New Zealand captain Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is the first player to pull out of next month's All Stars exhibition in Melbourne after undergoing minor knee surgery.

Penrith on Thursday confirmed the fullback-winger had been due for a clean-out and was made unavailable to represent the Maori All Stars against the Indigenous All Stars on February 15.

Injury: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak plans to be fit for round one of the NRL season but will miss the All Star game. Credit:AAP

Watene-Zelezniak was in the running to be picked by Maori coach Stacey Jones, but will instead focus on preparing himself for the Panthers schedule of trial matches.

"It was the first thing I asked, 'Will I be alright for the All Stars game?', because I really wanted to play," Watene-Zelezniak told the NRL website.