Critics of the All Stars concept should look at the big picture and see the difference it is making to indigenous communities, master coach Wayne Bennett says.

The NRL All Stars mentor is open to rejigging the concept, saying he will have no problem with his side making way for a Maori or Pacific Islander outfit in the future.

However, Bennett said it would be narrow minded if the future of the fixture was influenced by ticket sales and player availability.

Slow ticket sales and the withdrawal of injured big-name players have marred the lead-up to the All Stars game’s 2015 return after taking a 12 month hiatus.

Barely 15,000 tickets have been sold for Friday night’s NRL-Indigenous clash at the 27,000-capacity Gold Coast venue.

But Bennett urged the NRL powerbrokers not to be influenced by the nay sayers, claiming the game was making a difference.

“One thing about rugby league, no one is ever short of an opinion,” he said.

“Whatever we seem to do we seem to challenge it on a regular basis.

“That’s what leadership is about, knowing what you want for your game, holding your nerve, and not listening to everyone on the sideline.

“I believe there is a place for it, I believe we owe it to the indigenous communities – it’s called giving something back.

“The Prime Minister was saying they had committed a lot of taxpayers’ money to improve the lifestyle of indigenous Australians (in Closing the Gap programs).

“If rugby league can’t do their little bit we are all going to be poorer for it.”

Bennett said watching hundreds of indigenous kids mingle with their heroes at an All Stars breakfast this week summed up why he had an unshakable belief in the concept.

“You look at the kids and you see what it means to them when they meet their role models,” he said.

“Hopefully some of them will go away and be doctors and solicitors …and over a period of time their standard of living will rise – that’s part of why we do it.

“It would be very selfish and small minded of us because someone is talking about crowd figures or something and say we are not going to do this any more.”

Not that Bennett ruled out mixing up the All Stars formula.

He admitted an Indigenous v Maoris or Pacific Islander All Stars game may yet prove the right mix.

“That wouldn’t worry me. What worries me is the fact they (Indigenous team) wouldn’t have an opportunity to display who they are and what’s important to them.

“It may be a better concept I don’t know – right now, we’re the opposition and happy to be here.”

Meanwhile, Indigenous captain Johnathan Thurston said the game may prove more successful if held on a Saturday night.

“(But) whatever we do through the community far outweighs the game,” Thurston said.

“The game is the spectacle of the week, but what we are doing in the community is making a difference.

“If this game dies then so does that.”