IN THEIR HONOUR: Clubs consider possible Anzac Day fixture

WORDS BY NATHAN RIVALLAND AND VINNIE VAN OORSCHOT

AN ANZAC Day fixture between Surf Coast football-netball clubs Anglesea and Torquay could be possible in future years after key stakeholders expressed interest in the concept.

The Tigers, Roos and the towns’ respective RSLs are all broadly supportive of an annual Anzac Day game, but note more discussions will need to take place to make it happen.

Anglesea FNC president Jamie Mackenzie said he contacted his Torquay counterpart Cameron Healy following the clubs’ pre-Anzac Day clash on April 22 to thank the Tigers for their ongoing support in participating in each year’s contest.

“We are really supportive of continuing to make it a common fixture each year with Torquay, there’s a real scope to do that for both sides and it is fantastic,” Mr Mackenzie said.

“We hope to get an Anzac Medal up and going and get a panel of old Torquay and Anglesea guys to decide the recipient from both clubs, naming the medal the Dean Lobbe Medal.

“We’d be happy to do it on the Saturday moving forward, because the RSLs have big days going on towards Anzac Day and then we can have them there as guests for the game.

“We just have to keep looking at why we are doing it and if there is a need to have it on Anzac Day.”

Torquay president Cameron Healy acknowledged the contribution of Dean Lobbe – who died suddenly last month – to football on the Surf Coast and fully approved of naming the Anzac Day medal after him in future years.

However, he said there were more discussions to be had between the two clubs regarding the date being changed for the matchups.

“The concept of moving the annual fixture to Anzac Day certainly appeals to us as a club, but it raises more questions than answers.

“As anyone knows, running a volunteer football club on matchdays starts at about eight in the morning and runs all day, so I’d have to spend more time with Jamie to discuss the intricacies of how the day would run.

“We love the fact and completely support and endorse the recommendation to make the medal each year named after Dean Lobbe, given his volunteer contribution to community football is significant.”

The Anglesea and Torquay RSL presidents both expressed their support of moving the annual clash to Anzac Day.

“It’s about highlighting the day from a local perspective, we’d certainly get a fair crowd down whichever day the game would be,” Anglesea RSL president Simon Horne said.

“Ultimately, it’s up to the football clubs to decide whether they’d want to play Anzac Day or the Saturday, but in summary we’d be all in favour of it.”

Torquay RSL Bob Brackin had a similar response.

“Provided it is in the afternoon, and it doesn’t detract from any of our other commemorations, I personally would not have a problem with it,” Mr Brackin said.

“It’d be a significant event for the two communities, that’s for sure.”

Anzac Day in 2024 falls on Thursday, April 25.