NRL greats debate divisive State of Origin Welcome to Country

The Welcome to Country at sporting events is again in the spotlight, with debate raging over the ‘tokenistic’ Origin version.

The Welcome to Country ceremony that accompanies major sporting events in Australia has again sparked debate, particularly the recent version for game one of this year’s State of Origin series.

A ceremony typically performed by a local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Elder to welcome people and acknowledge events that are taking place on traditional lands, Welcome to Country has become commonplace for major events.

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While Savannah Fynn’s welcome for Origin 1 in Sydney was well received in many circles, it led controversial radio host Kyle Sandilands to suggest the practice had become “overused and lost its impact”.

Issues also arose within Indigenous communities about the choice of Fynn for the massive rugby league event, which was watched by 3.4 million people.

Former NRL players Dean Widders and Timana Tahu debated the issue on NRL show Over the Black Dot, which is broadcast on SBS’ NITV.

Dean Widders has spoken about this year’s Origin Welcome to Country. Photos: Instagram/Channel 9

Widders, who spent a decade in the NRL with the Roosters, Eels and Rabbitohs, felt the Origin ceremony had “missed the mark”.

“As proud Indigenous men, it’s been talked a lot about, the Welcome to Country before the game,” the 44-year-old said.

“We work at the NRL and the NRL engaged an Aboriginal organisation to deliver the Welcome to Countries on their behalf at the State of Origin games.

“Kyle Sandilands came out on the radio and said that it seemed tokenistic.

“And I think for me as Blackfullas, we’ve got to measure up, we’ve got to aim up on what we do.

A previous Origin to Welcome to Country from Uncle Karl Winda Telfer in Adelaide. Photo: NRL Photos/Gregg Porteous

“I’ve been to some beautiful Welcome to Countries where we see people dressed in full outfit all painted up and in language deliver those Welcome to Countries that are really beautiful and meaningful and make a real difference.

“But unfortunately, what we saw in the Sydney Origin wasn’t that, and I thought that we missed the mark with it there and we’ve got to do better.

“We don’t want non-Indigenous people to see it as tokenistic.”

Tahu, 43, represented the Kangaroos and Wallabies in his dual-code career and also featured in 12 State of Origin matches for the Blues.

Sandilands was outspoken on the issue. Photo: Facebook

He was also keen to set the record straight over who had organised this year’s ceremony.

“I agree with that and I don’t see it as tokenistic,” he said.

“I think the NRL do a really good job on educating our football fans on Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander culture.

“Me and you work at the NRL and we go through our due diligence, which is we source Aboriginal organisations to make the decision for the NRL.

“And a lot of the community went and backlashed on (NRL chief executive) Andrew Abdo and I’m here to say that it wasn’t his fault, it’s the organisation’s fault for what they’ve done.”

Fynn’s Welcome to Country was delivered seamlessly and drew a number of positive comments on social media.

“What a gorgeous welcome to country from that young woman!” was one comment at the time.

“Welcome to country defeats Anthem by some margin,” offered another.

But a number of Indigenous Australians have pointed out the decision to appoint Fynn to the role had broken protocol.

“Can we address the real issue of having a Wiradjuri woman doing a Welcome on Dharug Country?” was one comment on Instagram to the NITV clip. “Let’s address the real issue instead of reacting to what white shock jocks think.”

Matildas and China players stand during the Welcome to Country Ceremony before their friendly on June 3 in Sydney. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“This was an example of breaching Cultural Protocol,” another wrote. “Whilst I respect both Dean and Timana, they completely overlooked the issue. What gives a Wiradjuri person the right to Welcome anybody to the Lands of the Burramattagal people? As a Proud Gomeroi man, I’d be more than enraged if someone from off Country tried to undertake a Welcome on my homelands.”

A third commented: “Who allowed this to happen? We all know what the protocols are. Seems like someone said ‘this’ll do’.”

Widders also felt Fynn hadn’t been the correct choice on this occasion.

“The young girl did a great job with it, I thought she did a beautiful job,” he said.

“But culturally, it’s probably not the right person to have up there on a big stage, such as the NRL State of Origin.”