Latest news with #DeanWidders
ABC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Dean Widders: Rugby League should be at the forefront of tackling racism
It's Indigenous Round in the NRL over the next 2 weekends and one of the best advocates for celebrating and promoting the First Nations contributions is Dean Widders. He told Andrew Moore and Ryan Hoffman how he was inspired by the great Arthur Beetson to see the positive influence that rugby league can have on his community. He also explained that even though there are as many as 6 or 7 incidents of racist abuse around the game at all levels each weekend - the game is uniquely placed to educate people and break down barriers. Plus Parramatta hooker Ryley Smith show he's as impressive off the field as well as on it. He explained how he still has to pinch himself when he comes up against the likes of Harry Grant or NSW hooker Reece Robson who he'll take on this weekend. Plus get your tips for the weekend in Christopher's Corner!
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eye-opening change floated amid concerns around future of NRL All Stars games
Former rugby league star Dean Widders has floated a radical new idea around the NRL All Stars exhibition and insists the Indigenous side should be pushing to play matches against Test nations. It comes amid concerns around the future of the annual pre-season fixture, with many calling for it to be moved after a spate of big-name withdrawals from this year's match on Saturday night. Indigenous drawcards Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr will be missing after the NRL allowed them to use the exhibition to serve their respective suspensions from last season. Rabbitohs star Cody Walker has also pulled out after battling a calf injury and wanting to prioritise getting right for the start of the new season. And Cronulla's Nicho Hynes and Raiders captain Joseph Tapine have made themselves unavailable for the Indigenous and Maori sides, respectively, because they'll both be travelling to Las Vegas for the NRL's season-opening double-header and the turnaround is too tight. The NRL's foray into the United States has been a rousing success and looks to be part of the league calendar going ahead, but it's put further pressure on officials to move the All Stars game to the end of the season. Despite the number of high-profile withdrawals and questions around the scheduling for the annual pre-season spectacle, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has insisted that it remains an important fixture on the league calendar. Hynes and Kalyn Ponga - who returns to the Maori side for the first time since 2020 - have both discussed how meaningful the All Stars game is for the players and the communities they represent, but have acknowledged the challenges around scheduling. But Widders - who is one of the leading Indigenous voices in the NRL - says the All Stars concept could be transformed so the teams play touring nations in warm-up matches during the Test window at the end of the season. Widders was part of an Aborigines side coached by league Immortal and Indigenous icon Arthur Beetson and featuring Manly great Cliffy Lyons in 1999, that faced Papua New Guinea in two Tests. And he reckons it could be a blueprint for the future of the All Stars fixtures. "The All Stars games have been a tremendous platform and we've now got to fight to get more opportunities," Widders told AAP. "Back in those days we played with whoever was around. But I feel when you look at the talented players we (the Indigenous community) have got that sat out of the Pacific Championships and weren't in teams, we need to see them on the world stage. I believe that we should be pushing to progress and play more games." NRL CEO Abdo admitted this week that there were "pros and cons" about moving the All Stars match, which is expected to draw a crowd of more than 20,000 at Sydney's CommBank Stadium on Saturday night. And he provided hope for Widders' radical proposal after reiterating that the All Stars games remained an "incredibly special" fixture for the players and communities they represent, and insisted they were here to stay. "There are pros and cons for thinking about moving it to a different representative window," Abdo told AAP earlier this week. "The (ARL) commission is extremely focused on growing the international game, so is there an opportunity to think about that international window in October? We want to continue that conversation with the players and all the stakeholders. The NRL CEO said the idea of an Indigenous side playing end-of-season matches against Test nations had potential, and there's no reason why that couldn't apply to the Maori side as well. With Papua New Guinea set to be welcomed into the NRL in 2028 and the likes of Tonga and Samoa emerging as genuine heavyweights on the international stage, annual exhibition matches against All Stars sides could be an excellent way to help grow the game. Abdo was keen to stress there would be a juggling act to navigate for players selected in Test squads and All Stars teams but if league bosses could make it work, fans would surely embrace the idea. with AAP
