By now, we are familiar with the Anzac Day football rituals. Since 1995, Collingwood and Essendon have battled for Anzac supremacy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Following the AFL’s lead, St George and Eastern Suburbs commemorate the day in the NRL.
It’s a tradition, to which supporters of both codes have been drawn in vast numbers. Both codes supplied a great many troops, who served at Gallipoli and across Europe, many of whom were never to return.
Collingwood lost six players, Essendon seven.
So these clubs’ own histories add to the solemnity of Anzac commemorations.
Yet, football too made its contribution.
Prior to the first World War, the game had undergone something of a renaissance.
Recovering from the depression and energised by waves of migrants, football was blooming.
In Victoria, the Dockerty Cup (starting in 1909) had been a central plank in the game’s growth and club fixtures were regular.
1913 saw the reinstatement of the New South Wales-Victoria clash after 25 years.
Even though plans to form a national association were scuttled by the outbreak of war in 1914, the game soldiered on as best it could.
The Argus of 9 August 1915 reports:
“The annual international match between teams representing England and Scotland, under the auspices of the Victorian Amateur British Football Association took place on Saturday on the Fitzroy Cricket ground the authorities of which on this occasion granted the free use of the ground as net proceeds from the match were to be handed over to Lady Stanley’s fund for Wounded Australian Soldiers.”
Yet, it was clear that the war was taking its toll.
The Argus went on:
“Four of the players who took part in last year’s match are on active service, namely Lowe, Golding, Guthrie and Hyde, the latter of whom is at present in hospital at Plymouth, England, wounded. Of those who took part in Saturday’s encounter 13 of them represented their various countries last year – seven for England and six for Scotland. Three of England’s representatives and two of Scotland’s have enlisted and were relieved by their respective commandants to enable them to take part in Saturday’s match.”
The strong commitment made by footballers to the war effort meant that the suspension of the game was inevitable.
And by 1916, competition was ended, not to be resumed until after the war.
According to the Argus, when football did resume, in 1919:
“At the first annual meeting of the British Association, on June 16, the report covering a period of four years commencing 1915 disclosed the interesting fact that 90 per cent. of the players had enlisted for service abroad or at home. No competitive football had been played during the war.”
Pre-war football had not only grown in the metropolitan region. It was taking root in the country as well. It’s a fact little known that Mildura had a developing competition in this period.
Indeed, the little town of Irymple, just outside Mildura, provides its own story and gestures towards the general tragedy of war.
Of the 11 players pictured in the Irymple team of 1913, five lost their lives.
It’s a story repeated across Australia, across sporting organisations of all codes
The Irymple tragedy underlines a question that many in the football community have asked: why don’t we, in football, honour the Anzac legend with a celebration similar to those arranged by other codes?
State federations have moved in this direction, but when will the national body take the lead?
http://vulgar.com.au/libero/anzac.html
Planet Football
Guest
What about the Australian team that played in Vietnam in 1967 at the height of the war? Surely this episode refutes any suggestions that football and Australia's military history have no links?? http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/when-winning-was-hell-for-the-socceroos/story-e6frexni-1111114614396
Planet Football
Guest
Has anyone mentioned the 1967 Australian team, that played in Vietnam at the height of the war? http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/when-winning-was-hell-for-the-socceroos/story-e6frexni-1111114614396 This alone should refute any allegation that football has no link with Australia's military history!
Bondy
Guest
Roman Kaminski. You've achieved at least one thing here and that is freedom to express one's opinion. And of course too out sherin -burley- faulkner who suggested he lived in Perth and then gave us more or less the link to you at Benalla where he obviously lives pretty dumb on sherrin's account one would think.
AL
Guest
It seems that nothing has changed with aussie rules. Growing there sport with jack boots on. Keep up the good fight Roman K.
Roman Kaminski
Guest
To note that the time, all letters addressed to Victorian State government minister for sports and recreation or such to Justin Madden former AFL AUSTRALIAN RULES player for appoval !!!!!
Roman Kaminski
Guest
The link below are copies, my request for copies under FOI for letters of support to the building of the new (then called) The Benalla Saints Australian Rules Family and Entertainment Complex (to have poke machines at the time in one of Australia’s most disadvantaged towns which already had a large number of poker machines per capita in Victoria and family violence). About 28 letters of support with name, organizations were deleted and then given to me – I was told (by someone) that there was more than one letter of support form organizations and 90% or more were from outer Benalla other Australian Rules clubs from far and near but not local support. Yes that’s the way Benalla Saints Australian Rules Club and Benalla councillors operate in Benalla as dishonest and treat ratepayers as fools. http://photosbyroman.multiply.com/photos/album/63#photo=1
Peter Wilson
Roar Guru
Did you read the article Cattery? Seems as though you didn't.
