View source for Anzac Day match

{{Short description|Traditional Australian football match}}
{{Redirect|Anzac Medal|the first Anzac medal|Dora Ohlfsen-Bagge#Anzac medal}}
{{For|the annual Dragons-Roosters NRL match|Anzac Day Cup}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox Sports rivalry
 | title                     = Anzac Day match (AFL)
 | image                     = Anzac_Appeal_Logo.jpeg
 | caption                     = Anzac Appeal Logo used as the official logo for the Anzac Day match
 | team1                     = {{AFL Col}}
 | team1logo                     = Collingwood icon.svg
 | team2                     = {{AFL ESS}}
 | team2logo                     = Essendon Football Club colours.svg
 | firstmeeting                     = 25 April 1995 <br /><small>(Collingwood 111–111 Essendon)</small>
 | mostrecent                     = 25 April 2025 <br /><small>(Collingwood 107–66 Essendon)</small>
 | trophy                     = [[ANZAC Day]] Trophy
 | total                     = 30
 | league                     = [[Australian Football League]]
 | series                     = [[File:Collingwood icon.svg|15px]] {{AFL Col}} (18 wins)<br />Draw(s) (2) <br />[[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|15px]] {{AFL  Ess}} (10 wins) <!--Club with most victories listed first. If clubs are equal on wins, use alphabetical order.-->
 | largestvictory                     = {{AFL Col}} (73 Points)<br /><small> 25 April 2008</small>
 | longeststreak                     = {{AFL Col}} 3 (x4)<br /><small>25 April 1996 – 25 April 1998<br />25 April 2006 - 25 April 2008<br />25 April 2010 - 25 April 2012<br />25 April 2014 - 25 April 2016</small>
 | longestunbeatenstreak                     = {{AFL Col}} 4<br /><small>25 April 1995 – 25 April 1998</small>
 | currentunbeatenstreak                     = {{AFL Col}} 3<br /><small>25 April 2022 – Present</small>
 | stadiums                     = [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] 1995–Present
}}
The '''Anzac Day match''' is an annual [[Australian rules football]] match between [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]] and [[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]], two clubs in the [[Australian Football League]], held on [[Anzac Day]] (25 April) at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] (MCG).<ref name="AFL_respect">{{cite web|url=http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=41938 |title=Anzac Day – paying respect |date=25 April 2007 |work=[[Australian Football League|AFL]] |access-date=2008-04-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930121403/http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=41938 |archive-date=30 September 2007 }}</ref>

==History of Australian rules football on Anzac Day==
{{further|The VFL during the World Wars|VFL/AFL players who died in active service}}
During many wars, [[Australian rules football]] matches have been played overseas in places like northern [[Africa]] and [[Vietnam]] as a celebration of Australian culture and as a bonding exercise between soldiers.<ref>Australian War Memorial H13624</ref><ref>Australian War Memorial P00851.009</ref><ref>Australian War Memorial MEB0068</ref> Despite this, League football was not played on Anzac Day for many years; in 1959, for example, when all [[Australian Football League|VFL]] games were played on Saturday afternoons, Anzac Day also fell on a Saturday, and the entire round was postponed to the following Saturday. The first VFL matches played on Anzac Day occurred in 1960 after an Act of Parliament which lifted the previous restrictions on this activity.<ref name="age09-1">{{cite news|title=How the seed was planted|last=Connolly|first=Rohan|date=2009-04-23|work=[[The Age]] (sport liftout)|pages=6–7|access-date=2009-04-23|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/how-the-seed-was-planted-20091124-j4ic.html}}</ref>

The Anzac Day Act required a donation of a portion of ticket sales to the [[Returned and Services League of Australia|RSL]], so the RSL was active in encouraging the VFL to play on the day. The VFL was initially unenthusiastic, and on Anzac Day Tuesday in 1961 it scheduled smaller games at [[Windy Hill, Essendon|Windy Hill]] and [[Punt Road Oval]] for the day.<ref name="televised">{{cite news|newspaper=The Sporting Globe|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|page=1|date=5 April 1961|title=Footy TV on Anzac Day}}</ref> The [[Victorian Football Association]] attempted to capitalise on this, and with the RSL's support it moved a [[1961 VFA season#Anzac Day|marquee match]] between rivals [[Sandringham Football Club|Sandringham]] and [[Moorabbin Football Club|Moorabbin]] to the Melbourne Cricket Ground and put on a pre-match spectacle on a similar scale to that of the AFL's modern Anzac Day clash. The crowd of just under 14,000 was similar in size to the VFA's largest [[1960 VFA season#Sunday football|Sunday crowds]] at the time, but it still fell well short of the VFA's pre-match expectations; nevertheless, the match was a pioneer in the treatment of football on Anzac Day as a special occasion.<ref name="anzaccrowd">{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|page=53|author=Rex Pullen|date=26 April 1961|title=VFL decision was costly}}</ref>

