It shapes as the greatest challenge of Wayne Bennett's coaching career.
Selecting a World All Stars team to take on the Indigenous All Stars at Suncorp Stadium on February 13 sounds like a scenario of which the dreams of NRL Fantasy players are made of but this year the master coach has some stricter criteria to adhere to.
Where Bennett's hand-picked squad of 20 this year consisted of 18 players aligned to either Australia or New Zealand, the Broncos mentor must now construct a team with a minimum of four Aussies and Kiwis along with four English representatives and six players of Pacific island heritage. The three captains of Australia, New Zealand and England are also automatic selections (who we took to be Cameron Smith, Simon Mannering and James Graham).
We Choose: 2016 Indigenous All Stars
Bennett will have two discretionary picks to round out his squad and also has to squeeze in at least one representative – and no more than two – from each of the 16 NRL teams.
For the purposes of our exercise we just assumed that each player would be released by their respective clubs – a luxury that Bennett won't have – and set about carefully constructing our squads that met all criteria.
And if you thought a cryptic crossword was difficult...
Jack Brady, Staff Writer
1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (NZ, Warriors)
2. Semi Radradra (Fiji, Eels)
3. Michael Jennings (Aust, Roosters)
4. Dean Whare (NZ, Panthers)
5. Jorge Taufua (Tonga, Sea Eagles)
6. Gareth Widdop (Eng, Dragons)
7. Cooper Cronk (Aust, Storm)
8. James Graham (Eng, Bulldogs)
9. Cameron Smith (Aust, Storm)
10. Paul Gallen (Aust, Sharks)
11. Simon Mannering (NZ, Warriors)
12. Sam Burgess (Eng, Rabbitohs)
13. Jason Taumalolo (NZ, Cowboys)
Interchange
14. Josh Hodgson (Eng, Raiders)
15. Anthony Milford (Samoa, Broncos)
16. Nene Macdonald (PNG, Titans)
17. Tim Simona (Samoa, Wests Tigers)
18. Korbin Sims (Fiji, Knights)
19. Sam Kasiano (Samoa, Bulldogs)
20. Manu Ma'u (Tonga, Eels)
Andrew Bryan, Deputy Editor
1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (NZ, Warriors)
2. Semi Radradra (Fiji, Eels)
3. Tim Simona (Samoa, Wests Tigers)
4. Dean Whare (NZ, Panthers)
5. Kevin Naqaima (Fiji, Wests Tigers)
6. Gareth Widdop (Eng, Dragons)
7. Cooper Cronk (Aust, Storm)
8. James Graham (Eng, Bulldogs)
9. Cameron Smith (Aust, Storm)
10. Paul Gallen (Aust, Sharks)
11. Simon Mannering (NZ, Warriors)
12. Corey Parker (Aust, Broncos)
13. Sam Burgess (Eng, Rabbitohs)
Interchange
14. Josh Hodgson (Eng, Raiders)
15. Jason Taumalolo (NZ, Cowboys)
16. Iosia Soliola (Samoa, Raiders)
17. Dylan Napa (Cook Islands, Roosters)
18. Korbin Sims (Fiji, Knights)
19. Nene Macdonald (PNG, Titans)
20. Leeson Ah Mau (Samoa, Dragons)
Chris Kennedy, Staff Writer
1. Matt Moylan (Aust, Panthers)
2. Semi Radradra (Fiji, Eels)
3. Solomone Kata (Tonga, Warriors)
4. Nene Macdonald (PNG, Titans)
5. Kevin Naiqama (Fiji, Wests Tigers)
6. Kieran Foran (NZ, Eels)
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (Aust, Sea Eagles)
8. Jesse Bromwich (NZ, Storm)
9. Cameron Smith (Aust, Storm)
10. James Graham (Eng, Bulldogs)
11. Simon Mannering (NZ, Warriors)
12. Boyd Cordner (Aust, Roosters)
13. Sam Burgess (Eng, Rabbitohs)
Interchange
14. Kodi Nikorima (NZ, Broncos)
15. Jason Taumalolo (NZ, Cowboys)
16. Korbin Sims (Fiji, Knights)
17. Sam Kasiano (Samoa, Bulldogs)
18. Josh Hodgson (Eng, Raiders)
19. Valentine Holmes (Aust, Sharks)
20. Gareth Widdop (Eng, Dragons)
Adrian McMurray, Producer
1. Valentine Holmes (Aust, Sharks)
2. Semi Radradra (Fiji, Eels)
3. Dean Whare (NZ, Panthers)
4. Solomone Kata (Tonga, Warriors)
5. Kevin Naiqama (Fiji, Wests Tigers)
6. Anthony Milford (Samoa, Broncos)
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (Aust, Sea Eagles)
8. Jesse Bromwich (NZ, Storm)
9. Cameron Smith (Aust, Storm)
10. James Graham (Eng, Bulldogs)
11. Simon Mannering (NZ, Warriors)
12. Boyd Cordner (Aust, Roosters)
13. Sam Burgess (Eng, Rabbitohs)
Interchange
14. Josh Hodgson (Eng, Raiders)
15. Jason Taumalolo (NZ, Cowboys)
16. Leeson Ah Mau (Samoa, Dragons)
17. Paul Gallen (Aust, Sharks)
18. Korbin Sims (Fiji, Knights)
19. Gareth Widdop (Eng, Dragons)
20. Nene Macdonald (PNG, Titans)
Tony Webeck, Chief Qld Correspondent
1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (NZ, Warriors)
2. Semi Radradra (Fiji, Eels)
3. Tim Simona (Samoa, Wests Tigers)
4. Josh Morris (Aust, Bulldogs)
5. Joe Burgess (Eng, Roosters)
6. Anthony Milford (Samoa, Broncos)
7. Cooper Cronk (Aust, Storm)
8. James Graham (Eng, Bulldogs)
9. Cameron Smith (Aust, Storm)
10. Korbin Sims (Fiji, Knights)
11. Simon Mannering (NZ, Warriors)
12. Sam Burgess (Eng, Rabbitohs)
13. Jason Taumalolo (NZ, Cowboys)
Interchange
14. Josh Hodgson (Eng, Raiders)
15. Paul Gallen (Aust, Sharks)
16. Leeson Ah Mau (Samoa, Dragons)
17. Jorge Taufua (Tonga, Sea Eagles)
18. Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Fiji, Panthers)
19. David Mead (PNG, Titans)
20. Martin Taupau (NZ, Sea Eagles)
Dominic Brock, Production Editor
1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (NZ, Warriors)
2. Semi Radradra (Fiji, Eels)
3. Michael Jennings (Aust, Roosters)
4. Dean Whare (NZ, Panthers)
5. David Mead (PNG, Titans)
6. Anthony Milford (Samoa, Broncos)
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (Aust, Sea Eagles)
8. James Graham (Eng, Bulldogs)
9. Cameron Smith (Aust, Storm)
10. Jesse Bromwich (NZ, Storm)
11. Simon Mannering (NZ, Warriors)
12. Sam Burgess (Eng, Rabbitohs)
13. Jason Taumalolo (NZ, Cowboys)
Interchange:
14. Josh Hodgson (Eng, Raiders)
15. Leeson Ah Mau (Samoa, Dragons)
16. Tim Simona (Samoa, Wests Tigers)
17. Gareth Widdop (Eng, Dragons)
18. Jack Bird (Aust, Sharks)
19. Korbin Sims (Fiji, Knights)
20. Sam Kasiano (Samoa, Bulldogs)
