- Shane McInnes calls for change after unusual Welcome to Country
Radio star Shane McInnes has called for a big change to the Welcome to Country at footy matches after fans were left scratching their heads over the very unusual ceremony at a finals match.
Hawthorn won their elimination final against GWS on Saturday, but the pre-match Welcome to Country ceremony captured a lot of attention.
Usually a Welcome to Country goes for around a minute, but Aunty Joan Bell stretched it out to more than four and a half minutes at ENGIE Stadium.
Many footy fans took to social media to note the timing of the speech.
‘Match has been delayed by 30mins as the players need to do another warm up after that Welcome to Country,’ posted one X user.
‘Essendon may win a final by the time this welcome to country is finished,’ joked another.
Aunty Joan Bell stretched out the Welcome to Country to more than four and a half minutes before Hawthorn’s finals win over GWS on Saturday
3AW’s Shane McInnes has now called for the AFL to make a rule that limits how long the ceremonies can last.
‘I don’t want to be disrespectful by any stretch of the imagination and I don’t want to open up a political can of worms, but can the AFL please mandate that any Welcome to Country go for a maximum of 90 seconds,’ McInnes told 3AW Football.
‘I’m not trying to be insensitive here. I’m being sincere.
‘Yesterday, prior to the Giants vs Hawthorn the Welcome to Country went for four and a half minutes. Four and a half minutes is too long.
‘It went for so long, in fact, that it delayed the start of the game.
‘Now I personally have no issue if the AFL wants the ceremonial welcome, especially for a final, but it cannot go for four minutes.
‘And that is on the AFL to ensure anything pregame, during these pregame proceedings, that they stick to time and do not delay the opening bounce.
‘It can’t be going for four and half minutes, sorry that’s too long.’
Broadcaster Shane McInnes has called for the AFL to make a rule that the ceremonies do not go longer than 90 seconds
Meanwhile, at the same match, Hawks diehard Anthony Albanese copped boos from portions of the crowd.
The PM sat next to AFL CEO Andrew Dillon as he watched his side prevail, but was booed by portions of the crowd when cameras panned to him in the third quarter.
Dillon and Albanese seemed to look around to try to find the source of the booing, before seeing themselves up on the big screen.
The PM’s side will meet minor premiers Adelaide in a semi, while it’s season over for GWS.
The Hawks will be out for redemption at Adelaide Oval, after suffering a semi-final loss to Port Adelaide last year.
