Latrell Mitchell and Johnathan Thurston have weighed-in on the criticism surrounding a portion of a handful of Australian players choosing not to sing with the national anthem ahead at Saturday's game against Tonga.
After First Nations debutants Kotoni Staggs, Selwyn Cobbo and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, alongside Payne Haas, were caught standing silent during the anthem on broadcast corners of the rugby league fraternity questioned their place to pull on the jersey.
Former player and commentator Peter Peters, former ARL chairman Ken Arthurson and former test captain Max Krilich were among those to air their grievances.
"If you don't want to sing the anthem then don't play for the Kangaroos," Krilich said.
South Sydney star and Biripi man Latrell Mitchell issued his response to Krilich via Instagram earlier this week.
"'One in, all in' he says?..Well make a song that includes Indigenous people. Maybe change the date? Or I don't know even a voice to be heard?" Mitchell wrote.
The Kangaroos took the field in Townsville as the result of Saturday's Voice to Parliament referendum came down.
Mitchell also shared a post from The Tribal Tribune reading: "Australia has let us know their position on any kind of Blak inclusion within their society…In the same breath, criticised Wakka Wakka player, Selwyn Cobbo, because he didn't sing the national anthem prior to representing Australia".
Thurston - an Indigenous rugby league great and recent Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductee, said whether or not to sing along with the anthem was up to the individual.
"'I know that the Indigenous All Stars didn't sing the anthem and didn't want the anthem played in those games at the start of the year, and that was a decision that they made as a collective group," Thurston said, according to reports.
"'I'm not exactly sure which players didn't sing the anthem this time, but that's their belief and their personal decision.
"Just like the nation voted on the referendum, they are allowed to do their thing as well. While you might not like it, that's their decision."
Thurston actively campaigned for a yes vote in the referendum.
On Monday he told Channel 10's The Project he was disappointed by the result, which had been a "great opportunity for us to unite Australians and acknowledge the oldest living culture that's been here for 60,000 years".
"It's a sad day in my eyes," he said.
Thurston added he respected the public's decision, and he would "certainly continue to fight for our kids".
On the anthem debate, Kangaroos coach and South Sea Islander man Mal Meninga stood by his players.
"They've grown up with certain values, certainly with their families and those values have got to be respected," he told Triple M this week.
"I think it's up to the individual. I personally sing the national anthem because I'm a proud Australian.
"There's no doubt that they're not less passionate Australians, they're not less passionate people that want to put the green and gold jersey on. They've just got a value set that's different and I think that needs to be recognised and acknowledged."
