Anzac Day clash

The Anzac Day clash is an annual Australian rules football match between Australian Football League (AFL) teams Collingwood and Essendon, held on Anzac Day (25 April) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).^[1]

Early history of Australian rules on Anzac Day

During many wars, Australian rules football matches have been played overseas in places like northern Africa and Vietnam as a celebration of Australian culture and as a bonding exercise between soldiers.^[2][3][4] Despite this, professional football was not played on Anzac Day for many years; in 1959 for example, when all VFL games were played on Saturday afternoons and when Anzac Day also fell on a Saturday, the entire round was withheld and played on the following Saturday.^[5]

The first VFL matches played on Anzac Day occurred in 1960 following an Act of Parliament which lifted the previous restriction on this activity.^[5] Over the years these games sometimes drew huge crowds, with the 1975 Carlton versus Essendon game attracting 77,770 fans to VFL Park, a then record for the day, while two years later in 1977 Richmond and Collingwood would easily surpass this, drawing 92,436 to the MCG.^[5][6]

In 1986 the league used Anzac Day to attempt its first ever doubleheader. Held at the MCG, Melbourne and Sydney played in the afternoon, followed after a short break by a North Melbourne and Geelong match in the evening under lights; with a total crowd of only 40,117 and various logistical problems, the league has never attempted another doubleheader.^[5][6] Through the years until the mid-1990s it was common for at least two matches to be played on the Anzac Day public holiday.^[7]

History of Collingwood–Essendon Anzac Day clash

The modern version of the Anzac Day clash was conceived by then Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy while pottering in his garden in the mid-90s.^[5] Sheedy, who had done two years service in the army after being drafted to Richmond in 1969, thought back to the success of the Collingwood–Richmond game in 1977, and considered how the football on Anzac Day could pay suitable tribute to those who had served their country.^[5] Sheedy organised a meeting with officials from Essendon and Collingwood, and the then Victorian Returned and Services League (RSL) President Bruce Ruxton, who was also a keen Collingwood supporter, and proposed his concept for the match day and game which would honour the Anzac spirit.^[5] Despite their previous opposition to football on Anzac Day, Ruxton and the RSL agreed with Sheedy's proposal, as did the AFL.^[5]

The first annual Anzac Day match between Collingwood and Essendon was played on Tuesday, 25 April 1995 at the MCG. The round-four match received limited publicity as there had already been AFL matches played on 25 April. Essendon had won its first three games of the season, however, Collingwood were without a victory. Soon after the Anzac Day march in the city, patrons flocked to the ground. Crowds outside the ground were so substantial at 12.30 pm, that Collingwood coach Leigh Matthews thought the gates to the ground must have still been locked. When the gates were closed at 1.30 pm—still 40 minutes before the start of the match—20,000 additional people had to be dispersed by mounted police, while they attempted to gain admission into the stadium. Thousands of these people descended to the nearby Fitzroy Gardens, where they listened to the match on radio.

Played on a sunny autumn day, both teams kicked six goals in the first quarter. Before a three-goal-to-one second quarter helped Essendon lead by 16-points at half-time. However, the momentum swayed in the third-quarter, when Collingwood kicked seven-goals-to-two, giving them a 14-point lead at the break. Essendon started strongly in the final term, and when James Hird snapped a goal late in the quarter, he gave his team a six point advantage. Saverio "Sav" Rocca leapt and took "one of the marks of the year" in the forward-line soon after. At the 28-minute mark he capitalised by kicking the goal and levelling the scores. With just seconds left, Nathan Buckley had an opportunity to score; however, he elected to kick to Rocca, who was cut off. Seconds later, the siren sounded; both team's score on 111. Roars from the 94,825 crowd during the match could easily be heard from a kilometre away; and the crowd remains the second-highest home and away crowd in VFL/AFL history, surpassed only by the 99,346 who attended the Collingwood–Melbourne Queen's Birthday clash in 1958.

