Wayne Bennett admits he considered his Brisbane players' pre-season workload before selecting just one Bronco in his NRL All Stars team.
However, the master coach has defended the glaring omission of Brisbane stars Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford from the February 13 showcase Gold Coast event.
Unlike the Indigenous All Stars team selected by a fan poll, Bennett hand-picked the 20-strong NRL squad unveiled on Monday.
And Bennett was the first to admit he also had his Broncos hat on when naming a squad that featured just one Brisbane player - star back-rower Corey Parker on the bench.
Initially allowed just one player from each club, Bennett had the chance to boost his squad with Broncos talent thanks to four additional "coach choices".
However, Bennett said a hectic 2015 pre-season also featuring a trial against the Cowboys, the Auckland Nines and the expanded World Club Challenge next month ensured he had to be mindful of who to use from his Broncos stable at the All Stars.
"The game tells us what we have to do, they produce the pre-season," he said.
"But on the other hand, I am the coach of the Broncos, so I can make decisions on who plays in what.
"And there's nothing more important than starting the season with your best team on the paddock."
Fans would have been forgiven for hoping to see Hunt in the All Stars clash after capping his first year as Brisbane's starting halfback with a Kangaroos debut at the Four Nations.
And Hunt's new livewire halves partner Milford has the NRL buzzing after relocating from Canberra in the off-season.
But Bennett did not back down on their omission, saying the squad was the best he could conjure with the selection policy provided.
Bennett said he had to quickly reassess his squad after the likes of Cameron Smith (ankle), Billy Slater (shoulder), Matt Scott (shoulder), Simon Mannering (personal reasons), Nate Myles (bicep) and Cooper Cronk (conditioning) became unavailable.
"The hard part about this process is that you can only take one player out of a club," he said.
"Look at Matt Scott. I picked him but when he withdrew I went with Antonio Winterstein, so I went from a front-rower to a winger.
"It's not straightforward."
But Bennett had no say in the Indigenous outfit, which featured Brisbane's Justin Hodges and Sam Thaiday.
"I said to Hodgo a month ago `what do you want to do' and he said `I want to play' - that was the end of the conversation," Bennett said.
"He wants to be there and I think that is wonderful."
However, Bennett was able to pick Paul Gallen for the All Stars clash - his first match since serving his doping ban.
The NSW skipper was on Monday included in a squad captained by Newcastle's Beau Scott with Manly's Kieran Foran and Mitchell Pearce of the Sydney Roosters as their halves.
Superstars Greg Inglis and Johnathan Thurston headline the Indigenous outfit, with new Cronulla recruit Ben Barba named at five-eighth.
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