Melbourne Storm issue clarification after NRL club raises eyebrows with Welcome to Country call
The club were quick to shut down the reports after plenty of backlash.
The Melbourne Storm have hit back at media reports they were set to 'ditch' the Welcome to Country tradition, with the NRL club looking to make a big change in 2025. Over the weekend, media reports suggested the NRL club would be undergoing a review on how many Welcome to Country ceremonies they would undertake ahead of games in 2025.
The Storm held three Welcome to Country ceremonies in 2024, which included on ANZAC Day and during Indigenous Round. However, reports claimed Storm officials were considering a review on how to undertake the ceremony moving forward.
There was plenty of reaction to the claim they might scale back the tradition with the ceremony used to acknowledge Indigenous and Torres Straight Islander communities. And the Storm have moved to clarify their position after the swift reaction from NRL fans.
A club statement claims the Melbourne Storm are not getting rid of the Welcome to Country ceremony, but will review the concept and even consider acknowledging other cultures before a game. "Melbourne Storm is not “ditching” its Welcome to Country or Acknowledgments as suggested by recent media," the statement read.
"We will continue these acknowledgments at culturally significant celebrations. The strength and success of our Club is built on many cultures and communities, and our engagement with them has helped us to reflect the differing views on how we best support and represent each group.
"We will continue to talk to these communities and seek their input to find the most appropriate and respectful way to acknowledge and celebrate culture, including how we best acknowledge First Nations people. The Club will continue to support First Nations community groups and organisations, as it has done for many years, delivering programs and initiatives that promote positive health, welfare and education outcomes."
The purpose of Welcome to Country traditions in NRL
The Welcome to Country has been used before select NRL games, during Indigenous Round and before State of Origin games for years. The Welcome to Country is performed by traditional owners, Aboriginal or Torres Straight Islander peoples who have been given permission to welcome visitors to their country. Welcome to Country ceremonies take place at the beginning of an event to show respect to Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander cultures.
National Anthem debate continues in the NRL
The Welcome to Country tradition isn't the only pre-game act that has caused debate recently. During the Kangaroos' Pacific Championship win last month, Mark 'Spudd' Carroll became the latest person to weigh in on a debate that has polarised fans for years.
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The Manly legend was not impressed with some of the Kangaroos players choosing not to sing the anthem before the clash against New Zealand. “As a kid, I dreamt about playing for Australia,” Carroll told SEN radio this week. “Just to hear that anthem, I was a (big) singer... I watch the anthem now, it disappoints me if the blokes don’t sing it.”
Carroll played 12 Test matches for Australia in an era when representing your country was the pinnacle of rugby league. But the NRL and State of Origin have both arguably overtaken international football as priorities for players, and some like Carroll believe the Kangaroos jersey has lost its prestige. But other top figures have defended players in the past, believing the issue of singing the national anthem isn't something that needs to be discussed.
