Joy Murphy Wandin’s presence before the Rams vs. 49ers game in Melbourne carries significance well beyond the football field. A respected Wurundjeri elder, she has long been involved in Welcome to Country ceremonies.
She has also played a prominent role in Australian sport, including previous ceremonies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Her connection to major sporting events has made her a familiar figure in Melbourne.
That background gives her appearance ahead of the Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers matchup an added layer of meaning. The game is the NFL’s first regular-season contest in Australia.
Who is Joy Murphy Wandin?
Joy Murphy Wandin is a Senior Wurundjeri Elder of the Kulin Nation and a prominent Indigenous community leader in Victoria, Australia.
She has spent decades working in Aboriginal affairs, reconciliation, social justice, education and cultural preservation, while becoming one of the most recognizable voices associated with Wurundjeri cultural welcomes in Melbourne.
Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin during the opening ceremony in the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup (Source: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images for Billie Jean King Cup)
The National Gallery of Victoria describes her as an Elder who has demonstrated significant community leadership throughout her life and has held executive policy and community-development roles across levels of government.
She is also an author and storyteller. Her book Welcome to Country, illustrated by Lisa Kennedy, introduces readers to Wurundjeri traditions and the meaning behind the ceremony she has performed at countless public events.
She has also received major recognition for her work, including induction into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women and appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia for her service to the community and contributions to social justice, land rights, equal opportunity, art and reconciliation.
What is a welcome to country ceremony?
A Welcome to Country is an Aboriginal ceremony in which a Traditional Owner or Elder welcomes visitors onto their Country. The tradition is particularly significant in Australia because Aboriginal communities have distinct traditional territories, and entering another community’s Country historically involved receiving permission from its custodians.
Today, the ceremony remains an important way of recognizing Traditional Owners and connecting major public events with the history and culture of the land where they take place.
The format can vary depending on the community and the event. A Welcome to Country may involve spoken words in an Indigenous language, storytelling, song, dance or a Smoking Ceremony.
In Wurundjeri contexts, she has used the Woiwurrung language to welcome visitors to the land of the Wurundjeri people, helping bring an element of local culture to events attended by large Australian and international audiences.
A Welcome to Country is performed by a Traditional Owner or representative of the Traditional Owners, while an Acknowledgement of Country can be delivered by anyone as a way of recognizing the Traditional Owners of the land.
Her role is therefore more than a ceremonial introduction: it places Wurundjeri history and culture at the beginning of an event taking place on their traditional Country.
What was Joy Murphy Wandin’s role before Rams vs. 49ers?
Joy Murphy Wandin’s role before Rams vs. 49ers was to provide a Welcome to Country, bringing a Wurundjeri cultural welcome to the NFL’s historic arrival in Melbourne.
The matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers is the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game in Australia, making the pregame ceremony an important part of the event beyond the football itself.
The NFL confirmed that the game would take place at the MCG on September 11, 2026, as part of its international expansion. Her participation also fits a role she has carried out repeatedly at the MCG.
