Hunt earns fourth selection for Maori All Stars

Goldfields rugby league product Royce Hunt has earned Maori All Stars selection for the fourth time ahead of Saturday night’s clash against the Indigenous All Stars at NSW’s CommBank Stadium.

Hunt, 29, was among two Wests Tigers players named for the clash, alongside Brent Naden who will represent the Indigenous All Stars.

It is Naden’s third selection.

In six head-to-head series clashes, the Indigenous All Stars hold a 3-2 advantage, with one match drawn.

Each of the past two matches have been won by the Indigenous All Stars, 22-14 last year and 28-24 in 2023.

Hunt is gearing up for his first season of a three-year deal with the Tigers after 70 NRL games for the Cronulla Sharks, where he was late last year granted a release from the final year of his contract.

He debuted in the NRL with the Canberra Raiders in 2017.

Hunt was born in Sydney but spent his formative years in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, where he was identified as a future star and earned Australia Schoolboys selection that prompted his move back to NSW aged 15.

Three years ago, Hunt lined up for Samoa in the World Cup final against Australia at Old Trafford.

Hunt hails from one of the Goldfields’ most prominent rugby league families and is the youngest of three brothers, alongside Drew and Layne.

The boys’ father, Rob, is a local rugby league visionary who established and coached the now-defunct Goldfields Titans in the State League.

Wests open the NRL season-proper on March 7 against the Newcastle Knights.