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Amy Shark to lead NRL Grand Final tribute to Jai Arrow after Tones and I misses out

Amy Shark will lead an all-Australian line-up in a pre-match tribute to Jai Arrow, who has motor neurone disease, at Sunday's NRL Grand Final. It follows failed talks with Tones and I and NRL chair Peter V'landys's criticism of big-money pre-game acts.

2 outlets · 1L · 0C · 1R First reported Account updated
Image: Daily Mail
Image: ABC News (Australia)

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The story, neutrally told

The line-up for the pre-game tribute to South Sydney Rabbitohs forward Jai Arrow at this weekend's NRL Grand Final has been revealed, with Amy Shark leading the performance. The group is expected to perform covers including Gerry and the Pacemakers' You'll Never Walk Alone, a song Arrow walked onto the field to before his 100th NRL appearance last month. Arrow has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), and each musician's appearance fee is reportedly being donated to MND causes.

Arrow is understood to be taking a lap of honour around the stadium in a car at 7.05pm on Sunday, ahead of the 7.30pm kick-off, though he told the ABC earlier in the week he knew 'nothing' about the plan; the Daily Mail also says the crowd of 82,000 will be encouraged to make a bow-and-arrow gesture that players have used when scoring tries this season. The announcement follows the collapse of the NRL's attempt to book Tones and I (Toni Watson), leaving the game without a headline pre-match act. Reports, including from the Sydney Morning Herald, said she had refused to perform Dance Monkey as the NRL insisted; her management said an offer came on September 5, that nothing was signed, and that a prior commitment touring with Macklemore in the US meant she could not accept.

Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V'landys has criticised big-budget pre-game entertainment, saying the money would be better spent on grassroots rugby league for underprivileged children; the Daily Mail quotes $100,000 a minute over 11 minutes, while the ABC quotes close to $1 million. V'landys also said the NRL will donate $100,000 to Arrow's family, and the Daily Mail reports some fans accused the league of being 'exploitative'.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.

Left1 outlet

Framing
ABC leads with the musical line-up and tribute, then covers the Tones and I fallout and V'landys's comments in a measured, news-style account.
Emphasis
Arrow's lack of knowledge of the lap of honour, V'landys's $1 million figure and $100,000 donation to Arrow's family, and the Silverchair reunion rumour.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention fan accusations of the league being 'exploitative' or the bow-and-arrow crowd gesture.
Charged language
“all-star ensemble”“supergroup”
For example
“An all-star ensemble of Australian musicians is set to take part in this weekend's NRL grand final pre-game entertainment.” — ABC News (Australia)
“"Our game sells itself," said V'landys.” — ABC News (Australia)

Centre0 outlets

No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Right1 outlet

Framing
The Daily Mail presents the tribute as an emotional moment and a break with tradition, with the Tones and I withdrawal and fan backlash against the NRL as context.
Emphasis
The emotional tribute, the bow-and-arrow crowd gesture, fan backlash, Tones's Instagram post and the 'cheeseburger' quote from V'landys.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention the $100,000 donation to Arrow's family or Arrow's comment to the ABC.
Charged language
“emotional NRL Grand Final tribute”“abandons traditional Grand Final spectacle”“reports ran rife”
For example
“The league boss copped backlash from several fans, who accused the league of being 'exploitative'” — Daily Mail
“reports ran rife that she'd refused to perform her biggest hit, Dance Monkey” — Daily Mail