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Maroons star joins NSW duo in anthem boycott

Will Chambers has joined a growing list of players set to boycott the national anthem on Wednesday.

Published by
Stephen Marson

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.”

Published by
Stephen Marson