The NRL All Stars match may be being played in Melbourne on Friday night but some of the most proud fans will be more than 800km away.
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Few places can boast as many Indigenous All Stars as Wellington, with Blake Ferguson, Tyrone Peachey and Kotoni Staggs all hailing from the town of 4000 people.
Staggs, in particular, has a powerful connection with his home town and only last week stated "a day doesn't go by" without a message of support from someone in Wellington.
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Staggs will start on the bench on Friday night while Peachey will line up with lock and Ferguson has been named on the wing.
Those three players, and every other member of the All Stars squad, has spoken of their pride in being named for the Indigenous All Stars side.
"It means a lot to me and to all Indigenous people," Peachey told Mark Geyer on the 'Rush Hour' radio program this week.
"It's been a great week and I can't wait to play."
Staggs has been equally excited and not just for the match. The hugely talented Brisbane Broncos teenager stated being part of the pre-match wary cry is something he will treasure.
Many others have spoken of the importance of the war cry, with the honour of leading it this year passed from Greg Inglis to Latrell Mitchell.
The versatile Peachey, Staggs, Ferguson and Mitchell may all feature together in the backline at times, and that's one area coach Laurie Daley sees as a real positive for his side.
"We've got a backline that's full of pace and we've got some size there and we want to utilise our strength," proud Wiradjuri man Daley said.
"We've still got to stop the big forwards in the middle of the park first because if we don't do that they will be rolling through us and it will make it tough."
As well as the trio of Wellington products, the Indigenous All-Stars side also features Coonamble junior Jesse Ramien.
"To get picked in the All Stars, I feel very honoured and privileged," he said from camp in Melbourne.
The match will kick-off at 8pm on Friday night, with the women's All Stars game a curtain-raiser from 5pm.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
