NRL star Josh Addo-Carr has called on the Australian rugby league side to adopt a pre-game Indigenous ritual similar to that of the All Blacks’ haka.
The Kangaroos will include three Indigenous players in their squad for the Rugby League World Cup opener against Fiji.
Star players Latrell Mitchell, Jack Wighton, and Addo-Carr were all part of the pre-season Indigenous All Stars side and performed a traditional war cry in response to the Maori team’s haka.
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The Bulldogs winger would welcome a challenge as a permanent pre-game ritual.
He told AAP, via Daily Mail: “It would be really good for everyone to buy into.
“The All Blacks do it even though they are not all Maori. Me, Latrell and Jackie would love it.
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“There's things we can do to modify it for some of the boys that don't know how to dance, there's a lot we can do so everyone is a part of it.”
The 27-year-old stressed that he would have no issue with non-Indigenous players participating in the ritual.
He added: “We're all Australian and that's what this is all about, togetherness.
“That's what my culture is about: respect.
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“It would be mad to have it, we could get some elders in and some professional dancers to help create something special.”
New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, and the Cook Islands will all have traditional pre-game performances at this year’s World Cup.
Addo-Carr was overlooked for the NSW State of Origin side by coach Brad Fittler this year and so his Australia selection will be the first time he is to play representative football since 2021.
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He’ll be joined by teammate Matt Burton, who is currently uncapped for the Kangaroos.
While Addo-Carr had missed out on selection for the Blues earlier this year, he was the first man to congratulate Burton on being included.
In a video posted on Instagram by the Bulldogs themselves, you can see Fittler approach Burton following the team's 36-12 victory over Wests Tigers, revealing that he'd been selected for the Blues.
The footage then cuts to the Bulldogs' changing rooms where news of Burton's selection is announced to the rest of the squad.
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A huge cheer breaks out before the five-eighth is swamped by his teammate Josh Addo-Carr before others follow suit.
It's a classy move from The Foxx, especially considering he would have undoubtedly felt disappointed and hard-done-by not to be picked himself.
The Foxx shared a similar sentiment about Burton’s Australia selection saying he was more excited for his Bulldogs teammate.
Topics: Australia, NRL, Rugby League
Jayden Collins