Jack de Belin may be grabbing headlines for all the wrong reasons but while debate regarding his future in the Red V continued to bubble away, the Indigenous All Stars quietly claimed the Arthur Beetson All Stars Trophy with a win over the Maori All Stars.

The 34-14 triumph capped what should have been a feelgood week for the code. Both Maori and Indigenous players have spent copious time learning about their cultures, visiting communties and taking selfies with adoring children.

The pre-match haka - led by Adam Blair - and Indigenous war cry - led by Latrell Mitchell - was spine-tingling viewing.

Performing it was indescribable for Indigenous skipper Cody Walker, from Nowra.

"I do remember one part of it when we went down and Latrell went up, I could just see all these goosebumps on him," Walker said post match.

"It was just an amazing feeling.

"I only learnt the welcome this week and I was getting really, really nervous.

"Not so much about the game but I wanted to get that right and I didn't want to disrespect anyone by not getting that right.

"It's something I can't describe."

Try telling the players who featured last night that this was simply a pre-season game. It was a contest which had the feeling many hoped it would, exceeding expectations. It may not have been State of Origin but there were scuffles aplenty in the second half and verbal barbs exchanged.

The entire Maori bench was on their feet for the large majority of the match and when the final siren rung out, they were genuinely shattered.

The 18,802 fans at AAMI Park felt like a full house. The south-east corner of the stadium was filled with Maori flags which flew high every time even as much as a half-break was generated.

The entertainment in between quarters had the crowd singing along in a family-orientated, friendly atmosphere

It was the kind of night the NRL must have envisaged when making the inspired decision to bring the two cultures together to collide.

An overwhelming success which, for a hot minute, will give those at NRL HQ something to smile about.

"The week has been about more than just a game of footy," Maori coach Stacey Jones said.

"It's about embracing the whole concept. I've enjoyed the week but it is disappointing, the way that we couldn't get the result we wanted."

With the adrenaline still pumping from their pre-match routines, the match started in sensational fashion. Dane Gagai reeled off a ridiculous, athletic finish to score in the right hand corner in the first Maori set but Josh Addo-Carr was similarly electric.

The man dubbed lightning by the Indigenous elders on his father's side of the family was exactly that in crossing twice in the first of four 20 minute quarters.

His post-try celebration - an Indigenous dance after scoring his second - was only matched by a Blake Ferguson backflip in the second quarter which would have made club coach Brad Arthur's heart skip a beat.

Bevan French was the other first half try scorer for the home side, hitting top speed in an exhilarating run to the line after Jesse Ramien split the Kiwi defence with some sharp footwork.

Gagai kept the Maori men in the hunt. He nabbed a double in the 27th minute, leaving the score poised at 20-10 when the half time siren sounded.

Next, it was David Fifita's time to shine. At just 18 he is 107kg of raw, leg pumping power, making first up tackles near on impossible.

He had 33 post contact metres inside three quarters of the match - more than any other Indigenous player - and was rewarded with four points five minutes into the second term, busting, predictably, two tackles on his way to the line.

At 24-10 the Indigenous side had kicked clear. The Maori men responded. Esan Masters wriggled his way over the line but they soon had a try denied and a few minutes later, Indigenous skipper Cody Walker was racing away to seal the result.

He was swamped by his teammates, who were jumping high into the Melbourne sky on their way to celebrate with their skipper.

One final blow was struck by Josh Kerr after he chased a delicate Tyrone Peachey grubber to dot down in the 73rd minute.

The result of the de Belin case may not yet be known but the NRL needs less incidents like that and more nights which bring the best of two cultures together.

The game may have its fair share of issues but every punter out of luck knows it only takes one win to turn the ship around.

The NRL will be hoping last night's match was the small win they needed to start that turnaround.