Slater out, Finch in
02/11/2010 01:37:04 AM
The NRL All Stars have lost full-back Billy Slater for Saturday's inaugural clash with the Indigenous All Stars at Skilled Park.
Slater has been in doubt since injuring his ankle at training in Sydney on Monday and, while he flew to the Gold Coast with the squad in the hope of recovering in time, coach Wayne Bennett was forced to rule him out on Thursday.
With Parramatta custodian Jarryd Hayne the logical replacement for Slater in the No.1 jersey, Bennett has surprisingly called up Slater's Melbourne team-mate Brett Finch, adding him to the squad on the bench.
Slater's withdrawal comes just a week after his Storm team-mate Greg Inglis pulled out of the Indigenous All Stars team with a hip injury that has been restricting him at pre-season training for several weeks.