At first, I express what are in my heart. I always appreciate you for welcoming me in this wonderful footy community, positive feedback and comments on articles, encouragement and wishes. Also my thanks are to people who run this webpage for wonderful jobs and Yvette, my new good friend for inviting me to the great footy community.
Now let’s start with the topic.
As I mentioned you that hosting matches in Wellington led me to support St Kilda in my first article for the Footy Almanac (How a Japanese Guy Became a St Kilda Fan, 22 October 2014), St Kilda’s Anzac Day clashes in Wellington bring me excitements.
The first home and away match played outside Australia, St Kilda took Sydney Swans in 2013 and the following year the Saints played against Brisbane Lions.
2015 will be a hundred-year anniversary for the day when the Anzac Army landed Gallipoli in Turkey in 1915. St Kilda had requested the AFL to bring a Victorian club to Wellington for next year’s big clash.
Then media has reported that Melbourne Football Club were likely to take the Saints on Anzac Day next year.
But my mind was filled with wish to take Carlton rather than the Demons.
St Kilda and Carton have played Monday night footy a day after Mother’s Day for five seasons. The AFL wanted to promote Monday matches played by two clubs.
I have watched a reply of the St Kilda-versus-Carlton game played at Round 7, 2012 at Etihad Stadium. The match was so exciting and players had a flare during the match. I felt a bit rivalry towards the Blues through watching the game.
As we have been having such blockbusters (but not as big as games played by two big rival clubs – for example, between Geelong and Hawthorn or between Essendon and Collingwood) and Monday night matches were unpopular in the 2014 season, my thought has been reinforced that it would be good if a St Kilda home game against Carlton was held in Wellington.
But as two of big clubs (Essendon and Collingwood) have annual Anzac Day clash at MCG, bringing Carlton, another big Victorian club who are big rivals of Essendon and Collingwood, could not be realistic.
Then when I was in a clinic waiting room for physio therapy on Friday, I saw surprising news on my Android.
It says “The Anzac Day clash between St Kilda and Carlton for 2015 has been confirmed.”
A passionate and excited Sainter
I was very surprised to hear this news and felt like wanting to scream! My wish to see an Anzac Day clash against Carlton becomes realistic.
To be honest I was about to leave my wish for the Anzac Day footy match somewhere else as I didn’t think about it. Then here comes!
Adrenalin was running on my body system, indeed. And is now because I am writing an article about the game which I wanted to happen.
Sorry Carlton fans, but I am sad not being able to see presser dramas between Carlton coach Mick Malthouse and Channel 7 chief football reporter Mark Stevens in Wellington because only Foxtel is on air. However I have been so excited for the game already!
No matter where I will be, I will watch the Anzac Day clash in any way (at the venue, on TV or a pub). But I hope I will be at Westpac Stadium in Wellington as the best option, or in Melbourne. What about you? Where will you watch the game?
Go the Saints. I wish mighty Saints will get four points for the first time in my favourite Wellington.
About Yoshihiro Imagawa
Love, passion and pride are seen on the footy that is the biggest part of my life. 1. St Kilda Club member: I am a passionate and crazy Sainter. Just hope we will win the second flag soon, especially after Dogs and Tigers having ended long premiership draughts. 2. The Osaka Dingoes Player and Public Relations Officer: Player number 44 that I chose to honour Stephen Milne with my wish being like a small forward like him. Lenny Hayes' hardworking attitudes are adopted on my trainings and practices. Nick Riewoldt's great plays are in my player audiobook too. 3. Writing: Here on the Almanac and also on the World Footy News. My skills utilise on great footy websites.
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Hi again Yoshi,
you are now officially addicted to the Footy Almanac website! Just tell me when you will next watch a game in New Zealand and I’ll come across to meet you. Won’t be next year, perhaps the next.
Be well
Yvette
Hi Yvette,
Thanks for your comment with a ‘doctor diagnosis’. Yes, I am an Footy Alamanaholic. But it’s much better than drug or alcohol abuse, isn’t it? As my financial circumstances have not been well at present, I have no idea when I will travel to New Zealand to watch our Anzac Day clash. But I am trying to get an Australian or New Zealand job so that it’s easy to get to the game. Indeed, I will tell you when I decide to watch a Wellington game.
Take care to you too.
Yoshi
Saints need to win this game to build the franchise in NZ. Disappointing to lose 2 close ones so far. A huge tick for the game being played in the daytime…..that dew on the grass against Brisbane meant the game was at times unwatchable.
Hi Guru Gus,
Thanks for your comment and I agree with you. Mighty Saints need to impress Kiwis to increase numbers of New Zealand members and to make me happy! Moving the time slot to the daytime is a good opportunity for St Kilda to win in Wellington for the first time in the third year for our New Zealand adventure!
Yoshi
With ANZAC Day approaching, together with the fact that AFL matches were played for premiership points in New Zealand, as well as ANZAC standing for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, got me thinking about doing a football team where all the players have New Zealand heritage.
Some players were played out of position, so they could be included in the team.
