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Vatuvei in All Stars team

Vatuvei in All Stars team

01/19/2012 03:46:48 AM

Giant Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei has been selected alongside fan favourite Paul Gallen and popular veteran Nathan Hindmarsh in the NRL All Stars team on Thursday.

NRL All Stars coach Wayne Bennett announced his 20-man squad which will take on the Indigenous All Stars in the annual contest at Skilled Park on February 4.

Almost 30,000 fans voted online for their favourite platers, with one from each of the 16 NRL clubs chosen to play, as well as St George Illawarra's Ben Hornby and Penrith's Luke Lewis who were the two coach's picks.

New Zealand captain Benji Marshall and likely new Kangaroos skipper Cameron Smith were both automatic selections as skipper's of their respective nations.

Sharks forward Gallen polled the most votes, gaining more than 8000, with Melbourne's Cooper Cronk second just over 300 votes back.

There are 10 debutants in the squad including imposing forwards Tony Williams (Sea Eagles), Frank Pritchard (Bulldogs) and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Roosters).

"The fans have selected a great team for me to work with but to balance out an interchange bench that is well-stocked with forwards, I wanted to include a player like Ben Hornby who gives me some insurance in the halves and at fullback," Bennett said.

"Ben is someone who has never let me down in my three years coaching him at the Dragons and is perfectly suited to All Stars."

"Likewise Luke Lewis is another very experienced utility player who will give me a number of options. He represents everything that is good about the game and deserves a spot in the team."

If one of the players in the NRL All Stars side withdraws from the team due to injury, he will be replaced by someone from the bench.

The open bench spot will then be replaced by someone from the injured player's club.

NRL All Stars: 1. Josh Dugan (Raiders), 2. Jason Nightingale (Dragons) 3. Jack Reed (Broncos), 4. Michael Jennings (Panthers), 5. Manu Vatuvei (Warriors), 6. Benji Marshall (Tigers), 7. Cooper Cronk (Storms) , 8. Kade Snowden (Knights), 9. Cameron Smith (Storm), 10. Luke Bailey (Titans), 11. Nathan Hindmarsh (Eels), 12. David Taylor (Rabbitohs), 13. Paul Gallen (Sharks), 14. Adam Blair (Tigers), 15. Frank Pritchard (Bulldogs), 16, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Roosters), 17. Tony Williams (Sea Eagles), 18. Brent Tate (Cowboys), 19. Luke Lewis (Panthers), 20. Ben Hornby (Dragons).

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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