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...
4R5 1983 – North Melbourne v Essendon @ Waverley
Dons-Roos Shootout
Essendon's five-point win over North Melbourne at Waverley in 1983 was an absolute Name-A-Game worthy thriller just as the Kevin Sheedy era was taking shape.
The Bombers led by four goals at half-time before North came storming out of the rooms, slamming on eight straight to flip the game on its
head.
Essendon would respond with a 10-goal surge of their own, led by Terry Daniher, Tim Watson and Simon Madden, to wrestle back control. North had one last push with the final three goals, but the damage was done.
The Bombers held on in a wild momentum swing that had everything, and in hindsight, it felt like a warning. Both sides made finals, but when they met again in the preliminary final, Essendon didn't leave it to chance and belted them to the tune of 83-points only to get belted by the Hawks the following week.