This is the VFL/AFL Team of New Zealand heritage:
B: Shane Savage (Hawthorn/St K/NZ born), Trent Croad (Haw/Frem/NZ born), Jack Southern (SM 1897-99/NZ born)
HB: Henry Haughton (Carl 1912-19/NZ born), Brent Renouf (Haw/PA/NZ born), Arthur Gilligan (Fitz/Ess 1902-05/NZ born)
C: Wayne Schwass (North M/Syd/NZ born), Dustin Martin (Rich/Maori father), Jack Barnett (Rich 1924-26/NZ born)
HF: Donald Dickie (PA/NZ born), Thomas O’Halloran (Rich 1925-34/NZ born), Mykelti Lefau (Rich 2024-pres/NZ born)
F: Karmichael Hunt (Gold C/NZ born), Rowan Marshall (St Kilda/NZ born), Warren Jones (Carl/St Kilda/NZ born)
R: Max Gawn (c) (Melbourne/NZ father), Rupert Wills (Coll 2016-20/NZ born), Peter Bennett (Haw/Ess 1976-81/NZ born)
Interchange: Jim Cowcher (Carl 5 games 1898/NZ born), Daniel McAlister (Ess 1997-02/NZ born), Barney Wood (Melb 5 games 1928/NZ born), Kurt Heatherley (Haw 2014-18/NZ born)
Sub: Adam Campbell (Frem 2006-09/NZ born)
Emergencies: Connor Ballenden (BL 2018-21/NZ born), Artie Machin (SM 3 games 1898/NZ born), Bill Mearns (3 games St K 1910/NZ born), Arthur Watson (Haw/2 games 1929/NZ born)
Playing Coach: Wayne Schwass (NM/Syd/player-coach for the NZ representative AFL side in 2012, the New Zealand Hawks, against the Australian AIS-AFL Academy team).
This team will play an exhibition match against the Australian AIS-AFL Academy team.
The venue will be Westpac (Sky) Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand.
Transport will be provided by Air New Zealand.
Let’s hope for a good game, that will keep Australian rules football on the map in New Zealand.
Moin Anon, where has that decade gone? It only seems like a year or two back the better half and I were across the ditch to watch her, your, Saints take on Carlton. Here’s how I recalled the clash. https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/round-4-st-kilda-v-carlton-footy-in-aoteaora-anzac-day-2015/
Now somewhere in the FA website ether I reckon I’ve posted a team of players from across the ditch, or have I? I can’t find the dashed thing. Many of the same players as you’ve chosen in your fine team would have been in mine though you’ve added a few different names. Gut gemacht.
I’ll enjoy myself post match with some Speights, and Paua.
Glen!
Glen, thanks, I was aware of your St Kilda v Carlton Anzac Day report in the FA, but didn’t want to comment on that article specifically, as the result of that match wasn’t good for St Kilda.
Also, It appears that you didn’t previously do a team of players from across the ditch in the FA, as I had also looked for an NZ team in the FA, before I posted my own team. I know you have written previous articles concerning across the ditch in the FA, but none about an actual football team of NZ heritage.
As today is Anzac Day, it got me thinking of doing an updated football team, where every players’ surnames references war, military, army or Anzac Day in some way.
The criteria is that the players’ surnames can only be used once, but the war reference can be used more than once. The spelling doesn’t matter and the idea can also be part of the surname. Nicknames of the actual players are not allowed.
Some players were named out of position, so they could be included in the team.
This is the updated VFL/AFL Anzac Day Team:
B: Wayne HARMeS (Carl/HARMS), Glenn ARCHER (North M/ARCHER Artillery), Glen BOW (Geel/BOW and Arrow War Days)
HB: Ken HUNTER (Carl/HUNTER), Josh BATTLE (St Kilda/Hawthorn/BATTLE), Patrick DANGERFIELD (c)(Adel/Geel/DANGERFIELD)
C: Neville FIELDS (Ess/SM/FIELDS), Chad WARner (SydneySwans/WAR), Charlie CONSTABLE (Geel/GC/CONSTABLE Military Officer)
HF: Jeremy GUARD (Fitz/Army GUARD), Robert WALLS (Carl/Fitz/Defensive WALLS), Glen MIddLEMISS (Geel/St K/MISSILE)
F: Russell SHIELDS (Haw/Fo/SHIELDS), Jack GUNston (Adelaide/Haw/GUN), Rex HUNT (Rich/Geel/St K/HUNT)
R: Rowan MARSHALL (St K/MARSHAL), James WORPEL (Haw/WAR/PELLET), David ARMItage (St K/ARMY)
Interchange: Jayden POST (Rich/The Last POST), Bill GUNN (10 games SM 1922/GUN), Ron REIFFEL (Rich 1951-52/RIFLE), Bill CANNON (1 game St K1975/CANNON)
Sub: Danny WARR (37 games St K 1928-29/WAR)
Playing Coach: Robert WALLS (Fitz/Carl/Bris/Rich/Defensive WALLS)
Jeremy Guard will also be in charge of Security.
Bill CANNON (St K) will be CANONised as a Saint, and will also report on the match.
Danny WARR (St K) was made the sub because you need to have a good substitute in a war.
This team will play a pretend exhibition match against the the VFL/AFL Team of New Zealand Heritage.
The match will be played at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Anzac Day.
Entertainment will be provided by the song “I Was Only 19” (A Walk in the Light Green)”, by Redgum.
Transport will be provided by Air New Zealand.
The nickname of the VFL/AFL Anzac Day Team will be The BOMBERS!
Let’s hope for a good game of football where both teams will come out all guns blazing and where the VFL/AFL Anzac Day Team will have all the weapons are their DISPOSAL, so they can hit all their MARKS!