In 1962 and 1967, instead of playing premiership matches on Anzac Day, the VFL arranged a representative match for Anzac Day between the [[Victoria Australian rules football team|Victorian team]] from the previous year's [[Interstate matches in Australian rules football|Interstate Carnival]] and a team representing the rest of the league.{{Clarify|reason=Did this team have a name? I assume it pre-dated the Allies moniker|date=February 2023}} Both matches drew small crowds between 15,000 and 20,000.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|date=26 April 1962|title=Another dent for side's pride|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|page=46|author=Kevin Hogan}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|date=26 April 1967|title="Clash" was so friendly|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|page=72|author=Kevin Hogan}}</ref>

Eventually, the VFL did begin to play matches on Anzac Day. These games sometimes drew huge crowds. The 1975 {{AFL Car}}–Essendon game attracted 77,770 fans to [[Waverley Park|VFL Park]], an Anzac Day record at the time; two years later, in 1977, {{AFL Ric}} and Collingwood drew 92,436 to the MCG.<ref name="age09-1" /><ref name="AFL_table">{{cite web|title=Anzac Day Clash–Collingwood vs Essendon|url=http://afltables.com/afl/teams/allteams/anzac_day_clash.html|publisher=AFL Tables|access-date =26 October 2015}}</ref>

In 1986, the league used Anzac Day to attempt its first ever single-venue [[doubleheader (television)|doubleheader]]. Held at the MCG, {{AFL Mel}} and {{AFL Syd}} played in the afternoon, followed after a 30-minute break by {{AFL NM}} and {{AFL Gee}} in the evening under lights. Due to a total crowd of only 40,117 and various logistical problems, the League would not stage another single-venue doubleheader at any venue again until the establishment of the [[Gather Round]] in 2023.

Through the years until the mid-1990s, it was common for at least two matches to be played on the Anzac Day public holiday.<ref>Rodgers, Stephen & Browne, Ashley (1996): ''Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL results 1897–1995.'' Penguin-Viking, Melbourne. {{ISBN|978-0-670-90794-6}}. p 441.</ref>

==History of Anzac Day match==
The modern version of the Anzac Day match was conceived by then Essendon coach [[Kevin Sheedy (Australian footballer)|Kevin Sheedy]] while pottering in his garden in the mid-1990s.<ref name="age09-1" /> Sheedy, who had served two years in the army after being [[Conscription|drafted]] to Richmond in 1969, thought back to the success of the Collingwood–Richmond game in 1977, and he considered how football on Anzac Day could pay suitable tribute to those who had served their country.<ref name="age09-1" /> Sheedy organised a meeting with officials from Essendon and Collingwood—as well as the then Victorian [[Returned and Services League of Australia|RSL]] President [[Bruce Ruxton]], who was also a keen Collingwood supporter—and proposed his concept for a game which would honour the [[Anzac spirit]].<ref name="age09-1" /> Despite their previous opposition to football on Anzac Day, Ruxton and the RSL agreed with Sheedy's proposal, as did the AFL.<ref name="age09-1" />

The first modern, specially scheduled Anzac Day match between Collingwood and Essendon was played on Tuesday, 25 April 1995 at the MCG. The Round 4 match received limited publicity, as there had previously been AFL matches played on 25 April, including Essendon, who had earned a 1-point win after trailing Melbourne by 47 points in the early stages of the final quarter in Round 6, 1992.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Georgiou |first=Michael |date=2021-07-02 |title=The Top-10 biggest comebacks of the AFL era |url=https://www.zerohanger.com/the-top-10-biggest-comebacks-of-the-afl-era-85818/ |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=Zero Hanger |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AFL Tables - Essendon v Melbourne - Sat, 25-Apr-1992 2:10 PM - Match Stats |url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1992/051119920425.html |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=afltables.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Rohan Connolly |date=26 April 1992 |title=What a comeback |page=2 |newspaper=The Sunday Age |publication-place=Melbourne}}</ref> Essendon had won its first three games of the season; however, Collingwood were without a victory at that point in the season. Soon after the Anzac Day march in the city, patrons flocked to the ground. Crowds outside the ground were so substantial at 12.30pm that Collingwood coach [[Leigh Matthews]] thought the gates to the ground must have still been locked. When the gates were closed at 1.30&nbsp;pm—still 40&nbsp;minutes before the start of the match—20,000 additional people had to be dispersed by mounted police while would-be gatecrashers attempted to gain admission into the stadium. Thousands of these people descended on nearby [[Fitzroy Gardens]], where they listened to the match on [[Radio broadcasting|radio]].

