The annual Harvey Norman All-Stars game is upon us, with the Indigenous and Maori All-Stars set to meet at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night.
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As is seemingly the case in every edition of this fixture, there are a handful of players in each squad who are very raw when it comes to NRL experience and may not even be known to some rugby league fans.
However, a decent performance in this fixture can get their season off to a fast start, and hopefully springboard them into regular first grade action.
Jack Howarth and Xavier Willison are two examples from last year’s game that enjoyed breakout seasons in 2024.
Howarth had only played one game and Willison just 11 NRL appearances across three seasons prior to the 2024 All Stars fixture.
Who will enjoy a similar ascension this year?
To qualify for this list, the player can’t have featured in more than 10 NRL games.
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MAORI ALL STARS
JACOB LABAN (NRL games played – 7)
The 20-year-old got given a taste of first grade for the Warriors in 2024, impressing in a small sample size.
The back rower made his NRL debut in Round 5 and played seven games for the Warriors’ first grade side across the season. He earned NRL action on the back of some strong form in NSW Cup, with that form winning him the club’s NSW Cup Player of the Year.
He’s in line for a spot in the Warriors 17 for Las Vegas but a handy showing for the Maori side on Saturday could all but guarantee it.
JESSE MCLEAN (NRL games played – 2)
The brother of Casey McLean who scored four tries on his international debut for New Zealand is a fair player in his own right.
Jesse has already played two games for the Panthers after debuting in 2023 and has scored one try.
The 20-year-old can play both centre and wing and could have a breakout year for the Panthers in 2025, particularly if injuries strike in the outside backs.
The older brother of 18-year-old Casey has a bright future in the game and the pair could feature in a Penrith premiership together in the future as some veterans get towards the end of their careers.
With 23 tries in 32 games for the Panthers in NSW Cup, Jesse has a big future and his finishing ability will make him a valuable commodity for Ivan Cleary.
INDIGENOUS ALL STARS
HOHEPA PURU (NRL games played – 2)
Puru and his twin brother Niwahi will both line up for the Indigenous All Stars side this weekend. Niwahi will wear the No. 7 while Hohepa will start at lock forward.
Hohepa played two games for the Raiders in 2023 but left the nation’s capital at the end of the last season to join his brother at the Sharks and search for greater first grade opportunities. The All Stars game should give Puru a perfect opportunity to strut his stuff and put his case forward for a crack in the NRL this season.
Being off Maori and Aboriginal descent, Puru is eligible to play for both sides, but revealed to the AAP that he committed to the Indigenous team
BLAKE STEEP (NRL games played – 3)
Roosters young gun who is still just a teenager, but obviously a player of great promise.
A back rower, Steep won the Roosters SG Ball Player of the Year in 2023 before progressing to the NSW Cup side the following season.
His form warranted him selection at NRL level midway through the season, with Trent Robinson giving Steep his first grade debut in a Round 13 clash with the Cowboys.
18 days later, he was part of a successful Under 19s NSW side.
Steep played in three NRL games last season, but given the Roosters have lost a handful of forwards in the off-season, the young gun is expected to feature quite a bit in 2025.
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