Timana Tahu stands by his decision to walk out on NSW Blues after Andrew Johns' racist remakr Timana Tahu takes time out from an Indigenous All Stars training session at QE2. Picture: A Armstrong Source: The Courier-Mail AFTER walking out on the NSW Origin side three years ago amid allegations of racism, Timana Tahu could be expected to rate his first Indigenous All Stars jumper above any of his representative achievements. "I treat this (Indigenous) jumper the same as NSW or an Australian jumper, my (NSW) Country jumper or even my club jumper," Tahu said yesterday. I think it means a lot more to my family and friends and the people I'm representing. I walked out on a NSW jumper which I take pride in my jumpers, and you grow up and it's every kids dream to play in a NSW Origin jumper, and that was the hardest thing was I left that jumper. In all fairness though, yeah it was the right thing to do. It was a dark time a couple of years ago but I've come through and I feel like I'm back on top again. It's not about what has happened in the past, this is about moving forward and this is a big event this All Stars game and I'm happy to be part of it. These blokes like GI (Greg Inglis) and Thursto (Johnathan Thurston) they will be inducted with the legends and me I'm just happy to be playing with them and I can tell my kids when they get older and my grandkids that I played with legends. Indigenous All Stars field session at QE2. This has got to be the best backline in the world on paper. It's unbelievable the talent we've got. Tahu's NSW Origin walkout in 2010, when he left camp after assistant coach Andrew Johns made disparaging comments about Queensland's Inglis during a video session, was a major flashpoint moment in league's fight against racism. The 32-year-old, who was both praised and pilloried for his stance, said Inglis and Queensland's Indigenous players had all personally thanked him for what he did standing up for their race. "Yeah they said thanks for the support and what you've done, we're happy for what you've done," Tahu said. For me I just hope the only change is not just Indigenous boys but everyone, that it's made them stronger and if they get faced with that they can take a stance and say enough is enough. I talk to Joey when I see him. I'm a big boy, I'm a big man and there's no use hating people. That is the worst thing, hating. If you hate someone it just becomes a lot more sour and there's no need for it and I've moved on. In the immediate aftermath though, with media sitting on his doorstep and the general public slamming him for leaving his teammates in the lurch, Tahu questioned if the stance was worthwhile as he was treated like the bad guy. "Of course there was times where I thought am I doing the wrong thing?" he said. Times when I had seven cameras outside my house and I couldn't leave my house and I couldn't think and couldn't move around. I'd never been on drinking binges, I've never been involved in domestic violence or drug cases and I think in some ways yeah I did get painted as bad as what players in the past have done with those sorts of things. The best thing about it is I had family support and good friends and that is what lifted my spirits.