Played on a sunny autumn day, both teams kicked six goals in the first quarter. A three-goal-to-one second quarter helped Essendon lead by 16&nbsp;points at half time. However, the momentum swayed in the third quarter, when Collingwood kicked seven goals to two, giving them a 14-point lead at the break. Essendon started strongly in the final term, and when [[James Hird]] snapped a goal late in the quarter, he gave his team a six-point advantage. [[Sav Rocca|Saverio "Sav" Rocca]] leapt and took "one of the marks of the year" in the forward line soon after. At the 28-minute mark, he capitalised by kicking the goal and levelling the scores. With just seconds left, [[Nathan Buckley]] had an opportunity to score; however, he elected to kick to Rocca, who was cut off. Seconds later, the siren sounded; both teams' scores were 111. Roars from the 94,825-strong crowd during the match could easily be heard from a kilometre away, and the crowd remains the third-highest home-and-away crowd in VFL/AFL history. The 2023 Anzac Day match drew a crowd of 95,179, the second-biggest home-and-away crowd in AFL history,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gabelich |first1=Josh |title=Comeback Pies salute in front of record Anzac Day crowd |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/912387/comeback-pies-salute-in-front-of-record-anzac-day-crowd |website=Australian Football League |date=25 April 2023 |access-date=25 April 2023}}</ref> surpassed only by the 99,346 who attended the Collingwood–Melbourne [[King's Birthday match (AFL)|Queen's Birthday match]] in 1958.

[[File:Anzac Day Match 2010, Collingwood-Essendon.jpg|thumb|A crowd of over 90,000 attends the annual Anzac Day Collingwood–Essendon game (2010)|351x351px]]
Today, this game is often considered the biggest match of the AFL season outside of the finals, sometimes drawing bigger crowds than all but the [[AFL Grand Final|Grand Final]], and often selling out in advance.<ref name="Essendon_celebrating">{{cite web|url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=3428 |title=Celebrating the Anzac Day clash |date=April 2004 |work=[[Essendon Football Club|Essendon FC]] |access-date=2008-04-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428045611/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=3428 |archive-date=28 April 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200604/1614136.htm | title = AFL's Anzac clash sold out | work = ABC News Online | date = 11 April 2006 | access-date = 2007-05-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071209105245/http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200604/1614136.htm | archive-date = 9 December 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref> As a point of comparison, in the [[National Rugby League]], the [[Sydney Roosters]] and [[St. George Illawarra Dragons]] have played on Anzac Day since 2002, but generally without the increase in crowd numbers compared to other games as seen in the AFL.<ref>Smith, Warren; [http://blogs.foxsports.com.au/league/index.php/foxsports/comments/the_rant_dragons_and_roosters_should_forfeit_anzac_day Dragons and Roosters should forfeit Anzac Day] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607091020/http://blogs.foxsports.com.au/league/index.php/foxsports/comments/the_rant_dragons_and_roosters_should_forfeit_anzac_day/ |date=7 June 2008 }}; 29 April 2008</ref> However, Anzac Day matches have been a regular part of the rugby league season for over 80 years.

The [[Seven Network]] held broadcasting rights to the Collingwood–Essendon match from its inception in 1995 until 2001. Following this, the [[Nine Network]] (2002–06) and [[Network Ten]] (2007–09, and 2011) had the broadcasting rights, with the Seven Network broadcasting it in 2010. From the 2012 season onwards, the Seven Network regained the broadcasting rights to the match.

