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...
2Anzac Day R5 2008 – Fremantle v Geelong @ Subiaco
Pavlich hits the Post
On the Friday Night of Anzac Day 2008, Fremantle came within a kick of toppling the powerhouse reigning premiers Geelong. The Dockers burst out to a 39-point lead before Geelong responded with seven straight goals to stay within two at half-time.
Freo refused to fold, dominating the third term to lead by 25 at the final change, driven by a huge Aaron Sandilands performance. But the Cats surged late, hitting the front in the dying minutes.
With 40 seconds left, Matthew Pavlich - (who was miked up for the Channel Seven broadcast that evening of which the football public was first introduced to the phrase “it's Wharfie time”) had the chance to win it from 50 metres on the boundary, only to see his shot hit the post.
Geelong would win by a point.