Today, this game is often considered the biggest match of the AFL season outside of the finals, sometimes drawing bigger crowds than all but the Grand Final, and often selling out in advance.^[8][9] As a point of comparison, in the National Rugby League, the Sydney Roosters and St. George Illawarra Dragons have played on Anzac Day since 2002, but generally without the increase in crowd numbers compared to other games as seen in the AFL.^[10] However, Anzac Day matches have been a regular part of the rugby league season for over 80 years.

Huge crowds turn out to see the annual Anzac Day Collingwood–Essendon game (2010)

In recent years, other clubs and some sections of the media have lobbied for the game to be shared amongst all clubs, not just Collingwood and Essendon.^[11][12] Since 1996,^[13] one year after the team's inception, Fremantle has held the Len Hall Tribute Game, named in honour of Western Australia's last Gallipoli veteran.^[14] This game is regularly held on Anzac Day as a Western Australian featured game.^[13] With Anzac Day falling on a Saturday in 2009, four games were scheduled for the day,^[15] yet the largest fixture (the MCG) continued to host Collingwood and Essendon at the exclusion of other clubs. Critics have argued that this fixture should be shared.^[16][17]

The Seven Network currently have the broadcasting rights to this match, from 2012 onwards. Previously, the Nine Network (2002–2006) and Network Ten (2007-2011, except 2010) had the broadcasting rights to the match. In 2010 the Seven Network had the broadcasting rights to this match, its first since 2001, however, for the 2011 season the rights were handed back to Network Ten. As consolation, Seven televised a rare Tuesday afternoon match between rivals Geelong and Hawthorn instead. For the 2012 season, the Seven Network will retain the broadcasting rights to the match; Network Ten having lost the broadcasting rights to the AFL from 2012 onwards.

Meaning and significance

For many people the clash may be their closest involvement with Anzac Day remembrance services. Before the match, a special Anzac Day service is held at the MCG. This ceremony includes the recognition of Australian War Veterans as well as a Flag Ceremony, including the playing of the Last Post and Australian National Anthem.^[1]

Sydney based journalist and former Australian rugby national representative player Peter FitzSimons commented in the Sydney Morning Herald of the 2008 game that he had:

...rarely seen something so impressive in the world of sport. As they played the Last Post and the national anthem, the 100,000-strong crowd [sic] uttered not a peep, whispered not a murmur. The atmosphere was electric and the general mood in the air one of reverence for the diggers and anticipation of the game to come...Somewhere, someone has done a superb job organising that landmark day in Australian sport.^[18]

The Collingwood Football Club asserts:

The Anzac Day blockbuster between Collingwood and Essendon has become one of our biggest national sporting events ... The Anzac Day match pays tribute to the sacrifice of the servicemen and women of Australia and celebrates the Anzac spirit – courage, sacrifice, endurance and mateship.^[19]

Collingwood's President Eddie McGuire has stated that "veterans will see the reason why they fought so hard for the Australian culture with two great tribes going at each other".^[11][20]

Conversely, some commentators such as Liz Porter, Chris Fotinopoulos and Ruby Murray have criticised the Australian Football League for the way it promotes the event, arguing that it has exploited the sacredness and solemnity of the Anzac story for the purpose of financial profit.^{[21][22][23][24]} According to Porter:

The commodification of "the Anzac spirit" as an AFL marketing device appears to have begun with the 1995 Essendon-Collingwood clash, after which a commemorative poster of the game was produced, bearing the words "Lest we forget". A solemn pledge was reborn as an advertising slogan.^[21]