In recent years, other clubs and some sections of the media have lobbied for the game to be shared amongst all clubs, not just Collingwood and Essendon.<ref name="Pascoe">{{cite journal|last=Pascoe|first=Robert|date=May 2007|title=The AFL's Anzac Day Match|journal=CCL Review|publisher=Victoria University|location=Melbourne, Victoria|volume=1|issue=1|url=http://www.cclreview.org.au/updoc/1179276639_Pascoe%20AnzacDayMatch%20070504.pdf |access-date=2008-09-21|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20070527140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/72040/20070528-0000/www.cclreview.org.au/updoc/1179276639_Pascoe%20AnzacDayMatch%20070504.pdf|archive-date=27 May 2007}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="Lane">{{cite web|url=http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/anzac-day-an-occasion-to-be-shared/2008/04/26/1208743332040.html|title=Anzac Day, an occasion to be shared|last=Lane|first=Tim|date=27 April 2008|work=The Age|access-date=2008-09-21| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080922093749/http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/anzac-day-an-occasion-to-be-shared/2008/04/26/1208743332040.html| archive-date= 22 September 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> Since 1996,<ref name="ffc09-1">{{cite web|url=http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7009/newsid/75160/default.aspx |title=14th annual Len Hall Game |last=Mitchinson |first=Katie |date=2009-04-23 |work=Fremantle FC Official Site |access-date=2009-04-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922083902/http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7009/newsid/75160/default.aspx |archive-date=22 September 2009 }}</ref> one year after the team's inception, [[Fremantle Football Club|Fremantle]] has held the Len Hall Tribute Game, named in honour of Western Australia's last [[Gallipoli]] veteran.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afl.com.au/fremantlefc/News/NewsArticle/tabid/7009/Default.aspx?newsId=58484 |title=Match Day Info |date=24 April 2008 |work=AFL.com.au |access-date=2008-09-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429064539/http://www.afl.com.au/fremantlefc/News/NewsArticle/tabid/7009/Default.aspx?newsId=58484 |archive-date=29 April 2009}}</ref> This game is regularly held on Anzac Day as a Western Australian featured game.<ref name="ffc09-1" /> With Anzac Day falling on a Saturday in 2009, four games were scheduled for the day,<ref name="afl09-draw">{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-10-24/afl-unveils-2009-draw/180704|title=AFL Unveils 2009 Draw|year=2008|work=ABC News|access-date=26 December 2011}}</ref> yet the largest fixture (the MCG) continued to host Collingwood and Essendon at the exclusion of other clubs. Critics have argued that this venue fixture should be shared.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/04/26/the-afl-must-reconsider-the-anzac-day-fixture/ | title = The AFL must reconsider the ANZAC day fixture | last=Musolino | first=Adrian | date =26 April 2009| work = The Roar| access-date = 2009-04-26| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090427203122/http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/04/26/the-afl-must-reconsider-the-anzac-day-fixture/| archive-date= 27 April 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= http://sportal.com.au/afl-opinion-display/anzac-day-should-be-for-all| title= Anzac Day should be for all| last= Eva| first= Bruce| date= 26 April 2007| work= Sportal.com.au| access-date= 2009-04-26| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090427203002/http://sportal.com.au/afl-opinion-display/anzac-day-should-be-for-all| archive-date= 27 April 2009| url-status= dead}}</ref>

==Meaning and significance==
For many people, the clash may be their closest involvement with Anzac Day remembrance services. Before the match, a special Anzac Day service is held at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground|MCG]]. This ceremony includes the recognition of Australian War Veterans as well as a Flag Ceremony, including the playing of the "[[Last Post]]" and "[[Australian National Anthem]]".<ref name="AFL_respect" />

[[Sydney]]-based journalist and former Australian [[rugby union]] national representative player [[Peter FitzSimons]] commented in the ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]'' of the 2008 game that he had:<blockquote>...rarely seen something so impressive in the world of sport. As they played the ''Last Post'' and the national anthem, the 100,000-strong crowd{{sic}} uttered not a peep, whispered not a murmur. The atmosphere was electric and the general mood in the air one of reverence for the diggers and anticipation of the game to come...Somewhere, someone has done a superb job organising that landmark day in Australian sport.<ref name="FitzSimons">{{cite web | url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/tahd-with-a-new-brush/2008/05/02/1209235154755.html?page=2 | title = Tah'd with a new brush – Footy at its purest | date = 3 May 2008 | work = [[Sydney Morning Herald]] | access-date = 2008-05-09 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080506092358/http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/tahd-with-a-new-brush/2008/05/02/1209235154755.html?page=2| archive-date= 6 May 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref></blockquote>

