Ambitious plans to relocate the annual All Stars fixture to Grand Final weekend have hit a roadblock, with concerns mounting the switch would collide head-on with the beloved Koori Knockout tournament.
The Daily Telegraph reported club officials were briefed via a phone hook-up on Wednesday by acting NRL boss Peter V'landys, who confirmed the governing body is actively weighing a departure from the game's usual pre-season slot.
Under one proposal, the All-Stars clash would have opened a blockbuster finals weekend, setting the sage for the NRL and NRLW grand finals to follow on the Sunday.
That plan now appears to be losing steam, with insiders suggesting the scheduling shift is unlikely to go ahead after alarm bells were raised over a direct clash with the Koori Knockout, a cornerstone event on the Indigenous sporting calendar, sets to be held in Raymond Terrace from October 2-5 this year.
Discussions over the fixture's future have intensified this week, coinciding with the Indigenous Round celebrations.
Traditionally a pre-season curtain-raiser, there are growing fears the All Stars concept is gradually being watered down.
This year's edition, staged in Waikato back in February, ended locked at 16-all, with no golden point deployed to break the deadlock.
Shifting the fixture to season's end would have handed Indigenous and Maori players who miss out on finals footy a fresh slot at staking their claim for representative honours on the international stage.
Parramatta winger Josh Addo-Carr and ex-Blues centre Timana Tahu have been behind the push for change, with Tahu holding talks with senior NRL figures in recent days.
It's understood there's growing backing for alternative model that would see the All Stars game played just once every four years, aligned with the World Cup cycle.
Under that setup, an Indigenous team would instead feature in the Pacific Championships during the other years, taking on the likes of Fiji and Papua New Guinea in the second-tier pool.
While the Kangaroos would remain the priority side, the Indigenous outfit would offer valuable depth and support to the national team throughout the tournament.
Some of the most respected figures within the Indigenous rugby league community have been deep in talks with the NRL ass they push to safeguard the concept's place on the calendar.
Central to those conversations is striking the right balance between scheduling logistics and giving the fixture the exposure it deserves.
The All Stars game carries enormous significance for the Indigenous community, which continues to produce some of the best talents.
St George Illawarra Dragons and Indigenous forward Josh Kerr believes the concept is worth fighting for.
“We've been in heavy talks about it all,” Kerr said. “I want All Stars every year but I hate the fact that clubs don't allow players to play or put pressure on them not to play.
“I think having an Indigenous team in the Pacific Championships would be massive as well as a Maori team.”
NSW Blues and Indigenous representative Connor Watson echoed the sentiment, revealing the fixture's role in kicking off his season while acknowledging talk of a potential Pacific Championships pathway.
"I love setting my year up by playing in it," Watson said on ABC Sport.
"There's different things around clubs letting players play and people pulling out.
"Players have spoken about playing in the Pacific Championships.
"We love playing it and it makes a massive impact on the communities.
"As a player it's a great way to start the year. It means a lot more than a trial game."
As the NRL weighs it's options, the message from close closest to the game is simple, that the All Stars is bigger than a scheduling slot.
