Full Breakdown
NFL’s First Australian Game Opens with a “Welcome to Country” Ceremony
By Drooid · · How we work
Game kickoff and land acknowledgment
The National Football League staged its inaugural match on Australian soil at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday. Before kickoff, Aboriginal elder Joy Murphy Waldin, a Senior Wurundjeri Elder of the Kulin Nation, delivered a “Welcome to Country” speech honoring “60,000 years of our culture” and extending respect to the American visitors and television audience. The acknowledgment was met with applause from spectators in the stadium, while many online commentators expressed criticism.
Reactions and criticism
He added that the cultural “battles” had been lost in Australia. Fox News host Laura Ingraham shared an image of Waldin and wrote, “Of course, the NFL travelled to Australia and HAD to do a land acknowledgement.” Other social-media users, including Myles Allen and John Cassio, echoed the sentiment that the acknowledgment was “ridiculous.”
Game result
The San Francisco 49ers, who arrived in Australia a week before the contest, defeated the Los Angeles Rams, who arrived the night before, by a score of 27-7.
Verbatim quotes
- “Of course, the NFL travelled to Australia and HAD to do a land acknowledgement.” — Myles Allen
- “Land Acknowledgment before the NFL game in Australia! Ridiculous.” — John Cassio
These remarks illustrate the polarized view of the ceremony among U.S. commentators, contrasting the on-field celebration with cultural controversy.
