Aboriginal elder says Melbourne Storm told her Welcome to Country on Anzac Day would be 'inappropriate'
The Wurundjeri elder said she was still yet to hear from the club about the hurt caused after the welcoming ceremony was
Earlier that day, Bunurong and Gunditjmara elder Mark Brown was
Melbourne Storm said in a statement on Saturday that the cancellation was due to a "misunderstanding" which had "caused confusion with the pre-game cultural ceremony".
"The Board asked for clarification about the sequencing of the Anzac Day ceremony, and we were not aware that a Welcome to Country was to be performed," Melbourne Storm chairman Matt Tripp said in a statement.
"I know there were some disappointed groups and individuals involved and we apologise for the misunderstanding and will be meeting with them to clear this up."
Nobody from Melbourne Storm has been available for interview since the ceremony was cancelled.
Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin says the cancellation of the Welcome to Country ceremeony left her "heartbroken".
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AAP: James Ross
)
Ms Murphy Wandin said she was driving to AAMI Park ahead of the service on Friday when Melbourne Storm CEO Justin Rodski phoned her to say the ceremony would not go ahead.
"When I got in he said it was about the booing that happened and something like protecting or looking after you," she told ABC News Breakfast.
"
I don't need protecting … I don't understand it.
"
Ms Murphy Wandin, whose father was a World War I veteran, said she was also told that performing the ceremony on Anzac Day would be "inappropriate".
Photo shows
Uncle Mark Brown
The outright hostility at Melbourne's Anzac Day service mirrors the long, quiet and painful exclusion of Black diggers from the national conversation.
She said she was left "heartbroken" and "in shock" over the cancellation and would take time to think about any future co-operation with the club.
"I don't honestly know if I can do another Welcome there," she said.
"When we meet with the board — which we must do and they must do — we must follow this through, we need the truth.
"We need to know that we're safe there, that they're genuine about what their plans are."
Indigenous and Maori players upset by incident
Wurundjeri woman and Djirri Djirri dancer Ky-Ya Nicholson was due to perform at the game before the Welcome to Country was cancelled.
"The CEO walked up to us and said 'we love what you are doing but unfortunately the board decided that we do not want the Welcome to Country tonight because of the events that happened earlier today'," she said.
Ms Nicholson said she and fellow dancers decided to boycott the event after seeing Ms Murphy Wandin visibly upset.
"
Our instant response was shock and disbelief and amongst ourselves instantly we decided, no, we're boycotting. This is disrespectful.
"
The ABC understands several Indigenous and Maori NRL players are also deeply upset by the incident.
Tyson Tuala was due to take part in the event on behalf of Maori community as part of the Nga Matai Parua dance group, but also decided to boycott.
Tyson Tuala was due to represent the Maori community at the game but decided to boycott the event.
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ABC News Breakfast
)
"To have that taken away from us and from the young people that were in our group as well, an opportunity to honour those who have fallen on both sides of the [Tasman] Sea, that was a massive disappointment," he said.
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