LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
According to dragons.com.au, representative forward Josh Kerr attributes his rise in the NRL to the All Stars, urging rookies in the upcoming February 15 fixture to seize their chance to display their skills.
Kerr received a call-up for the 2019 All Stars clash in Melbourne from Indigenous coach Laurie Daley, despite having yet to play an NRL match. He subsequently made his debut for the Dragons that very season and has since accumulated over 100 NRL appearances.
At 29, Kerr captained the Indigenous team in last year's match against the Maori All Stars and gained selection for the Queensland State of Origin squad.
With the Dragons scheduled to play in Las Vegas on February 28, Kerr is uncertain about his availability for an eighth consecutive All Stars match. However, he expressed that it could present an opportunity for a rookie to follow in his footsteps.
The 2026 All Stars match at Hamilton's FMG Stadium Waikato is expected to showcase some of the sport's biggest names, but it will also likely include players similar to Kerr (2019), Jamayne Taunoa-Brown (2020), and Shaquai Mitchell (2022), who donned an Indigenous jersey before entering the NRL.
Indigenous coach Ron Griffiths noted that rookie hooker Oliver Pascoe, the 2025 Queensland Cup Player-of-the-Year, is among the Titans players being considered, along with star playmaker Jayden Campbell.