NRL All Stars announced

The NRL All Stars team to take on the Indigenous All Stars at Gold Coast’s Skilled Stadium next month has been named.

Coach Wayne Bennett used his two coaches selections to bring St George halfback Ben Hornby and newly-named Penrith skipper Luke Lewis into the team.

The team includes ten All Stars debutants including Jack Reed, Cooper Cronk, Brent Tate and Tony Williams.

Paul Gallen will return as captain.

Almost 30,000 fans took part in a two-stage online vote to select the All Stars team made up of representatives from each NRL club.

“The fans have selected a great team for me to work with but to balance out an interchange bench that is well-stocked with forwards, I wanted to include a player like Ben Hornby who gives me some insurance in the halves and at fullback,” said coach Wayne Bennett.
 
“Ben is someone who has never let me down in my three years coaching him at the Dragons and is perfectly suited to All Stars.
 
“Likewise Luke Lewis is another very experienced utility player who will give me a number of options. He represents everything that is good about the game and deserves a spot in the team.”

The two teams will meet on February 4.

NRL All Stars team:

Josh Dugan (Canberra Raiders)
Jason Nightingale (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Jack Reed (Brisbane Broncos)
Michael Jennings (Penrith Panthers)
Manu Vatuvei (Warriors)
Benji Marshall – Captain (Wests Tigers)
Cooper Cronk (Melbourne Storm)
Kade Snowden (Newcastle Knights)
Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)
Luke Bailey (Gold Coast Titans)
Nathan Hindmarsh (Parramatta Eels)
David Taylor (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Paul Gallen (Cronulla Sharks)

Interchange:
 
Adam Blair (Wests Tigers)
Frank Pritchard (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters)
Tony Williams (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles)
Brent Tate (North Queensland Cowboys)

Coach’s Selections:

Luke Lewis (Penrith Panthers)
Ben Hornby (St George Illawarra Dragons)