The Port Adelaide Football Club is again proud to be playing its role in the AFL’s ANZAC Round, with the Power taking on the Gold Coast Suns at AAMI Stadium from 2.45pm on Saturday 23rd April.
Anzac Day is the most important day on the Australian calendar, and ahead of April 25th the club is honoured to commemorate the sacrifice of our servicemen and women across the generations.
Saturday’s game will be preceded by an ANZAC Observance Ceremony, including the reading of The Ode and the playing of the Last Post, followed by a minute’s silence and the National Anthem.
It will be the first ANZAC Round game in which Matthew Primus serves as Port Adelaide’s senior coach.
“As a nation, we owe much to those who have fought for our country and our freedom,” Primus said.
“Thousands have died in the name of that freedom, and at Port Adelaide it is our duty and our honour to mark that sacrifice. What we do on the sporting field doesn’t compare to the battle field, but we are proud to be able to mark our respect in this way. At Port Adelaide, respect is an enormous part of our culture, respect for others, respect for each other and our opponents, and respect for history and tradition.
“We would encourage every Port Adelaide member, supporter and football fan to join with us, the Gold Coast Suns and the AFL at AAMI Stadium on Saturday, to play their part in this tribute.”
For the eighth year, the Badcoe Medal will be presented to the player who best exemplifies the ANZAC spirit, showing skill, courage in adversity, self-sacrifice, teamwork and fair play.
The medal is named after Peter Badcoe who the last South Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross, the military’s highest honour for bravery. Major Badoce was honoured for three extraordinary acts during the Vietnam War, including one which cost him his life.
(Previous winners of the Badcoe Medal: 2004: Josh Carr, 2005: Warren Tredrea, 2006: Brendon Lade, 2007: Chad Cornes, 2008: Kane Cornes, 2009: Lenny Hayes, 2010: David Rodan.)
Our Game Day Sponsor this week is DEFENCE RESERVES SUPPORT (DRS), an important part of the Australian Defence Force. DRS provides a link between Australia’s 45,000 Army, Navy and Air Force Reservists, their employers and the community. Australia relies heavily on this dedicated part-time force, but the Reservists can only make their contribution with the cooperation of their full-time employers. DRS assists Reservists and their employers to make the most of every individual’s commitment.
Also on Saturday – as a curtain raiser to Port Adelaide’s clash with the Gold Coast Suns – an Australian Defence Force team will take on the Australian Combined Emergency Services. This game will kick off at 11.45am.
Volunteers and Navy Cadets will be at AAMI Stadium on Saturday, raising money for the work the RSL does assisting returned servicemen and women.
Port Adelaide has also made arrangements to help hundreds of Defence personnel based in Adelaide experience AFL first-hand during the A
NZAC Round.
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