Melbourne Storm issue clarification after NRL club raises eyebrows with Welcome to Country call
The Melbourne Storm, an NRL team hoping to make a significant shift in 2025, have responded to media allegations that they were going to “ditch” the Welcome to Country custom.
According to media reports over the weekend, the NRL team is reviewing the number of Welcome to Country ceremonies it will have prior to games in 2025.
During Indigenous Round and ANZAC Day in 2024, the Storm hosted three Welcome to Country events. But according to rumors, Storm officials were thinking of reviewing how the ceremony should be conducted going future.
The idea that they would reduce the ritual used to honor Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander communities sparked a lot of response. Additionally, the Storm have taken efforts to elucidate their stance following the prompt response from NRL supporters.
According to a club statement, the Melbourne Storm will study the idea and possibly even think about recognizing other cultures prior to a game, but they are not doing away with the Welcome to Country ceremony. “Melbourne Storm is not “ditching” its Welcome to Country or Acknowledgments as suggested by recent media,” the statement continued.
“We’ll keep making these acknowledgments at festivities that hold cultural significance. Many cultures and groups make up our Club’s strength and success, and our interactions with them have allowed us to reflect the various perspectives on how we may best represent and serve each group.
“To determine the most acceptable and respectful manner to recognize and celebrate culture, including how we best commemorate First Nations people, we will keep speaking with these groups and getting their feedback.
As it has done for many years, the Club will keep supporting First Nations community organizations and groups by implementing projects and activities that support favorable health, welfare, and educational results.
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.
There are other pre-game acts that have generated controversy lately outside the Welcome to Country custom. Mark ‘Spudd’ Carroll was the most recent to comment on a controversy that has divided Kangaroos supporters for years during the team’s victory in the Pacific Championship last month.
