Indigenous players could seek to add clauses to their contracts guaranteeing NRL clubs release them for the All Stars fixture.
The idea comes as Indigenous coach Ron Griffiths threw his support behind Maori mentor Adam Blair in his bitter dispute with Ricky Stuart.
The latest All Stars match, won 10-6 by the Maori at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night, has again triggered controversy about player availability. Some of the biggest drawcards missed the game for various reasons.
While injury or suspension sidelined Indigenous stars Latrell Mitchell, Josh Addo-Carr and Cody Walker, about a dozen other players originally considered for selection withdrew from the game. Griffiths believes pressure from the clubs to skip the match was the overriding reason, claiming one club didn’t even inform a player of his selection.
Blair earned the ire of Stuart when he suggested undue pressure was placed on Raiders players to miss the game.
“I love our Canberra boys, and we could have taken five or six of them and put them in our squad,” Blair said. “But I get it, I’m on the other side now [as part of the Newcastle Knights coaching staff] … those are five of Canberra’s best players.”
Indigenous star Brent Naden is tackled into touch on Saturday night.Credit: Getty Images
Those comments prompted Stuart to blast Blair as “childish” and declare: “He’s obviously coaching the way he used to play, very selfishly.”
“I stand with Adam Blair on this issue,” Griffiths told this masthead.
“He has been personally attacked. Adam has acted honourably and with good character.
“I support Adam’s sentiment in terms of players being available. We’ve got some world-class, elite players that the fans want to see.
“There’s no doubt that clubs are holding players back. I’ve got examples of text messages from players where they have been told they can’t play.
“I’ve also got examples where the club hasn’t informed the player that they are going to be selected; the club has just said to us, ‘No, they are not playing’.
“That’s just the reality of the situation. What Adam has come out and said, I support. We stand together on this.”
Kalyn Ponga takes a hit-up for the Maori All Stars on Saturday night.Credit: Getty Images
Several players privately claim that, despite being fit, NRL clubs have pressured them to miss the All Stars clash. One way to potentially avoid the situation is to instruct their managers to put in an “All Stars clause” in their contract.
“That’s something that came up when we were chatting in camp, how it looks in terms of timing of the game and getting released by your club,” Griffiths said.
“People spoke about having a clause in your contract to ensure you are released for the game. They have the opportunity to put that into their contract when they are negotiating.
“Importantly, for young people on the cusp of playing NRL, it’s a hard thing to ask your club to release you for a pre-season fixture.
“You’re taking a week off from your club, so it’s got to be managed differently in terms of player availability.
“I can understand the club’s hesitation in releasing players – we have them for one week, they have them for a whole year. But we’ve got a responsibility as a game to allow the best players to play so that the game is a spectacle.
“I spoke to a player last night who wasn’t even informed by his club that we wanted to select him. We were given rhetoric that they had no middles for a trial game.
“It’s an opportunity for this kid to go and live with his culture for a week, to be proud of who he is.
“It was a chance for us to send him back more socially, emotionally and culturally supported, but he wasn’t even informed that we wanted to pick him.”
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