Rugby League might be nearly over for 2020, but organisers of the National Indigenous Rugby League Championships are confident the best has been saved for last.
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A limited Tribal League competition will hit the field in Dubbo next weekend on November 7, with tickets already on sale for those hoping to catch some of the best Indigenous players in the game in action.
Former NRL star and Armidale product Dean Widders is pulling double duty as both an organiser and a player for the Redfern All Blacks and is expecting the best on the day.
"The Dubbo teams are looking red hot right now," Widders said.
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"If you think about the Koori Knockout, we usually have about 60 teams involved in that, we've got a lot of the same regions but condensed down to six teams for this."
The six men's teams - Wellington Castlereagh All Blacks, Wiradjuri Googars, Coastal Connections, Newcastle Hawks, Redfern All Blacks and Walgett Aboriginal Connection - will be joined by four women's sides - Redfern All Blacks, Blacktown Red Belly Warriors, North West Connections and Newcastle Hawks.
The tournament will play out across three rounds, with the first held in Dubbo at Apex Oval, followed by fixtures on the Central Coast and Campbelltown.
The Wellington Castlereagh All Blacks are being tipped as early favourites, with a ton of NRL talent's names in the running to feature.
"You've got a really strong Wellington team, they're basically as Western NSW representative team really, and the Coastal Connections side are going to be made up of players from the two teams in the Knockout's final last year," Widders said.
"The teams are all really, really strong, they're some of the biggest and best sides we've ever seen."
Melbourne Storm speedster Josh Addo-Carr will join Widders in the Redfern line-up, but won't be seen in Dubbo due to his prior obligations with State of Origin.
"He'll be in with us in that last round, but there'll be a lot of big names we're expecting; we've got Will Kennedy, Tyrell Fuimaono, Tyrone Peachey and there's even been talk of guys like Blake Ferguson and Brent Naden," Widders said.
"I know a few of those guys are already getting together in Sydney and training for it, I think even Jesse Ramien will be making an appearance for Wellington, so they're the favourites for a reason."
Widders said the competition had taken on even more importance in a year where the Koori Knockout had been postponed.
"Losing out on the Knockout, that's obviously a big blow, but everyone here's following all the COVID-safe requirements and regulations and we're all ready to go, so it should be a good replacement."
"This is the best of the best, you're going to see some amazing football; NRL players against the best players the bush has to offer."
Tickets for game-day in Dubbo are currently available through 123Tix.
