Queensland centre Will Chambers has joined Blues pairing Cody Walker and Josh Addo-Carr in voicing his feelings in regards to the national anthem.
Earlier this week, both Walker and Addo-Carr publicly stated they wouldn't sing the anthem during Origin I on Wednesday night, and Chambers told The Courier-Mail he agrees the anthem doesn't represent Indigenous Australians.
“It doesn’t represent us,” Chambers said.
“It’s our personal choice and I won’t be singing.
“It’s part and parcel of what’s going on in the world at the moment, particularly inside Australia.
“I think it’s only fair for our Indigenous boys and people in general to embrace what is fair.
“If the guys (Indigenous Origin players) don’t want to sing it, so be it.”
Chambers wants to change the anthem altogether, and believes stances like the one the Origin stars are taking could help make change in the future.
“If enough of us stand by and not sing, maybe one day there will be change and that’s all we can hope for,” he said.
“If we all understood what had gone and what has happened in the past with Australian history, well then maybe it is time for change, but if it’s not changed, well I’m not going to acknowledge it.
“It has to start a bit higher up than the NRL, we are the NRL, it’s the national anthem in general.
“Schools sing national anthems, it has to be politicians who have to make the change.
“That would be nice if they don’t play it but then it causes an uproar ... just change the anthem and everyone is happy.”
Getting annoyed with this crap. Origin is a few nights away and every second story is about the anthem. Everyone has their own beliefs etc and I accept that, however these players say they don’t want to make a fuss etc but giving interviews about how they refuse to sing the anthem. Hello!!! Don’t make a fuss, just don’t sing it on Wednesday night, there’s no need to stir up this topic.
I don’t post often anymore but can we please keep politics out of the game. Sing or not, knock yourself out. Don’t shove your opinions down the throats of people that don’t want to know about them. I don’t hate on them for standing up for what they believe in, but this isn’t the time or place for it.
These guys should boycott themselves from the game.