They will make history as the first indigenous rugby league representative team to take on New Zealand Maori on Sunday, but it could be the players' dancing that proves the highlight.

Before some of the game's toughest, quickest, most exciting exponents play a curtain-raiser to officially open the Rugby League World Cup, they plan to respond to the provocative haka by resurrecting a famous old tradition that died out in 1967 - the Aboriginal war cry.

The Kangaroos performed the dance before Test matches for 60 years before shelving it after a winless three-game series against the French 39 years ago.

By chance, a grainy recording remained, and the Nunukul Yugerra dance troupe from Stradbroke Island were able to retrace the steps for a performance before Sunday's game. So excited are the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players about the return of the war cry, they are trying to learn it in time to join in.

"Being Aboriginal and on our own land, we've got to do something back to the haka," said South Sydney forward Dean Widders, who will pack down as lock for "Dreamtime Team".

North Queensland enforcer Carl Webb didn't hide his enthusiasm while at a fan day in Redfern yesterday. "I'm a great dancer on the dance floor but I don't know about the football field. But I think it's a great idea. The Kiwis have done it over the years so why not us?" he said.

According to sports historian Sean Fagan's Pioneers of Rugby League , the war cry had its first public outing when the 1908-09 Kangaroos arrived in England, lining up on the ship's deck and delivering it to "weird and awful effect" upon the crowd below. It was given to selector Jack Fihelly by Aboriginal dancer Archie Meston, who said it came from "the warriors of Stradbroke Island".

"Wallee Mullara Choomooroo Tingal," the words warn, and "Meeyarra, Meeyarra, Jeeleebo, Cahwoon" - which North Stradbroke Island's native speakers will know means: "We are a race of fighters, descended from the War Gods … The Kangaroo is dangerous when at bay."

Widders, an Anaiwan man from Armidale, said the players were representing indigenous pioneers in rugby league and others who never got to play because of the colour of their skin.

It is nine years since a national indigenous team came together to play Papua New Guinea. The coach was league legend Arthur Beetson, who is a selector for this week's team and wants officials to commit to an annual Australia Day fixture. "People don't realise that a lot of our mob call Australia Day 'Invasion Day'. An annual game would be a chance to heal the rifts," he said. THE WAR CRY Wallee Mullara

Choomooroo Tingal

Nah! Nah! Nah! Nah!

Cannai, Barrang,

Warrang, Warrang

Yallah, Yallah, Yallah, Yallah,

Ah! Jaleeba, Booga, Boorooloong

Yarnah meei, meei, meei

Meeyarra, Meeyarra, Jeeleeba, Cahwoon,

Cooeewah, Cooeewah, Wahh, Wooh.

Translation We are a race of fighters, descended from the

War Gods,

Beware! Beware!

Beware! Beware!

Where we fight there will be

great bloodshed,

Go! Go! Go! Go!

We are powerful,

but merciful.

Are you friends?

Good! Good!

The Kangaroo is

dangerous when at bay.

Come on. Come on, to death.

Source: Pioneers of

Rugby League, Sean Fagan.