Players back All Stars concept February 4, 2013 - 8:36PM When Canberra Raiders enforcer David Shillington ran out in the inaugural 2010 All Stars clash, he looked forward to a "cruisey" game. How times have changed. Three years later the Queensland star forward has not only backed the game's relevance ahead of this weekend's unofficial NRL season opener in Brisbane but also its timing. Shillington was mobbed along with NRL and Indigenous All Stars team members in Ipswich west of Brisbane on Monday as both sides kicked off their countdown to Saturday night's showcase event at Suncorp Stadium. He found it hard to believe the event's future was in doubt after reports emerged that a pre-season nines tournament tipped to kick off in New Zealand next year could steal its thunder. Just looking around you can see what impact this has on the local community. If a nines tournament does come along it would be a shame to see this go," he told AAP. This game means a lot. It may not be a State of Origin game or a Test match. But it is picked by the fans and players want to be a part of it. I played in the first game and I was stunned at how passionately they (Indigenous team) came out - I thought it might be a cruisey game but they put it on us. But now we not only know how passionately they play and also what it means to people. Even before the nines tournament was mooted for 2014, the timing of the All Stars clash had been questioned especially after Melbourne's Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk withdrew to ensure their availability for the World Club Challenge in England. NRL ambassador and former Broncos forward Petero Civoniceva threw around the possibility of the game being held at the end of the year but believed it was best suited as a season opener. It is tricky, but we are dealing with a few issues. There are guys coming back from rehab, guys being eased into the year after a break," he told AAP. No doubt everyone would want to see guys like Cronk and Slater play but hopefully we can introduce the next superstar in their place this weekend. And we already have a pretty full calendar as it is, so where do you slot it in if not at the start of the year. But if you speak to the majority of the boys it is a very popular way to start the season.