QUEENSLAND State of Origin fans got a glimpse into the future during Saturday night’s All Stars game at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast.

Once again, the All Stars game was a terrific success, with the NRL All Stars storming home to score a gripping 36-28 win over the Indigenous All Stars in front of a big crowd at Robina.


It was the third All Stars game, but the first to be played for the Arthur Beetson Trophy, with the striking prize named after the Queensland State of Origin legend who died suddenly on the Gold Coast last year.

Big Artie was close to the heart of every Queensland league fan, and he was close to the heart of every player in the match as well, with every jersey carrying the great man’s name and signature as a mark of respect for a rugby league Immortal.

The match itself was a breath-taking exhibition of running rugby league, with the addition of experimental rules adding to the attacking flair.

Maroons coach Mal Meninga must have had mixed feelings after the game, with Queensland strike centres Greg Inglis and Brent Tate failing to see out the match after suffering injuries.

Tate did not return after copping a knock to his knee in the first half. While the injury was not serious, and he was benched as a precautionary measure, no one would blame him for being overly cautious given his horrific run with luck and injuries in recent seasons.

There was a good deal of concern for Inglis, however, who had to be helped from the field after scoring a terrific try in the second half.

Inglis had his foot trapped underneath a defender as he lunged for the tryline, and television footage clearly showed the foot of the Rabbitohs’ star being crushed underneath the collision.

Inglis knew straight away he had done some serious damage, and left the field. Early indications are he will be sidelined for six weeks.

But there was plenty of good news for Maroons fans, most notably the sparkling form of Emerging Origin squad members Chris Sandow and Ben Barba for the Indigenous All Stars.

The pair combined brilliantly on the field, and look like being a potent force in Origin in the next few years.

Johnathan Thurston also placed one hand on Darren Lockyer’s vacated No.6 jersey with a commanding display at five-eighth, while a number of other Maroons also shone in an impressive first hit-out for the year.

NRL ALL STARS 36 (F Pritchard L Bailey L Lewis J Reed J Dugan M Vatuvei tries B Marshall 6 goals) btINDIGENOUS ALL STARS 28 (N Merritt 2 M Bowen J Yow Yeh G Inglis tries J Thurston 3 C Sandow goals) at Skilled Park.