ONE of the best defensive performances where attacking football was the original default setting has delivered Australia’s First Nations rugby league team the Indigenous All-Stars a solid 22-14 victory over their Māori counterparts in Townsville.

Far from the free-flowing attacking football fans at Townsville Stadium were perhaps hoping for in the annual pre-season representative match, gutsy goal-line defensive work earned the Indigenous side their victory as they withstood a Māori barrage in wet, humid and slippery conditions.

Two tries in 10 minutes by winger Josh Addo-Carr got his side an early lead, but it was the playmaking of teammate and five-eighth Braydon Trindall that saw him win the Preston Campbell Medal for best afield.

Indigenous All-Stars captain Latrell Mitchell said his side showed an unexpected…