Broncos winger Jesse Arthars has been dealt a fresh blow after being left out of the Maori side for the NRL All Stars clash on Sunday in Waikato. Arthars also missed out on Brisbane’s grand final victory last year after being selected as 18th man in the premiership triumph over the Storm.
Brisbane coach Michael Maguire again overlooked Arthars when naming his touring squad to face English champions Hull KR in the World Club Challenge later this month. And the winger would have been hoping to impress the Broncos coach against the Indigenous All Stars side on Sunday after being named in Maori coach Adam Blair’s 20-man squad.
Broncos star Jesse Arthars (far right) has been overlooked for the Maori All Stars’ 17-man side after also missing out on Brisbane’s premiership win and being left out of their WCC squad. Pic: Getty
But Blair has opted to go with Titans flyer Jojo Fifita and Warriors veteran Dallin Watene-Zelezniak as his starting wingers, with Arthars missing out on the 17-man side altogether. The Brisbane winger has been named at No.20 as one of the three reserves on standby for the All Stars clash, meaning he’s only likely to play if a teammate is ruled out before Sunday.
Arthars starred for the Maori side in last year’s All Stars clash, scoring one of their two tries in a 10-6 win over the Indigenous team. And he started the NRL season as one of Brisbane’s first-choice wingers but eventually lost his place in the starting side as Josiah Karapani and Deine Mariner established themselves as Maguire’s preferred wing combination.
Brisbane have also signed Grant Anderson for this season, with the former Melbourne Storm star set to provide even more competition for starting spots in the outside backs. Anderson was included in the Broncos’ WCC squad – which touched down in London this week – leaving Arthars’ hopes of breaking back into the Brisbane side even more difficult.
Broncos arrive in England for WCC showdown against Hull
The Broncos are aiming to win their third WCC title and first since 1997 when they take on English champions Hull at their MKM Stadium home ground on Friday week (Aussie time). But the club has been rocked by the news Payne Haas has signed a three-year deal to join the Rabbitohs in 2027, and skipper Adam Reynolds will retire at the end of the season.
Broncos coach Maguire was keen to avoid questions about Haas’ future, with the superstar prop still in the midst of a 10-day cooling off period. It means Haas could still decide stay at Brisbane beyond the 2026 season, even if it seems unlikely.
Broncos superstar Payne Haas (R) is heading to South Sydney in 2027, while captain Adam Reynolds (L) has decided to retire at the end of 2026. Image: Getty
But Maguire told NRL.com his premiership-winning Broncos are keen to leave England with more silverware. “A few of the staff and myself have been involved in these sorts of games. They’re very special,” he said. “You’ve got to make sure you put a good performance out. We’re rolling straight into Round 1 so that’s important in itself.
“It’s a really important opportunity to get a trophy. They can put their names up in lights. I think it’s pretty even, teams winning and losing this one, between the Australians and England and I also know how much this game means to the people over here.