Believe it or not, Essendon vs Collingwood at the MCG isn't the only game ever played on Anzac Day. Footy on April 25 actually dates back to 1960, with a mix of memorable matchups, big crowds and a few quirky experiments along the way as the game found its place on one of the nation's most important days.
From double-headers and epic comebacks to games across the ditch and the odd freakish moment, I've gone digging through the archives to pull together a few of the best from over the years...
7Saints Across the Ditch (2013–2015)
St Kilda thought to put the 'NZ' in 'aNZac' by playing games in Wellington on Anzac Day from 2013–2015.
The Saints made history hosting the AFL's first premiership game outside Australia on Anzac Day in 2013, but on-field results never quite matched the ambition.
Across the three years, St Kilda went 0–3 in Wellington, falling to Sydney Swans by 16 points in 2013, the Brisbane Lions by 3 points in 2014, and the Carlton Blues by 40 points in 2015, as attendances also declined sharply year-on-year.
While the concept initially drew strong curiosity and a solid crowd, momentum quickly waned and local engagement never truly stuck. By the end of 2015, the partnership was shelved, bringing to an end an ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to establish a foothold for the AFL in New
Zealand.
