Wighton named at custodian in star-studded Indigenous side for 2017 NRL All Stars game.

Wighton has represented Country on four occasions but lined up at centre against City in all but the 2016 edition – when he played fullback in his side’s 44-30 loss in Tamworth – and in his two previous appearances for the Indigenous unit the 23-year-old has run from the bench.

This time, after a sterling showing in Canberra’s remarkable march to this year’s preliminary final, Wighton won the popular vote among fans and was named at fullback at Wednesday’s team announcement.

He’ll line up alongside the likes of four-time Dally M Medal winner Jonathon Thurston, superstar Greg Inglis, young guns Ash Taylor, Tyrone Peachey and Latrell Mitchell along with Canberra teammate Aiden Sezer in what coach Laurie Daley labelled the strongest Indigenous side to date.

"It's a great team - this is probably the strongest side we've had," Daley said at the team announcement at Rugby League Central on Wednesday morning.

"It's an international-looking backline then you've got some up and coming young forwards, a couple of older guys there and all those young talented guys like Latrell Mitchell on the interchange bench.

“They'll be looking for an opportunity and it's exciting for us.”

Of course, Daley said the opportunity to don the Indigenous jersey – this time a stunning number designed renowned contemporary Indigenous artist Chern'ee Sutton –  will be a wonderful chance for Wighton and the rest of the squad to continue representing, and potentially learn more about, their heritage.

“There's no need to hide from [their background], those guys, they learn a lot about culture and history when they come into the camp," Daley said.

"It's spoken about a lot and it's great that young guys feel like they can identify now rather than sort of not feeling confident to do it.”

Next year will be the seventh time the Indigenous and World All Stars vie for the Arthur Beetson Trophy, although the game’s place in the schedule remains in some doubt after NRL head of football Todd Greenberg announced a review into the match following this year’s fixture, admitting it has "challenges" and a financial loss hitting almost $500,000 at times.

The All Stars game is on Friday, February 10.

INDIGENOUS ALL STARS: 1 Jack Wighton (Canberra Raiders), 2 Blake Ferguson (Sydney Roosters), 3 Greg Inglis (South Sydney Rabbitohs), 4 Will Chambers (Melbourne Storm), 5 Dane Gagai (Newcastle Knights), 6 Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys), 7 Ash Taylor (Gold Coast Titans), 8 Ryan James (Gold Coast Titans), 9 Nathan Peats (Gold Coast Titans), 10 Andrew Fifita (Cronulla Sharks), 11 Joel Thompson (St George-Illawarra Dragons), 12 Wade Graham (Cronulla Sharks), 13 Sam Thaiday (Brisbane Broncos); BENCH: 14 Tyrone Peachey (Penrith Panthers), 15 Jack Bird (Cronulla Sharks), 16 Leilani Latu (Penrith Panthers), 17 Latrell Mitchell (Sydney Roosters), 18 Aidan Sezer (Canberra Raiders), 19 Kyle Turner (South Sydney Rabbitohs), 20 Adam Elliott (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs).

WORLD ALL STARS: 1 Jarryd Hayne (Gold Coast Titans), 2 David Mead (Brisbane Broncos), 3 Joseph Leilua (Canberra Raiders), 4 Konrad Hurrell (Gold Coast Titans), 5 Nene Macdonald (St George-Illawarra Dragons), 6 Mitchell Moses (Wests Tigers), 7 Adam Reynolds (South Sydney Rabbitohs), 8 Nate Myles (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles), 9 Jake Friend (Sydney Roosters), 10 Jordan McLean (Melbourne Storm), 11 Gavin Cooper (North Queensland Cowboys), 12 Bryce Cartwright (Penrith Panthers), 13 Jake Trbojevic (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles); BENCH: 14 Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Penrith Panthers), 15 Sosaia Feki (Cronulla Sharks), 16 Sione Mata'utia (Newcastle Knights), 17 Sam Lisone (New Zealand Warriors), 18 Moses Mbye (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs), 19 Tepai Moeroa (Parramatta Eels), 20 Jordan Turner (Canberra Raiders).