Four Macleay Valley Mustangs players selected for Group 3 Indigenous All-Stars side

The day will feature a men's and women's opens match along with Kempsey Dragons juniors vs Smithtown Tigers juniors trials.

Both men's sides have been announced with Anthony Cowan, Ethan Thompson, Timothy Bull and Steve 'Rock' Walker the Macleay Valley Mustangs representatives.

Cowan, co-coach of the Mustangs, was delighted to be selected.

"It's an honour to represent your community, your people and your footy club," he told the Argus.

"The majority of our club is made up of nearly 90% koori boys so it's a really big thing to put on the Indigenous jumper."

Chuffed with selection, he was full of praise for the concept after representing the team when it was played last in 2019.

"It's a good thing for the group to have, leading into the football season.

"It's not about black or white, it's about experiencing our culture, getting out there and playing a bit of rugby league and what it means to us as players," he explained.

"I'm excited to put the jumper on for my second time, I played in the first one and got the win there so I'm keen to go again.

"It's a high intensity fixture, it was tit for tat but we just had this magic side that was full of speed and talent which was something they couldn't match and was hard to defend.

"We've got to turn up with a good attitude this year."

With the game played in Wauchope last time, Kempsey won the rights this time around.

The day will feature free entry for elders, an open ceremony and a kiddies corner.

"I think it's going to be such a good thing for the Kempsey community to have it run here in town, hopefully we'll be able to fill the whole ground and it'll play into our favour," Cowan added.

Thompson was apart of the under 18s Mustangs squad last year and will move into senior football this season.

The half played for the North Coast Bulldogs opens side earlier this year with the All-Stars game to be his second taste of seniors.

"It'll be a good experience, we've got a lot of talent in the side so I'm hoping to learn a lot from it," he said.

Indigenous All-Stars squad:

Owen Blair, Daniel Dumas, Cody Robbins, Richie Roberts, Conrad Lardner, Jesse Douglas, Joss Cleal (Port City), Trae Clark (Taree City), Stephan Blair, Cuban Quinlan-Piper, Chris Piper, Slade Long (Port Sharks), Steven Walker, Anthony Cowan, Ethan Thompson, Timothy Bull (Macleay Valley), Jake Hazard (Old Bar), Tristan Scott, Tyrell Scott (Wauchope). Coach: Jason Holland.

All-Stars squad:

Joel Minihan, Jared Wooster, Shannon Martin, Jordan Worboys (Old Bar), Mitchell Collins, Jake Mullen (Wingham), Mitch Wilbow, Oliver Nosworthy, Harry Hanley (Port Sharks), Sam Watts, Tony Thompson, Dean Hurrell, Kahlan Duncan (Wauchope), Ricky Arnell, Bailey Connor (Port City), Matt Taupe, Jacob Samoa (Taree City).

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