Titans forward Jacob Alick has withdrawn from the Indigenous All Stars squad due to an ankle injury. The Titans released a statement saying that the 24-year-old back-rower had suffered a syndesmosis injury at training on Thursday and would miss the match in Townsville. The PNG international has begun rehab as he works to return for the start of the NRL season. New Cowboys skipper Reuben Cotter has ruled himself out of the Harvey Norman All Stars match due to recent head knocks. Having starred for the Indigenous side in 2021 and 2022, the Australian representative made the difficult decision to withdraw from next Friday's match, being played on home turf at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. While disappointed to miss out, Cotter said he didn't want to risk missing Round 1 of the season after suffering several head knocks last year. "I had a couple of little head knocks towards the back end last year. That’s the main reason why, I just didn’t want to put myself in that position," Cotter told media on Thursday. "And looking at it from a club perspective I want to be there in the opening rounds. "I still might be involved if they want to have me and I’ll go in and see the boys." Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam will also miss out on his chance to represent the Indigenous All Stars due to a niggling groin problem. "I just had to manage my load a bit," Mam said this week at a media conference to announce his new five-year Broncos deal. "It is just a little niggle in my groin. It really is not too serious. "I will be back on the field at the end of the week." Source: NRL.Com