Manly's newest recruit Jamal Fogarty has expressed his satisfaction after being named again in the Indigenous All-Stars squad.
Being from Beaudesert, a small country town with a population of 6,752 people, his upbringing remains a strong part of his identity and remains just as meaningful as the footy itself.
“I grew up there [Beaudesert] and spent my whole life there until I moved away for football," Fogarty said.
“I am obviously very proud to represent who we are, the Mununjali people, our culture and where we are from.”
The 32-year-old halfback returns to the All-Star stage for the first time since his debut selection in 2021, where the match resulted in a 10-all draw.
Fogarty spoke strongly about why he rates the All-Star selection as one of the high points in his career.
“I played for the All Stars in 2021, and it's been the highlight of my career so far, so to be able to do it again is awesome,” Fogarty told the media.
“I was really shy and nervous because I'd only played one year of NRL. Now I've been playing for a few years I'm even more excited to get back into camp.”
The former Canberra Raider is aware of how big the occasion is, and reveals who he wants to represent besides the Indigenous All-Stars.
“All though it's All Stars, it's pretty cool knowing I'll be representing Manly for the first time, but to get that jersey back on is something special.
“I just want to play well, do myself and my family proud, but also the club here at Manly as well.”
The Indigenous All Stars play the Māori All Stars at FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton on Sunday 15th February.
