Time for a real Anzac Test?

[DIEHARD]

Should we scrap the Roosters v Dragons game on Anzac Day and replace it with a proper ANZAC DAY Test Match between Australia and New Zealand?

Next year's Anzac test is on May 5th. Are they trying to distance themselves from Anzac Day?

If so what is even the point of having a test match early in the year?

[DIEHARD]

I am very disappointed to see the ARL moving away from connecting the early season test with Anzac Day.

I believe we should have an Anzac DAY Test Match.

Have a look at what the AFL have done. And notice that the RSL seems to be supporting it! So why are they on our case about having an Anzac Test?

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ANZAC Day Press Release

ANZAC DAY INFORMATION ?
COLLINGWOOD VS ESSENDON

Pre-Match Entertainment
Collingwood Football Club, in association with the AFL, will present special pre-match entertainment for the traditional Anzac Day blockbuster between Collingwood and Essendon.

The pre-match activities pay tribute to the Anzac spirit and to the servicemen and women of the past and present.

This year the Pre Match Entertainment features:

- Army Band Melbourne (combining 30 musicians)
- Air Force Roulettes Aerobatics Display
- Paulini Curuenavuli singing ?Miracle.?
- Army Red Beret Parachute Display
- Motorcade of Anzac Veterans
- ?What are they Marching For? written and performed by Peter Gervasoni
- Sea Hawk Helicopter fast ropes
- Presentation of Match Balls by Collingwood Champion Gavin Brown
- Observance Ceremony
- National Anthem performed by Australian Army Band musician Deb Cotton
- Toss of Coin by Victoria Cross recipient Ted Kenna.

Anzac Day Trophy
A presentation of the Anzac Day Trophy will be made on the field at the conclusion of the match. The President of the Victorian RSL, Major General David McLachlan will present the trophy to the Captain of the winning team.

The trophy comprises a silver bowl, which is supported by four bronze columns and a central glass pillar. The glass pillar has images of servicemen and footballers and is etched with the names of all VFL footballers that gave their lives on active service.

The wooden footing of the trophy comes from an ironbark plank, part of an ammunition wagon, which saw service in Villers-Bretonneux in France. The bronze columns incorporate metal salvaged from Gallipoli battlefields. The trophy has a value of over $25,000.

The trophy (and Anzac Medal) has been kindly donated to the RSL by UNIBIC, makers of Anzac Biscuits. The sales of Anzac biscuits generate funds for the charitable works of the RSL.

Anzac Medal

The Anzac Medal is awarded to the player in the match who best exemplifies the Anzac Spirit - skill, courage, self-sacrifice, teamwork and fair play.

The medal is an engraved bronze disk, incorporating battlefield metal, surrounding a glass centre into which is set an image of the RSL badge.

Toss of the Coin
Mr Ted Kenna has accepted our invitation to Toss the Coin with the two Captains to decide the choice of ends. He is also participating in the motorcade of veterans.

Ted Kenna is the only surviving Victoria Cross Winner from World War II, serving in the 24th Australian Infantry Battalion AIF. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for action on 15th May 1945 in the South Pacific near Wewak New Guinea. His action was an outstanding example of the highest degree of bravery.

Collingwood Blast From The Past
At each home match Collingwood pays tribute to a former player in the Crazy John?s Blast From The Past segment.

At this year?s Anzac Day match we are delighted to honour Gavin Brown, one of the most courageous footballers of his era, a recent inductee into Collingwood?s Hall of Fame and Team of the Century, and a star of many famous Anzac Day clashes.

Gavin will present the match footballs to the umpires, and a highlights tape of his career will be played on the scoreboards.

Games - 254
Collingwood Captain 1994-98
Copeland Trophy Winner 1989, 1994, 1997
Member 1990 Premiership Team
All Australian 1989, 1991, 1994
Victorian Captain 1997
EJ Whitten Medal 1989, 1997
Goals - 195
Finals Games for Collingwood - 9
11 State of Origin Games
Collingwood Team of the Century
Collingwood Hall of Fame Inductee 2004.

Motorcade of Anzac Veterans
This year?s motorcade features veterans from:

Prisoner of War Association
Korea Veterans Association
Returned Nurses
Returned Servicewomen
Vietnam Veterans

Lexus Australia has kindly provided the Lexus Sports Coupe SC 430 for today?s motorcade. The Lexus SC 430 is the Lexus ?state of the art? luxury convertible.

Program of Events

11.15am Public Gates Open

11.30am Collingwood Big Screen Show begins on scoreboards

11.55am Army Band Melbourne (combining 30 musicians)

12.10pm Teams Warm Up Period

12.25pm Air Force Roulettes Aerobatics Display

12.32pm Paulini Curuenavuli performs ?Miracle.?

12.37pm Army Red Beret Parachute Display

12.42pm Motorcade of Anzac Veterans, featuring veterans from:
Prisoner of War Association; Korea Veterans Association
Returned Nurses; Returned Servicewomen; Vietnam Veterans

12.45pm ?What are they Marching For? written and performed by
Peter Gervasoni

12.49pm Sea Hawk Helicopter
Sea Hawk Helicopter enters arena and hovers 20 metres above the ground.

Six Navy commandos from HMAS Cerberus, ?fast rope? to the arena with the match balls.

The match balls are passed to Former Collingwood player Gavin Brown to present to the Umpires.

12.59 Umpires Enter

1.00pm Essendon Enter

1.02pm Collingwood enter

1.08pm Guards, Drummer and bugler to positions

1.09pm Teams Line Up

1.10pm Catafalque Guard slow march, flags are lowered to half-mast. John Deighton, Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian RSL
recites ?The Ode?
One minutes Silence
Last Post
Reveille
National Anthem performed by Australian Army Band musician Deb Cotton

1.13pm 3 sirens
Toss of Coin by Victoria Cross recipient Ted Kenna.

1.15pm Match Begins

Collingwood President?s Luncheon
Federal Labour Leader Mark Latham, a Collingwood Social Club member, will join Collingwood at the President?s luncheon.

RSL Collection
A collection for the Returned & Services League will be held at the match. One hundred and twenty volunteers from the RSL will collect at the gates prior to the beginning of the match.

[DeeGan]

The NRL was/is looking to stear away from 'cashing in' on ANZAC Day is my understanding.

DeeGan

[DIEHARD]

The NRL was/is looking to stear away from 'cashing in' on ANZAC Day is my understanding.

DeeGan

I think you will find that they have been told they can't use it and haven't pursued the WHY and HOW the AFL do it.

I believe they can have a game on actual Anzac Day though, I mean especially that the AFL do it.

Without the Anzac attachment the April...May test is pretty much meaningless.

But we have a chance to stage a pretigous and meaningful Test Match to commemerate Anzac Day in the perfect way.

If we still cop heat from the RSL, which we shouldn't because they support the AFL Anzac Day game, we should call the match the Commemoration Cup and let the public join the dots.