Footy fans fury as Kangaroos players refuse to sing the national anthem before Samoa Test match: ‘If they don’t respect Australia they don’t belong in the team’

Former Kangaroos captain Max Krilich has called on footy stars who don’t sing the national anthem to be dropped after four players remained silent during Australia’s sacred song.

Payne Haas, Kotoni Stagg, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Selwyn Cobbo were seen not singing the national anthem before Saturday’s Pacific Championship Test against Samoa in Townsville.

Footage of the quartet not singing angered former ARL chairman Ken Arthurson who said the players should show more ‘respect’, while media figure Peter Peters said: ‘I’m sick and tired of seeing players zip their mouth in the national anthem.’

The Kangaroos’ silence pales in comparison to players of other nations, with Samoan rookie Connelly Lemuelu seen in tears during their national anthem. Cowboys forward Luciano Leilua also visibly struggled to contain his emotions. 

‘Brilliant, absolutely brilliant,’ Andrew Voss said in commentary.

Australian rugby league stars have been blasted for not singing the national anthem

Payne Haas was one of four players who appeared not to sing the sacred song

‘It’s an amazing exhibition of the emotion, you saw the tears from Lemuelu and Leilua, and then how quickly then gets to that and the players are now wound up.

‘It is a war cry which talks about fighting to the finish and working hard and that’s what they’ll have to do tonight.

And Krilich has echoed those sentiments, insisting that Australians should not play for their country if they don’t want to sing the sacred song. 

‘If you don’t to want sing the anthem then don’t play for the Kangaroos,’ Krilich said via News Corp. ‘It embarrasses me when they stand there staring like stunned mullets during the national anthem.

‘It’s about showing respect for the national anthem of our country. It’s one-in, all-in so if you don’t want to sing the song then you’re out.’

Many footy fans watching the game were also irritated by the Kangaroos not singing the anthem.

‘If they don’t respect Australia and our national anthem, they don’t belong in the team it’s an Australian team,’ wrote one X user.

‘Aren’t they playing for Australia? If they can’t do that then they shouldn’t be on the team,’ agreed another.

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‘They should not be wearing that jumper or representing our country in any way if they are refusing to do it. Drop em all,’ said a third.

Krilich added that coach Mal Meninga should make it compulsory for players to sing the anthem.  

‘Mal should get in there and say if you want to represent the great Australian jumper then get out there, open your mouths and sing the anthem,’ he said.

‘When I hear the national anthem, I get a tear in my eye. I remember on the 1982 Kangaroo tour, hearing and singing the anthem pre-game, it’s something you remember forever.

‘Maybe I’m in the minority these days.’

 Peters added on Sunday morning: ‘On Saturday we saw a magnificent war dance and anthem (from Samoa). It meant so much to the Samoan team, well led by Junior Paulo.

‘It was very much part of them representing their country. On the other side, you’ve got several Australian players refusing to open their mouths during the national anthem.

Former Kangaroos captain Max Krilich says players should be obligated to sing the song

‘Mal Meninga should be strong enough to say ‘guys, part of playing for Australia is that you sing the national anthem with pride’. They do it in rugby – they don’t do many things right in rugby – but the players sing the national anthem.

‘If you don’t want to sing it, you can’t be picked, no matter who the player is. This has gone on for too long. It’s in our NSW Origin side and I don’t like that either. You talk to the coach before it and if you don’t want to sing the national anthem then you don’t play.

‘If you wear the jersey, you sing the song. It should be part of playing for Australia.’

Other social media users defended the Kangaroos players not singing the anthem, with one showing a clip from 1984 of the Kangaroos side not singing.

‘Surely you are suggesting life bans for those players?’ the user teased.