However, NRL indigenous welfare manager Dean Widders is now working on a campaign to convince the game's heirarchy of the merits of the Australian team having its own war dance, along with players, coaches and administrators. Unlike the Stradbroke Island dance that was performed by the Kangaroos whenever they played overseas from 1908 until being abandoned in 1973, Widders wants the new version to represent non-indigenous players as well as the 60-plus Aboriginal players who comprise 12 per cent of NRL talent and are spread across all 16 clubs. "We are working on a presentation now for the clubs, the players and obviously the coaches about what it could mean for them, how it could be good and how it could be ground-breaking," Widders said. "It doesn't just have to mean something to an indigenous person, it can mean something for every single one of us. "Michael Jennings grew up in Mt Druitt, it could mean what his family has been through and his family story coming from Tonga so it could mean a lot to him.

"Or for Cameron Smith, it could be about what he's been through and what he has been able to achieve, and his family could take pride in why he is doing that." Thurston believes that if the Australian team performed the war dance it would be adopted at all levels of the game and "eight year olds and the 10 year olds ... will aspire to being a part of it". In contrast to AFL, where Goodes has been subjected to racial abuse on social media and criticism from former players and officials for performing the war dance, Widders said he "hasn't met anyone yet who really strongly opposes it". Former Australian captain and coach Bob Fulton, one of league's inital four "Immortals", has publicly backed the idea and ARLC chairman John Grant is also believed to be a supporter.

"I think it would be fantastic to see the Test side doing some sort of war cry," Fulton told Fairfax Media earlier this year. "I don't know why they ever stopped doing it and obviously we could go back and have a look at that, but whatever it is we need to let the stakeholders, as in the players, come up with something they as a group would all be comfortable doing." Grant said that the ARLC did not yet have a firm opinion on the issue. "The All Stars is accepted widely as one of the best examples of celebrating indigenous participation in sport and the whole week preceding the game underlines our joint commitment to inclusiveness within the rugby league community," Grant said. "From a personal point view it's not hard to see how inspiring national war dances can be - for example, the Pacific Islands Test between Samoa and Tonga - but there's still a bit of water to flow under the bridge before we'd contemplate such a war dance for our Kangaroos." Kangaroos forward Corey Parker said in the lead up to the May 5 Test in Brisbane that Thurston had consulted him about reviving the war dance and he had offered his support.

"I said 'If that's what you want to do, to bring back that heritage, it's a legacy we can leave'," Parker said. "It used to be part and parcel of Australian Test matches. It would certainly create interest." The goana walk performed by Greg Inglis as a try-scoring celebration is now considered an iconic part of rugby league but the reaction to the impromptu war dance by Goodes has reminded Widders of how much work needs to be done to ensure widespread acceptance. "In New Zealand, they can do the haka anywhere they want and people will cheer and say what a great thing the haka is but over here we have got to make sure the timing is perfect for it to be a totally positive story," Widders said. "As soon as someone takes offence at it then the whole world can turn on us like they have done to Goodsy. But that just means we have got to keep trying to educate and showcasing this in a positive light so that in 10 years time people will see all the positives of it."