Welcome to Country interrupted by national anthem at NRL Grand Final

The NRL has been slammed by footy fans after the traditional Welcome to Country was interrupted by the national anthem.

Queensland legend Johnathan Thurston was in the midst of delivering the moving acknowledgement of Australia’s traditional land owners when he was awkwardly cut off.

The retired halfback had the honour of welcoming players, fans and officials to Yuggera Country moments before the first-ever grand final played in Queensland. 

But the music for Advanced Australia Fair kicked in before he could finish, leaving many viewers outraged and offended.

‘Pretty atrocious to allow the Australian national anthem to cut off Jonathan Thurston’s acknowledgement of country at the #NRLGF,’ one person wrote.

Another sarcastically commented: ‘Maybe no one will notice that someone pressed the button to play the anthem before Jonathan Thurston had finished the Welcome to Country… We noticed.’

‘Starting the Australian anthem before JT had even finished Welcome to Country was absolutely disrespectful,’ a third wrote.

But as well as the blunder being ‘disrespectful’ to the North Queensland Cowboys star, viewers said it was a ‘slap in the face’ to Australia’s Indigenous community. 

‘Interrupting the welcome to country with the Australian national anthem is a little too on the nose, isn’t it?’ one person wrote.

Another said: ‘They cut off the Acknowledgement with the colony’s anthem. No. F**king. Way,’ 

‘Wow, JT gets cut off in the welcome to country. Good job NRL, time to fix yourselves,’ a third said.

The music for Advanced Australia Fair (sung by Kate Miller-Heidke, pictured) kicked in before Thurston could finish is speech, leaving many viewers outraged and offended

But while it wasn’t an ideal start, songstress Kate Miller-Heidke got rave reviews for her booming rendition of Australia’s national anthem.  

The 39-year-old show-stopper who has been nominated for 17 ARIAs, belted out Advance Australia Fair in a striking red dress alongside Cold Chisel Guitar legend Ian Moss prompting social media users to she should be ‘made to sing it every year’.

The blonde bombshell from Queensland’s Gladstone has an operatic background and is the only person in history to have performed at the American super festival Coachella, as well as Eurovision and the New York Metropolitan Opera. 

Miller-Heidke represented Australia at the quirky Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv in 2019 with her tune Zero Gravity. 

She has also released five studio albums including her latest pop hit Child in Reverse.  

NRL fans have been stunned by the booming rendition of of Australia’s national anthem before Sunday’s NRL Grand Final, with songstress Kate Miller-Heidke (pictured) getting rave reviews

The 39-year-old show-stopper belted out Advance Australia fair in a striking red dress alongside Cold Chisel Guitar legend Ian Moss with social media users saying she should be ‘made to sing it every year’

Before she took the stage, Miller-Heidke said on Instagram that she was ‘thrilled’ to get the NRL with Moss and the incredible Indigenous artist William Barton. 

She joked that performing at the NRL Grand Final Spectacular between the Penrith Panthers and the South Sydney Rabbitohs might finally get her ‘some respect’ from her father’s side of the family!

Footy-mad fans on social media piled into the comments section to heap praise on the local singer-songwriter as the first ever Queensland Grand Final went ahead in front of a crowd of 39,000. 

Kate Miller-Heidke (pictured) was lorded by footy fans for her incredible voice

Footy fans were quick to heap praise on the Australian songstress for rendition of Advance Australia Fair

‘Right, that’s it Kate Miller-Heidke is the only person who shall henceforth sing the National Anthem at any sporting event!’ one person wrote.

Others said: ‘what a voice! and ‘Geez Kate Miller-Heidke has a great set of lungs’.  

Another commented: ‘If Ian Moss and Kate Miller-Heidke did a duets album I’d buy 1000 copies.’