stadium will also see Olivia Kernick run out for the Indigenous women’s side, with the Dally M winner selected in the Jillaroos squad for next month’s Test against England having been sensationally snubbed for the Pacific Championships.
SQUADS
Indigenous All Stars (Men)
Jacob Alick-Wiencke, Jayden Campbell, Joshua Curran, Tallis Duncan, Brian Kelly, Josh Kerr, Alofiana Khan-Pereira, Dylan Lucas, Shaquai Mitchell, Tyrone Munro, Brent Naden, Hohepa Puru, Niwhai Puru, Ethan Roberts, Blake Steep, Jayden Sullivan, Jacob Sykes, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Connor Watson, Jack Wighton
Coach: Ronald Griffiths
Māori All Stars (Men)
Jesse Arthars, Zach Dockar-Clay, James Fisher-Harris, Dane Gagai, Mawene Hiroti, Royce Hunt, Keano Kini, Jacob Laban, Jeremy Marshall-King, Jesse McLean, Kurtis Morrin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Adam Pompey, Kalyn Ponga, Jordan Riki, Jazz Tevaga, Leo Thompson, Taine Tuaupiki, William Warbrick, Xavier Willison
Coach: Adam Blair
Indigenous All Stars (Women)
Essay Banu, Jaime Chapman, Bree Chester, Nakia Davis-Welsh, Kirra Dibb, Quincy Dodd, Monique Donovan, Taliah Fuimaono, Tallisha Harden, Keilee Joseph, Tommaya Kelly-Sines, Grace Kemp, Olivia Kernick, Ella Koster, Bobbi Law, Evah McEwen, Lailani Montgomery, Mahalia Murphy, Jasmine Peters, Taneka Todhunter
Coach: Jess Skinner
Māori All Stars (Women)
Lilly-Ann White, Annessa Biddle, Harata Butler, Kennedy Cherrington, Reuben Cherrington, Laikha Clarke, Zali Fay, Najvada George, Taneisha Gray, Tyla King, Shannon Mato, Kerehitina Matua, Raecene McGregor, Shanice Parker, Rima Pirini Butler, Ashleigh Quinlan,Tiana Raftstrand-Smith, Jasmin Strange, Pauline Suli-Ruka, Chante Temara
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