Indigenous Players Will Boycott The National Anthem At Tonight’s State Of Origin

A number of Indigenous rugby league players will refuse to sing the national anthem ahead of tonight’s State of Origin clash, saying it does not represent them or their culture.

NSW stars Cody Walker, Josh Addo-Carr and Latrell Mitchell, as well as Queensland centre Will Chambers, have all declared their intention to boycott the anthem, with Mitchell telling Channel 7 the song “doesn’t represent my people”.

“We aren’t young and free,” Mitchell said last week. “We’re the longest-living culture in the world.”

Is there a Venn diagram for all the free speech warriors defending Folau’s right to spread bigotry, and those attacking indigenous NRL players for not singing the national anthem at State of Origin?

— Paul Syvret (@PSyvret) June 3, 2019

Walker previously refused to sing the anthem ahead of the Indigenous All-Stars game against New Zealand in February, telling reporters after the match that he didn’t feel comfortable with the song.

“It just brings back so many memories of what’s happened [in Australia’s history],” he said at the time. “It sort of doesn’t represent myself and my family.”

The players planning to boycott the anthem tonight also have the support of Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans.

“Who am I to say what Will Chambers can or can’t feel?” Cherry-Evans, who is non-Indigenous, told the press on Monday. “As the captain of this side I do support my teammates in anything they truly believe in. Will feels strongly about this so as a captain I don’t have a problem with it at all.”

“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.”

The decision has also gained the support of Hollywood filmmaker Spike Lee, who was in Sydney as part of Vivid.

“More power to them,” Lee told reporters on Saturday. “Sports has, I feel, always been a vehicle to move society forward.”