Kelpies Captain Reveals Pre-Match Dance Was Intended to Be ‘Low-Key’ Despite Australian Haka Hype

If you haven’t heard, the Australian men’s netball team clinched a Fast5 trophy over the weekend, triumphing over New Zealand with a score of 32-30 in the final match.

Chances are you might’ve missed this since, prior to the match kickoff, the Kelpies’ pre-match dance made waves online, drawing comparisons to Raygun’s performance at the Paris Olympics according to some critics.

In a carefully choreographed routine, the players showcased their moves to NSYNC’s classic hit Bye Bye Bye, which sparked a mix of reactions from the audience, with opinions varying from describing it as the “Australian haka” to calling it “cringe-worthy”.

“It’s been dubbed the Australian haka quite a bit, but that’s clearly not the case,” captain Liam Forcadilla shared during an appearance on 2GB’s WWOS Radio on Monday evening.

“The New Zealand women’s team performed a ’90s R&B mashup, while the men’s team opted for a Grease medley. It’s all just a bit of fun for the fans both at the game and watching from home.

“At the very least, it has brought more attention to men’s netball, which has been around for 40 years now.”

The Fast5 tournament featured six women’s teams and three men’s teams, with Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand participating in both divisions.

Forcadilla noted that the tournament’s regulations require all teams to present a pre-match dance.

“We kept it pretty low-key; last year we did the Nutbush, which received mixed feedback,” he remarked.

“All teams must perform a dance, as mandated by the organisers. We thought our performance was comparable to others, but it garnered a lot of attention.

“Everyone participated, and those who may not be as skilled in dance stepped to the back of the formation.

“It was a fun way to break up our rigorous training schedule. We were determined to win, and I’m thrilled we managed to achieve that.

He went on to say: “The Fast5 is a requirement, so we’ll always participate, but if it results in a gold medal against the world’s best, I’ll gladly do it.”