Cody Simpson’s national anthem wins fans at 2024 AFL Grand Final

Fans have reacted to Australian pop star Cody Simpson’s rendition of the national anthem ahead of the AFL Grand Final.

Cody Simpson, the pop star turned swimmer turned pop star, has delivered ahead of the 2024 AFL Grand Final.

Simpson was given the honour of performing the national anthem before the first bounce of the huge clash between the Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans at the MCG.

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The 27-year-old showed all that chlorine from the pool had no impact on his voice, belting out a fairly traditional version of Advance Australia Fair, impressively holding the last couple of notes.

He won over the vast majority of viewers.

One fan wrote on X: “Cody Simpson! AMAZING!! Please sing our anthem in every major event!”

A second added: “oh cody simpson slayed!”

Cody Simpson blows the AFL away.

Simpson with Katy Perry ahead of the grand final. NewsWire/Nadir Kinani

Another wrote: “What a lovely rendition, best we’ve heard in a long while!”

A fourth agreed, adding: “One of the best versions of the anthem that I’ve heard!”

It’s not the first time the singer has sung the anthem, also performing the song at the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington Racecourse in 2022.

Simpson returned his focus to the pool in 2019, opting to give the water another shot after a strong junior swimming career.

Quickly showing rapid improvement, he picked up gold and silver relay medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

A failure to qualify for the Paris Olympics was his final official act in Speedos, hanging up the togs and goggles and making a return to singing.

Simpson retired after failing to make the team for Paris. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

While the vast majority of onlookers praised his effort at the MCG, he naturally didn’t win over everybody.

“Great rendition! Well done, Cody! But perhaps singing the second verse was in order. If not for the AFL GF, then when?” one suggested.

“That’s just awful,” another wrote bluntly.

“Was OK then butchered it at the end,” offered a third.

“Tina Arena should have sung the anthem. It sounded like a musical show tune from that dude,” stated another.

You can’t please everybody, but most observers would be happy for Simpson to get another shot at the national anthem in the future.

Originally published as Cody Simpson’s national anthem wins fans at 2024 AFL Grand Final