Also the subject of criticism have been the comments often made in relation to the game by the AFL, sports journalists, media personalities, club officials, coaches and some sections of the media which conflate the Anzac spirit at Gallipoli with the fighting spirit on the football ground.^[23][24] In the opinion of Fotinopoulos, "the real meaning of Anzac Day has become distorted by slick marketing campaigns designed to pass footballers off as war heroes."^[23] These criticisms were highlighted in 2009 when Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse stated that his team had "let the Anzacs down" in losing the game, and that "Essendon showed true Anzac spirit, the reason why we play here."^[25] Journalist Patrick Smith responded in The Australian that this comparison between the game of football and the sadness and bravery of war "belittles and trivialises the suffering of the men and women which Anzac Day is set aside to remember and thank."^[26] In a subsequent article, Smith argued:

The AFL itself is in danger of manipulating Anzac Day. The commission is looking to play more games than the traditional Essendon-Collingwood match which had previously been set aside as the code's mark of respect. To play more matches around the country is to move uneasily close to a ratings and money-making tool. Given that bravery and commitment in war is acknowledged with medals, the AFL seeks to capitalise on that with awarding the Anzac Medal to the best player on Anzac Day. On reflection, that is bordering on tacky.^[27]

Anzac Medal

A best-on-ground player has been named for each of the Anzac Day clashes. Since 2000, the player in the match considered to best exemplify the Anzac spirit – skill, courage, self-sacrifice, teamwork and fair play – has been awarded the AFL Anzac Medal.^[8] This medal has been won three times by retired Essendon star (and current Essendon coach) James Hird, the most of any player. In 2001, Collingwood's Chris Tarrant became the only player to have won the medal despite playing in the losing team.

Before the start of the 2011 ANZAC Day match, the AFL presented retrospective ANZAC Medals to their intended recipients for all of the matches prior to the introduction of the medal in 2000.

Match results

* Retrospective medals awarded in 2011, for games from 1995 to 1999, as the first official Anzac Medal was awarded in 2000.^[8]

^ Capacity of ground reduced due to redevelopment for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Trivia

Four players have represented both clubs in an Anzac Day clash.

• Andrew Ukovic (1998 with Essendon and 2000 with Collingwood)
• Scott Cummings (1996 with Essendon and 2002 with Collingwood)
• Blake Caracella (1997–2002 with Essendon and 2005 with Collingwood)
• Mal Michael (1998 with Collingwood and 2007–2008 with Essendon)

Dustin Fletcher of Essendon has played in the most Anzac Day games, with 15 as of 2011.^[28] The most of any Magpie is Scott Burns with 11 appearances.

The most goals kicked in one game by a Collingwood player is Sav Rocca with nine in 1995. The most goals kicked in one game by an Essendon player is Scott Lucas with six in 2000 and Matthew Lloyd with six in 1999 and again in 2003.

Essendon won 6 out 7 games between 1999 - 2005. Collingwood would go on to win 6 out 7 games between 2006 - 2012.

Ten players have made their AFL debut in an Anzac Day match:

• Kirk Ugle (2012)
• Brent Macaffer (2009)
• Sharrod Wellingham (2008)
• Travis Cloke (2005)
• Cameron Cloke (2004)
• Craig Jacotine (1999)
• Dean Solomon (1998)
• Matthew Banks (1997)
• Scott Lucas (1996)
• Jason Wild (1995)

Several milestones have been reached during an Anzac Day match:

• Simon Prestigiacomo – 200th game (2009)
• Darren Bewick – 200th game (1999)
• Joe Misiti – 200th game (2003)
• Andrew Welsh – 150th game (2010)
• Adam McPhee – 150th game (2009)
• Scott Russell – 150th game (1997)
• Gavin Brown – 150th game (1995)
• Ryan Lonie – 100th game (2006)
• Michael Symons – 100th game (1999)
• Sean Denham – 100th game (1995)
• Gary Moorcroft – 50th game (2000)
• Andrew Schauble – 50th game (1998)
• Heath Hocking –Collingwood–Essendon 50th game (2011)

References

Coordinates: 37°49′12″S 144°59′00″E / 37.82°S 144.9833333°E / -37.82; 144.9833333