Indigenous NRL stars boycott national anthem at State of Origin

Indigenous stars have stood arm in arm with their teammates and stayed silent during the Australian national anthem at the State of Origin opener.

NSW players Cody Walker, Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr and Queensland's Will Chambers followed through on their promise to boycott Advance Australia Fair at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.

Of the 34 players to take the field for the Maroons and Blues, 11 players appeared not to sing during the pre-match ceremony.

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The leading quartet were joined in silence by NSW teammate Payne Haas and Queensland’s Josh Papalii, Dane Gagai, Dylan Napa, Kalyn Ponga, while Maroons debutants Joe Ofahengaue and David Fifita appeared not to be singing.

A number of those players are of New Zealand or Pacific Island heritage.

The anthem came immediately after Queensland great Johnathan Thurston, who is in support of the players, performed the Welcome to Country.

The Indigenous group's latest stand for an inclusive national anthem that represents their people comes amid a burgeoning debate led by the rugby league community.

Mitchell and Addo-Carr were among a small handful of Blues who privately chose not to sing the anthem during last year's series, while Walker and Australian coach Mal Meninga went public with a call for change at the All Stars game in February.

Several players from the Indigenous team remained silent during the rendition before that game against a Maori outfit.

NSW players hear out Indigenous teammates

The Blues have stood behind their Indigenous stars since their stance was revealed ahead of the series opener.

In a bid to clear the air even further, the players this week stood up in front of their teammates and explained their reasoning.

“When you talk about distractions one thing last year is we didn’t want any distractions and we didn’t have any at all,” Blues assistant coach Danny Buderus said before the game.

“There were a few headlines during the week, but the players handled it really well and stood up and spoke about their reasons why and we are all moving forward as a team.

“We understood where they are coming from and we are all one group and we are all about winning a game of footy tonight.”

What the players said before the game

After the All Stars game in February, Walker said it was time Australia decided on a new anthem.

“It just brings back so many memories of what happened (in the past)," he said.

"We as a group need to come together, as a country ... and make some sort of decision together."

Walker said last week that staying silent before Origin was nothing more than his personal choice.

"I’m not pushing my views on anyone, it’s just how me and my family have grown up and how I feel," he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"I’ve already voiced my opinion, and I want to reiterate it’s just my opinion.”

Others, such as Addo-Carr, Walker and new Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans, have instead led the campaign.

"The anthem doesn't represent us as Indigenous people ... We have to change it,” Addo-Carr told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"We are Australians too. Indigenous people were the first people here, on the land," he said.

"I am a proud Australian man but a proud Indigenous man, too. If it’s not going to stand for my people, why should I sing it?"

Cherry-Evans said: “Hopefully this sort of stuff does start conversations not just in sports but around the country around what we believe can make this country a better place.”

‘It takes a lot of courage’

Queensland assistant Justin Hodges backed the current players' decision.

But as he explained on Wednesday, he will always sing the anthem to honour the more recent past.

“It takes a lot of courage to stand up ... and you have to respect their wishes. There is a lot of history that has happened to our people," said Hodges, who made 24 appearances for the Maroons.

“For me I never really had a problem singing it because I have always thought about the guys that have put their life on the line for us.

“I sing it for the soldiers and those guys that have given us the freedom to play rugby league.

“But at the end of the day if those guys don’t sing it tonight that is their belief and I will support them as well.”

with AAP