**Fans deliver All Star snub for some of NRL's biggest stars as Robbie Farah and Brett Stewart miss out**by: Tyson Otto From: The Daily Telegraph December 27, 2011 2:04PM
SOME of the biggest names in the NRL have been left out of the 64-man list of players to progress through to the final stage of NRL All Stars voting for the annual All Stars game on the Gold Coast on February 4.
Robbie Farah, Brett Stewart, Anthony Watmough, Ben Hannant, Tim Mannah, Beau Scott, Brett Morris, Kevin Locke and Danny Buderus were surprisingly unpopular with fans and did not make the list of top two forwards and top two backs at each club in the eyes of more than 13,400 voting fans.
Billy Slater, Darius Boyd, Kurt Gidley and Akuila Uate will also not play in the All Stars game after being ruled out with injury.
The huge supply of talent in the Sea Eagles squad is the main reason for Stewart's and Watmough's rejections - but it still represents a major shift in the attitude of fans considering Stewart was previously seen to be the undisputed prince of the peninsula in the eyes of many Manly fans.
Manly's star young halves Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran received more than 4000 votes from fans in the opening stage - nearly 2000 votes more than Stewart, who polled 2,732 votes.
Stewart's brother Glenn was also out-voted by Sea Eagles big-bopper Tony Williams - who was the most popular Manly forward - but was still a clear favourite with fans to out-poll Watmough.
It is a similar story for the Wests Tigers who had Englishman Gareth Ellis and star new recruit Adam Blair poll more votes than captain Robbie Farah. Even though he is yet to play a game for the Tigers, Blair pipped Farah by 200 votes.
NRL All Stars coach Wayne Bennett spent three days over Christmas assigning positions to the 64 shortlisted players following the completion of Stage One voting on Friday.
"I've got to say I am pleased with the names the fans have put forward in stage one of voting but I think the real challenge lies in this second phase, as there is a lot to consider,'' Bennett said.
"This is a tough task for the most experienced of selectors as not only do the fans have to think about shaping the side with the best player in each position, but they also need to consider that only one player from each club can be selected.
"The rivalry that voting creates between players is one of the great concepts about this match; like Origin, it is teammate against teammate and all the boys want to be a part of it.''
Broncos centre Jack Reed was the clear leader in Stage One of voting tallying a total of 7812 votes, 478 ahead of Bulldogs flyer Josh Morris, capping off a spectacular 2011 season that saw him rise from playing park footy to donning an English jersey in the Four Nations.
Fans have until January 18 to cut the list of 64 players down to16, with only one player from each club eligible for the second stage.
The top 10 voted for players in the first stage were:
1\. Jack Reed (Brisbane Broncos)
2\. Josh Morris (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
3\. Paul Gallen (Cronulla Sharks)
4\. Josh Dugan (Canberra Raiders)
5\. Cooper Cronk (Melbourne Storm)
6\. Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta Eels)
7\. Luke Lewis (Penrith Panthers)
8\. Nathan Hindmarsh (Parramatta Eels)
9\. Fuifui Moimoi (Parramatta Eels)
10\. Petero Civoniceva (Brisbane Broncos)
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/fans-deliver-all-star-snub-for-some-of-nrls-biggest-stars-as-robbie-farah-and-brett-stewart-miss-out/story-e6frexnr-1226231180318[quote)
I'd imagine that Robbie's off season op on his troublesome groin would've deterred people from voting for him. Seriously, the DT will stop at nothing to cause a stir :unamused:
