Tigers, Roos grand final rematch won’t be on Anzac Day

AFL Barwon has confirmed the annual Bellarine Football League blockbuster between Anglesea and Torquay will not be played on Anzac Day itself and will remain a Saturday fixture.

In May 2023, both clubs expressed to Surf Coast Times their interest in playing on Friday, April 25, although concern was raised about volunteer availability.

The date was initially allocated to them in the 2025 fixture.

Last week on Play HQ, the Round 4 match had been changed to Saturday, April 26.

It is scheduled for 2.10pm at Anglesea’s Ellimatta Reserve and will be the third instalment of the Anzac fixture between the sides.

AFL Barwon said the fixture amendment had been confirmed and the change was made due to the clubs’ internal conversations and requests.

Anglesea president Paul Nigro said he spoke to Torquay president Cameron Healy and they agreed to shift the game.

“It was the best thing to do in terms of working with the RSL clubs in both Anglesea and Torquay and also obviously the workload upon our volunteers.

“It just would’ve been too much without having their support, and we in Anglesea use the same bugler and piper and whatnot for our actual Anzac Day ceremony.

“So rather than stretch ourselves too light across the ground, everyone will be on deck on the Saturday.”

Nigro elaborated on the situation.

“The fixture came out and we were allocated Friday, hence our committee met and obviously I spoke to Torquay’s president post that; and pretty much it was a unanimous decision across the board to go to AFL Barwon and ask them to move it to Saturday,” he said.

“We wanted to play Torquay on Anzac Day (round), which we have had for the last two years… but it just couldn’t work [on April 25] for both [clubs].”

BY BRIAN ALLEN