As the Indigenous All Stars match winds up for another year, questions continue to be raised about the competitions place in the calendar.
After a gruelling game, Indigenous All Star and Cronulla Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes suggested a prime spot for the match.
"If it was up to me, I would look at a break before the grand final," he suggested at a press conference.
"Maybe you build it into that space like the Super Bowl build up. You have a week off, get players ready, build momentum into the All Stars clash and then roll into the grand final the following week."
Timing is a concern on the minds of many, including NRL legend and Indigenous Programs Manager Dean Widders.
He commended the athletes who committed to playing All Stars despite threat of pre-season injury and time away from their clubs.
"All the best players in the game play for their culture ever year," he told NITV.
"It's not easy because there's a lot of distraction at the start of the season. The Las Vegas thing is hard, coaches don't want to lose their players . . . or risk their players. For the players to keep turning up and wanting to play in the game shows how much it means to them."
Māori All Stars coach, Adam Blair, said while the decision is in the hands of the "administrators", players will continue to show up.
"The schedule is packed and there is probably no perfect time. It is tough at the start of the year to bring everyone into camp. It is tough at the back end with 26 rounds and finals," he said.
"I do not know what the right answer is, but what I do know is we want to be part of this game. Our people love it. Our players love it. Wherever it sits, we want to be involved.”
As some are criticising the timing of the game, others are speculating about it's place in the league altogether.
“I see experts and journalists calling for the game to be scrapped,” said Hynes.
“If you do not understand it, come over here for a week. Come to the marae. Come to the cultural dinner. Sit in our meetings. Sit in a circle when we talk about what this means to us and what it means to the Māori people. Then you will understand why this game matters.”
Widders believes it'll be hard to scrap, considering the love Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players have for the fixture.
"They don't want this game to end on their watch, these boys will keep turning up and playing," he said.
"The game is under threat, it's a tough time of year and a lot of the clubs don't get behind it like they used to back in the day. The players will keep fighting, we'll keep fighting and we'll keep sending the message we want it there in some form, whatever it is, whatever opportunity - our players want to play and represent their people and their culture."
The Anaiwan man believes there should be more opportunity for the players to represent on an international level.
"Australia's got to look at its pathway and its development. A lot of our Australian players are now playing for the Pacific Islands, or playing for other nations," he explained.
"For Indigenous guys, it'd be great to get us out there and play against Fiji, play against Papua New Guinea and give guys an opportunity to play at that level and show they're worthy of an Australia jumper because they might not get to that Origin level."
Widders said an all Indigenous international team "could be a secondary pathway, an alternative pathway for the Australian Kangaroos".
While the draw added another chapter to the history of the All Stars match, many left Hamilton saying the night was never just about the scoreboard.
“I never thought I would hear myself say I would be happy with a draw because I always want to win,” Hynes said.
“But culture is the winner at the end of the day. That is way more important than the result for me.”
In keeping with All Stars tradition and player welfare considerations, no golden point was played. The 16 all draw meant the Māori retained the trophy.
