NRL Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. A rugby league great has expressed his disappointment at the reluctance of modern players to sing the Australian national anthem before representing their country.
A staple of major sporting events for decades, Advance Australia Fair has typically been sung by a professional singer, with the players singing along arm-in-arm, often with a noticeable delay on TV broadcasts and rarely in key. Watch every Pacific Championship game LIVE on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1.
Limited time offer . There has been a shift in recent years, however, with players often choosing not to sing the anthem these days for a variety of reasons. Some members of the Kangaroos opted not to sing the anthem when they faced Samoa last year, shortly after The Voice referendum failed, which resulted in some stinging criticism from some circles.
The anthem is also no longer played prior to matches involving an Indigenous All Stars team following a call not to sing it led by Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker in 2019. The Kangaroos line up for the anthem before this month’s clash with Samoa. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images) It is largely a personal choice whether to sing or not, but one rugby league figure that is disappointed by the recent approaches is Mark “Spudd” Carroll.
The 57-year-old, who played 12 Tests for Australia and seven games for the Blues on top o.