The AFL and NRL rounds kicked off on Thursday night with pre-game ceremonies to commemorate ANZAC Day.
Both codes will pay tribute with a traditional observance with the Last Post, The Ode and the national anthem heard before every game this weekend.
The NRL’s ANZAC Round began at Leichhardt with the Wests Tigers taking on the Canberra Raiders, while the AFL’s ANZAC Appeal Round kicked off with the Sydney Swans playing the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium.
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“We are celebrating ANZAC round. Always wonderful to see the observance ceremony, the two sides facing off against each other,” Fox Footy’s Mark Howard said before the game between the Dogs and Swans.
“Wonderful observance ceremony to kick off ANZAC appeal round.”
While many viewers were happy to witness the ceremony, some footy figures and fans took to social media to share their belief that pre-game observance on ANZAC Day should only be held at games held on ANZAC Day, not across the entire round.
North Melbourne premiership player David King said on SEN Breakfast on Friday morning the display before the Swans-Bulldogs game on Thursday night was “lacking”.
“If we’re going to do ANZAC Round properly, just leave it to Anzac Day,” King said.
“I’m not in for the ceremony every venue across the whole weekend. You have one special day. Terrific. And if you’re going to do it, sing the national anthem for both New Zealand and Australia.
“I just think it lacked. It needs to be the special day only.”
King said the night game on Anzac Day Eve on April 24 and the traditional Essendon-Collingwood blockbuster are the only fixtures that should include ANZAC Day tributes.
The Fox Footy analyst went on to say cheekily: “I think the New Zealand national anthem is a little bit better than ours as well”.
Matt Nicholls wrote on X: “There is no such thing as ANZAC Round.
“I will die on this hill. The AFL led the way and now everyone is cashing in on the most important day on the Australian calendar.
“The more we hold such ceremonies the more diluted they become. Preserve ANZAC Day. Lest we forget.”
Sports reporter Oliver Caffrey replied: “And they’ll say no to Mental Health round because there’s already too many themed rounds. It only needs to be ANZAC Day, and the Richmond-Melbourne game.”
Code Sports’ Daniel Cherny said: “Remember when ANZAC Day was actually just one day?”
Anthony Leach wrote: “ANZAC Day’s on Saturday. Not today.”
Dave Lloyd said: “If the #AFL want to truly respect ANZAC Day I don’t believe they should observe the day when it isn’t the day. It’s our nation’s most important day. The most unifying we have.”
Richmond play the Melbourne Demons on Friday night in what is now known as the ANZAC Eve clash, before Collingwood take on Essendon in the showpiece game on ANZAC Day.
In the NRL, the Sydney Roosters play the St George Illawarra Dragons on Saturday in the traditional clash at Allianz Stadium, where the Roosters are heavily favoured after the Dragons sacked coach Shane Flanagan.
On Thursday night, the Raiders and Tigers commemorated ANZAC Day with respective captains Jarome Luai and Joe Tapine laying wreaths on the field before a pre-game commemoration ceremony.
Fox League’s Dan Ginnane said: “Joe Tapine, the New Zealand champion, and Jarome Luai, leading out the Wests Tigers. They come out in a wonderful Wembley style formation.
“This will be the case for all eight games as Anzac Day, Anzac round, properly observed.
After The Ode and The Last Post, he added: “We’ll hear that eight times over the weekend and somehow it won’t get old.”
Speaking pre-game, Tapine explained the significance of Canberra’s commemorative jersey.
“It’s actually a Navy jersey, HMAS Harman. It’s a huge round, ANZAC Round, always is.”
Former NRL players spoke on Fox League’s coverage about the honour of playing on ANZAC Day and the effort clubs go to educate players on the history of the occasion and the sacrifices made.
“It’s humbling,” Cooper Cronk said.
“Clubs and players try and do as much as they can to have a connection and deeper understanding of what ANZAC Day means to service men and women.
“When you played for the Roosters vs the Dragons, you didn’t have to do too much to understand the magnitude. It was almost there in the stadium when you arrived and put your boots on. There is a different feeling on the football field that day.
“It’s a privilege to be part of that day and play a small part,” Michael Ennis said.
“There’s nothing better than going to a Dawn Service, you can sneak home for a quick kip afterwards and charge into three footy games in the afternoon. It’s a ripping day.”
Yvonne Sampson added: “I just think the NRL and all the clubs do it so respectfully and it is something very unique to any other weekend of the year. Very much looking forward to the next four days.”
All 18 AFL clubs will feature the ANZAC logo on their guernseys for Round 7 with most of the teams wearing a special strip for this weekend’s games.
Many of the guernseys will be auctioned off to raise funds for the RSL’s ANZAC Appeal, a major national annual fundraiser.
With ANZAC Day falling on a Saturday this year, NSW Premier Chris Minns announced the state would have a public holiday on Monday, April 27.
