Dragons in contention for indigenous team

By Tim Barrow
Updated November 5 2012 - 11:25pm, first published November 5 2009 - 10:38am
All Star aspirants Wendell Sailor and Jamie Soward. Picture: ANDY ZAKELI
All Star aspirants Wendell Sailor and Jamie Soward. Picture: ANDY ZAKELI

Dragons fan favourites Wendell Sailor and Jamie Soward are the leading contenders for selection in the Indigenous All Stars team to play on the Gold Coast next year.With just a week left before fan voting closes, Sailor and Soward are the top picks in the public vote to take on an NRL All Stars line-up on February 13.Sailor is a raging favourite to secure the right wing position in the indigenous team, with speculation that the game could also be the 35-year-old's swansong.While Sailor has maintained his interest in another season with St George Illawarra, his inclusion in the Dragons squad is yet to be confirmed.It is expected Sailor will take up a role in the media when he does announce his retirement, with the prospect of the inaugural indigenous All Stars game doubling as a swansong for the dual international.Sailor has always maintained his desire to play on, but declared he would not want to continue and hold back former New Zealand international Jason Nightingale or emerging talent Michael Lett.Meantime, Soward is facing some fierce competition from Titans star Scott Prince and South Sydney playmaker Chris Sandow, but remains firmly in the running for the All Stars five-eighth position.While Prince is the favourite for the position, Soward is likely to secure a place on the interchange bench if he does miss out on the No 6 jersey.Voting for the team closes on November 15, with more than 14,000 votes lodged already. To vote, go to www.nrl.com/allstars.As they put the disappointment of this year's failed finals campaign behind them, the Dragons will officially return to preseason training in Wollongong on Monday, November 23.A decision on home games played at WIN Stadium next season has been delayed as the timing of the $30 million western and southern grandstand upgrade is finalised.A plan has been tabled to play the club's early home games at WIN Stadium, before construction starts.St George Illawarra's first home game next year is against the Bulldogs in round two.

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