The NRL All Stars match continues to lose big names with Nelson Asofa-Solomona among a swag of players announcing their withdrawal from Saturday's match in Rotorua, New Zealand.
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And the participation of Indigenous representatives Jack Wighton and Latrell Mitchell appears in huge doubt after the pair were arrested for an incident outside a Canberra nightclub early Sunday morning.
The NRL did not comment to AAP when asked if the heavyweight duo would play in the annual fixture.
The World Cup late last year has impacted both the Indigenous and Maori All Stars teams, with a number of players declaring they aren't ready for action after only a month of training.
Melbourne prop Asofa-Solomona was one of four players to announce his withdrawal on Sunday, following star Sydney Roosters duo Joseph Manu and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves who pulled out of the Maori All Stars team on Saturday through injury.
Parramatta playmaker Daejarn Asi, Wests Tigers back Starford Toa and Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak also withdrew on Sunday morning.
Tukimihia Simpkins, Leo Thompson, Paul Turner, Austin Dias, Creedence Toia and Sheldon Pitama have been added to men's Maori side.
Asofa-Solomona ruled himself out, with the Storm saying that due to the World Cup he'd only returned to training on January 4 and was in the middle of a heavy training block.
"It was an honour to again be selected to wear the Maori jersey but unfortunately I'm not physically in the position to be able to play in such an intensive match so soon in my pre-season preparations," the NZ Test prop said in a statement.
"I'm looking forward to seeing my Maori brothers in action again and wish them all the best against the Indigenous team."
Winger Josh Addo-Carr, who starred for the Kangaroos at the World Cup, pulled out of the Indigenous team last week in order to focus on club preparations with Canterbury.
Brisbane coach Kevin Walters confirmed on Sunday that young playmaker Ezra Mam was forced out of the Indigenous squad when it was found he didn't have a passport so couldn't travel to New Zealand.
Australian Associated Press
