State of Origin was an idea first conceived by the AFL and then made its own by rugby league.

And the thinking here is that the NRL has latched on to another idea that has its origins in the AFL and is taking it in a bold, new direction.

It's the All-Star Game on the Gold Coast this Saturday night - featuring the NRL All Stars against the Indigenous All Stars.

The build-up has been enormous, with the teams already in camp, every ticket at Skilled Stadium already having been sold and Channel Nine preparing to televise it all over Australia.

The media has already picked up some of the juicy match-ups in the game, such as Greg Inglis playing against club and state teammates Cam Smith and Billy Slater for the first time.

As is always the case with NRL representative football, players from both sides appear to be making every attempt to play.

Now contrast this with the AFL, which has already staged three matches featuring its own Indigenous All Stars, but only every couple of years.

The matches so far have taken place in Darwin, which while symbolically important, is a long way from the AFL spotlight.

They feature the Indigenous team against a club and because it's the first hit-out of the year, you can be assured that any player from either side who has a slight niggle, is a bit underdone or just too important to be risked in a game so early in the year, will not be required to take part. Adam Goodes journeyed to the game a couple of years back and took part...as an assistant coach.

The NRL does representative football far better than the AFL and you would have to imagine that this match could soon become the traditional opening of the new league season.

There have been some suggestions that the AFL wants to increase the standing of its own Indigenous All Stars game. How about the All Stars taking on the reigning premiers, or a team made up of the previous year's NAB Rising Star nominations?

And while Darwin holds strong claims on hosting the game, it needs a new home. The AFL could follow the NRL lead and play it on the Gold Coast, perhaps to officially christen the redeveloped Carrara ground early next year. Maybe next year, Gary Ablett could lead Gold Coast into action for the first time in a match against the Indigenous All Stars.

And it needs to be on TV. Not on ABC2, or whatever low-profile station has carried it in the past, but on one of the AFL's official broadcasters and preferably free-to-air. Put it on against a one-day cricket match and it will rate its socks off.

The AFL has been a pioneer when it comes to embracing indigenous Australia. It has created the template for other sports to follow. But when it comes to All Star games, it would be a shame for the NRL to rain on its parade.