Braydon Trindall was the standout for the Indigenous All Stars in a 16-16 draw with the Maori All Stars.
The match in Hamilton ended in stalemate late on after Trindall left the field with a head knock.
With halfback Te Maire Martin sidelined by an ankle injury, Maori hooker Zach Dockar-Clay stepped up with a long-range field goal attempt.
In the closing seconds Indigenous forward Brent Woolf, who has yet to make an NRL appearance, charged down Dockar-Clay's kick to preserve a draw.
The result mirrored the 2021 encounter, leaving the Maori All Stars with the trophy they already held.
Cronulla playmaker Trindall orchestrated most of the Indigenous attack and believed he'd set up a late winner for Jayden Campbell.
He slipped inside on the 40-metre line and lofted a kick intended for Campbell, but replays showed Campbell lost control when he collected it.
Prior to that sequence Trindall had been involved in a collision with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad that led to a head injury assessment and removed him from the field.
Earlier in the match Trindall used a dummy to send hooker Connor Watson over, executing a precise chest pass reminiscent of basketball timing.
He also created the first try of the second half with a clever grubber for Josh Addo-Carr, who powered past Keano Kini to score.
The Indigenous side will rue what might have been after losing their key playmaker at a critical moment.
Despite that setback, the game featured several moments of flair and defensive grit from both teams.
For the Maori All Stars, the draw allowed them to retain possession of the trophy.