Bondy
Guest
Roman Kaminski. Thats a good get . C mon sherrin out you come.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Is Sherrin's nose getting as long as Pinocchio's ? So he says; he now lives in Perth..
pike64
Guest
ARF is not unkown in NZ. it is ignored!!!!!!!!
Roman Kaminski
Guest
Shirrin You know relevant information regarding my activities against Benalla Council and the Benalla Saints Aussie Rules Club of their mismanagement of government funds and mis-use of ratepayes money by Benalla council (as per damning report by Auditors General Report) money that should not have gone towards the Benalla Saints Aussie Rules Club. You made referance about me to a link and saying that I am Roman Kaminski using another name strange wouldnt you say Sherrin that you would even suggest that, if not knowing me or Benalla, Shirrin is form Benalla Council and Benalla Saints Aussie Rules member. Most councilor's are not intelligent here in Benalla (brain damaged playing Aussie Rules) same as you Shrrin and your friends. Your in denial now with your pathetic friends, I would be too if I was that stupid as you. I might came in to the council offices and say hi to you at the front Shirri on Wednesday!
Bondy
Guest
Sheryl -burley. You suggest you live in Perth ok ?. I am a Chinese national and live in the Guangdong province ?.
Bondy
Guest
Roman Kaminski. An intersting profile on Sherryl - burley, he seems the type to stoop to those lows. It's well documented in Australian sporting history that Sir Edward "weary" Dunlop was a ( Rugger ) Rugby Union player / man, it's interesting they the Rugby firm dont tout about Sir weary's deeds unlike some who would've pounced on his actions.
AL
Guest
Let us end this debate and find a moment to remember the fallen. One of my Australian hero's is Weary Dunlop. The fact that he played Rugby means nothing in the scope of the person and character he was. If you have a moment today read up on the man.
Sherrin-Burley-Faulkner
Guest
I will reply to this, i actually live in Perth, and i have never been to Benalla. Quite simply it was easy to find/pick you, your writing style is pretty out there, and i remember a poster on the roar from a while ago with the same "style". The poster was outed as Roman back then and it was pretty easy to work it out from there. From reading these posts, it's pretty easy to say who is grubby and who is not. Anyone who is interested can google "roman ausball " to see what what grubbiness is.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Thanks for this information, Roman ... you've certainly exposed some grubby dealings, which helps to paint a picture of the person, who is posting under that username.
Roman Kaminski
Guest
Word gets around here in Benalla HI SHERRIN FROM BENALLA. Sherrin is involved with the Benalla Saints Aussie Rules Club and with Benalla Council both tried hastily to build new clubrooms on the lakes edge to get in poker machines as a gambling venue too, as revenue for the Benalla Saints Aussie Rules Club, Benalla already is one of the most disadvantaged country towns in country Victoria. Benalla has heaps of alcohol youth problems and poker machine gambling problems already in a small country town, Benalla already has a large number of poker machines per capita. In its haste Benalla Saints Aussie Rules club and council misused government grants and ratepayers money a damning report by the Victorian Auditor Generals Office confirmed this. Even one of the councilors (a builder) was to be the builder! The club rooms entertainment level took well over 12 years to finish (without poker machines) because of all the controversy from state and federal government and rate payers. Our local National State member MP Bill Sykes. Benalla has a statue of Weary Dunlop, Sykes many times uses Weary’s name for his local political publicity (even on Remember/Armistice Day at the Benalla ceremony Sykes had his election political poster well seen at the ceremony!). Sykes was a AFL player, if Weary was a Aussie Rules player Sykes would rave on about it to the kids etc, but Sykes will not say that Weary was a grand sportsman for Australia playing Rugby Union for Australian, yes Benalla is a redneck Victorian country town with narrow minded people, and misleading people like Sherrin.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
I'm of the opinion that ANZAC day is about ANZACS---not about Football of any description.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
The "Millions of dollars" quote was yours not mine.
Sherrin-Burley-Faulkner
Guest
So i take it, this is what you have been reduced to !, and nothing to do with anything about ANZAC day.