Latrell Mitchell is relishing the opportunity to do justice to the players who made the All Stars game possible during his sixth time in the Indigenous side's camp.
Mitchell, who first played for the Indigenous All Stars in 2017, said the "spirit" for culture amongst the group has strengthened in previous years, with mention to the involvement of the women's team.
Ahead of Friday's contest against the Māori All Stars in Townsville on Friday, the Souths fullback said current stars get to carry on the work done by Preston Campbell and others who put the building blocks in place for the now-annual curtain raiser.
Campbell, who retired at the end of 2011 after 267 NRL games, was instrumental in spurring the concept for All Stars fixtures, which pinned the historic-yet-sporadic Indigenous All Stars side against the NRL or World All Stars between 2010-2017 before the Māori All Stars became a permanent piece in 2019.
The Preston Campbell Medal is awarded to Best on Ground in the men's contest, with the Trish Hina Medal - named for the Kiwi Ferns trailblazer, awarded to the best afield in the women's.
"This game...It was just an idea, a blueprint back in the day when he (Campbell) was coming up with it with a few other lads," Mitchell told NRL media.
"For it to come alive in 2010 and just be what it is today, the growth over that 14 year period has been unbelievable.
"This game wouldn't happen if it wasn't for the older fellas. They've passed that on and now we get to, you know, continue that tradition and keep passing on to the next gen."
Mitchell said playing All Stars fixtures, and being able to "express who we are and how we live our values everyday" makes it "the best game in the world".
The 26-year-old is also keen to do it alongside older brother Shaquai.
"We started the journey together when we were in Taree so I think it's only right to do it, you know, for our people," Mitchell said.
Earlier this week, the brothers spoke of their experiences dealing with racism growing up together.
"People driving past in their cars yelling out black this, black that, and other examples when we were at games as 10-year-old kids playing for Taree Rovers…parents yelling out and being racist cause we were carving their kids up," Latrell Mitchell told Channel 9.
Both said it was "scary", with times having to run home, lock the doors and close the curtains.
"Stuff like that, it makes you feel inferior" Mitchell said.
A snippet of the interview posted to Nine's NRL Instagram has caused Manly forward Josh Aloiai to offer an apology.
According to reports, Aloiai, from his personal account, had 'liked' a comment on the video from a user accusing Mitchell of playing the "race card".
In a statement, via Sydney Morning Herald, Aloiai clarified it was an accident.
"I saw a post from Latrell, and I was going through it when I accidentally liked a comment as I was scrolling. When I was made aware of this, I immediately deleted it," Aloiai said.
"If anyone saw it, I would like to say that it was certainly not intentional at all."
Negative noise around Mitchell has been a consistent thread through the NSW Blues and Kangaroos representative's career.
From Indigenous All Stars camp, he said he's "feeling content" ahead of the 2024 NRL season.
"I feel like a lot of things are going right. It's been really good to be able to just come into this camp and just express who I am and fill the cup up and get ready for the year," he said.
