The controversy around the Melbourne Storm’s Welcome to Country — or as it was called for the NRL’s Indigenous Round opener on Thursday night, Acknowledgement of Country — has continued.
The furore started back in April when Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy Murphy was set to perform a Welcome to Country at AAMI Park before being told by the Storm she was no longer required.
The club then apologised for its botched handling of the situation and asked Aunty Joy to conduct the ceremony, but she refused.
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On Thursday it was revealed Joy Murphy Wandin would be at Thursday night’s clash with the Broncos, but she released a statement saying she would not work with the Storm in “any official functions or cultural work”.
She also said: “Board members cannot support organisations that create harm to our people.”
The Storm board member in question was Brett Ralph, who reportedly donated $175,000 to Advance Australia through his JMR Management Consultancy Services company.
Advance is a conservative political lobbying group that has close ties to the Liberal Party and campaigned against the referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
Meanwhile, back to the game on Thursday, the players ran onto the pitch through a smoking ceremony (in the race) and then stood in a line with arms linked, wearing their Indigenous jerseys.
The Welcome to Country was replaced by an Acknowledgement of Country which was merely a pre-recorded video on the big scoreboard, with stars of the game talking about “the journey with First Nations communities in the years ahead”.
“We also pay our respects to all First Nations people here or at home watching the game tonight. Thank you,” the video concluded.
A long pause followed and then came some scant applause.
It was indeed underwhelming and, for some people, it seemed like the Storm had missed an opportunity to fix up the messy handling of the Welcome to the Country during the Anzac Round.
“Yeah, the Storm’s decision to do a Welcome to Country was made at the absolute last minute. What the f*** was that?” one fan blasted on social media.
And another: “Storm had the opportunity to make up for the cancellation of the Welcome to Country from Anzac Round (and) they decided to do this? Piss f****** poor.”
The Storm are seemingly in a no-win situation but it is a problem of their own making.
In December last year, the Storm were forced to respond to reports that they had plans to scrap Welcome to Country ceremonies.
“Melbourne Storm is not ‘ditching’ its Welcome to Country or acknowledgments as suggested by recent media. We will continue these acknowledgments at culturally significant celebrations,” the club said on December 15 last year.
“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.”
But then the Anzac Round debacle followed.
They again issued an apology just a few days ago ahead of last night’s game
One fan said on X (formerly Twitter): “So the Storm have gone back on their ‘no more Welcome to Country promise, will have to ask for a refund on my membership.”
It really was a sad and sorry way to kick off what is supposed to be a special round for First Nations people … and it should force the NRL into a rethink about which teams feature in prime-time slots for the next Indigenous Round.
