2024 Māori All Stars league teams feature five Waikato connections

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak features in the 2024 Māori All Stars men's squad, alongside two other Waikato-born players. Photo / Photosport

The Waikato region will be well represented in the Harvey Norman All Stars 2024 match at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium next Friday, with five Māori All Stars reps born within the province.

Harvey Norman All Stars is the NRL’s annual celebration of Indigenous and Māori culture, featuring some of the NRL and NRLW’s biggest stars.

The match returns to Australia this year after Rotorua International Stadium played host in 2023.

Hamilton-born Xavier Willison and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak will feature in the men’s clash alongside Tokoroa-born Te Maire Martin, while Huntly-born Mya Hill-Moana and Taupō-born Ashleigh Quinlan will turn out for the women.

Both Willison and Martin also whakapapa to the small settlement of Tahāroa on the west coast of Waikato, near Kāwhia Harbour.

The 2024 All Stars schedule has three matches - the women’s (7.50pm NZT) and men’s (10.10pm NZT) Indigenous and Māori teams, along with Touch Football.

The matches will contain a host of other Telstra National Rugby League Premiership (NRLW), NRL and representative stars.

The Indigenous men’s side includes Josh Addo-Carr, Latrell Mitchell and Nicho Hynes up against Brandon Smith, Jahrome Hughes and Joseph Tapine in the Māori men’s side.

The Indigenous Women’s All Stars will feature Tamika Upton, Taliah Fuimaono and Tallisha Harden, while the Māori women’s team will include Kennedy Cherrington, Corban Baxter and Raecene McGregor.

ARIA-winning artist Jessica Mauboy will give a headline performance during the event.

The All Stars matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sport New Zealand.

Taupō-born Ashleigh Quinlan has once again been named in the Māori All Stars women's squad. Photo / Photosport

2024 Harvey Norman All Stars squads:

Indigenous All Stars (Women):

Shaylee Bent

Jaime Chapman

Kirra Dibb

Quincy Dodd

Monique Donovan

Taliah Fuimaono

Tallisha Harden

Kimberley Hunt

Keilee Joseph

Grace Kemp

Olivia Kernick

Bobbi Law

Mahalia Murphy

Jasmine Peters

Tommaya Kelly-Sines

Taneka Todhunter

Tamika Upton

Janelle Williams

Coach: Jess Skinner

Māori All Stars (Women):

Brooke Anderson

Corban Baxter

Annessa Biddle

Destiny Brill

Kennedy Cherrington

Zali Fay

Mya Hill-Moana

Shannon Mato

Kerehitina Matua

Raecene McGregor

Shanice Parker

Rima Pirini Butler

Ashleigh Quinlan

Tiana Raftstrand-Smith

Jasmin Strange

Chante Temara

Zahara Temara

Botille Vette-Welsh

Coach: Keith Hanley

Indigenous All Stars (Men):

Josh Addo-Carr

Jacob Alick

Bailey Biondi-Odo

Bailey Butler

Josh Curran

Adam Elliott

Jordan Grant

J’maine Hopgood

Nicho Hynes

Josh Kerr

Alofiana Khan-Pereira

Latrell Mitchell

Shaquai Mitchell

Kierran Moseley

Hohepa Puru

Kotoni Staggs

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow

Isaiah Tass

Braydon Trindall

Cody Walker

Coach: Ronald Griffiths

Māori All Stars (Men):

Jesse Arthars

Kenny Bromwich

Dane Gagai

Jacob Gagai

Jack Howarth

Jahrome Hughes

Royce Hunt

Te Maire Martin

Trey Mooney

Briton Nikora

Kodi Nikorima

Adam Pompey

Joseph Tapine

Jazz Tevaga

Leo Thompson

Matthew Timoko

Brandon Smith

Dylan Walker

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

Xavier Willison

Coach: Adam Blair

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