NRL All Stars set to scrap the anthem out of respect for indigenous players
The Australian Rugby League Commission is reportedly set to scrap the Australian national anthem from this month’s All Stars fixtures.
The Australian newspaper is reporting the commission will on Thursday vote to not play Advance Australia Fair before the women’s and men’s games on the Gold Coast on February 22.
Many of the Indigenous All Stars players - led by captain Cody Walker - last year boycotted the anthem by choosing not to sing it when it was played at AAMI Park in Melbourne.
During the State of Origin series, a number of those players again opted not to sing the anthem.
Advance Australia Fair is controversial in that many Aboriginal people believe it does not recognise them as the nation’s first people, and is in fact harmful and disrespectful to their history and culture.
“It just brings back so many memories of what’s happened (in Australia’s past),” Walker said after captaining the Indigenous team to victory last year.
“It’s something that everyone as a group and everyone in Australia need to get together and working something out.
“It doesn’t represent myself and my family.”
There’s been a big push from some communities to have the national anthem changed to better recognise and celebrate Aboriginal people and culture.
The Indigenous team will spend a week on the Gold Coast promoting the game and their culture, alongside the Maori players who they will face on game day.
On Wednesday, indigenous leader Latrell Mitchell took to Instagram to post an emotional tribute to his culture.
He will line up for the Indigenous All Stars on February 22.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/a6d18e5b9440c176822dc97470232a85