The Collingwood Football Club asserts:
<blockquote>The Anzac Day blockbuster between Collingwood and Essendon has become one of our biggest national sporting events ... The Anzac Day match pays tribute to the sacrifice of the servicemen and women of Australia and celebrates the [[Anzac spirit]] – courage, sacrifice, endurance and mateship.<ref name="CollingwoodFC">{{cite web | url = http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/newsfeatures/news/newsarticle/tabid/5586/newsid/75528/default.aspx | title = Your complete Anzac Day guide | date = 23 April 2009 | work = collongwoodfc.com.au | access-date = 2009-05-27 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090427162954/http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/newsfeatures/news/newsarticle/tabid/5586/newsid/75528/default.aspx | archive-date = 27 April 2009 | url-status = dead }}</ref></blockquote>

Collingwood's former president [[Eddie McGuire]] has stated that "veterans will see the reason why they fought so hard for the Australian culture with two great tribes going at each other".<ref name="Pascoe"/><ref name="Lane"/>

Conversely, some commentators such as [[Francis Leach]], Liz Porter, Chris Fotinopoulos and Ruby Murray have criticised the Australian Football League for the way it promotes the event, arguing that it has exploited the sacredness and solemnity of the Anzac story for the purpose of financial profit.<ref name="Leach">Francis Leach, [https://www.crikey.com.au/2010/04/22/anzac-day-when-commemoration-becomes-commerce/ Anzac Day: when commemoration becomes commerce], ''Crikey'' 22 April 2010.</ref><ref name="Porter">Liz Porter, [https://www.theage.com.au/opinion/cry-anzac-and-let-slip-the-metaphors-of-war-20090418-aavc.html Cry Anzac and let slip the metaphors of war], ''The Age'' 19 April 2009.</ref><ref name="Murray">Ruby Murray, [https://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=13175# The false nationalism of Anzac Day and football] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213225342/http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=13175 |date=13 February 2016 }}, Eureka Street, 24 April 2009.</ref><ref name="Fotinopoulos1">Chris Fotinopoulos, [https://www.theage.com.au/news/Opinion/Hallowed-ground-maybe-battleground----never/2005/04/23/1114152362081.html Hallowed ground maybe, battleground . . . never], ''The Age'', 24 April 2005</ref><ref name="Fotinopoulos2">Chris Fotinopoulos, [http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2551592.htm Lest We Exploit], Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 24 April 2009.</ref> According to Porter:

<blockquote>The commodification of "the Anzac spirit" as an AFL marketing device appears to have begun with the 1995 Essendon-Collingwood clash, after which a commemorative poster of the game was produced, bearing the words "Lest we forget". A solemn pledge was reborn as an advertising slogan.<ref name="Porter"/></blockquote>

Also the subject of criticism have been the comments often made in relation to the game by the AFL, sports journalists, media personalities, club officials, coaches and some sections of the media which conflate the Anzac spirit at Gallipoli with the fighting spirit on the football ground.<ref name="Fotinopoulos1"/><ref name="Fotinopoulos2"/> In the opinion of Fotinopoulos, "the real meaning of Anzac Day has become distorted by slick marketing campaigns designed to pass footballers off as war heroes."<ref name="Fotinopoulos1"/> These criticisms were highlighted in 2009 when Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse stated that his team had "let the Anzacs down" in losing the game, and that "Essendon showed true Anzac spirit, the reason why we play here."<ref name="Seize">[http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25385768-19742,00.html Bombers seize Anzac spirit], ''The Herald Sun'', 25 April 2005</ref> Journalist [[Patrick Smith (journalist)|Patrick Smith]] responded in ''[[The Australian]]'' that this comparison between the game of football and the sadness and bravery of war "belittles and trivialises the suffering of the men and women which Anzac Day is set aside to remember and thank."<ref name="Smith">Patrick Smith, [https://archive.today/20121215182813/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25390286-12270,00.html For sale: one used coach – maintenance needed but great for kids], ''The Australian'' 27 April 2009.</ref> In a subsequent article, Smith argued:

<blockquote>The AFL itself is in danger of manipulating Anzac Day. The commission is looking to play more games than the traditional Essendon-Collingwood match which had previously been set aside as the code's mark of respect. To play more matches around the country is to move uneasily close to a ratings and money-making tool. Given that bravery and commitment in war is acknowledged with medals, the AFL seeks to capitalise on that with awarding the Anzac Medal to the best player on Anzac Day. On reflection, that is bordering on tacky.<ref name="Smith2">Patrick Smith, [http://wl.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26263623-16957,00.html Kokoda as a training drill is obscene]{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''The Australian'' 27 October 2009.</ref></blockquote>

The trophy awarded to the winning team each year has etched on it the names of football players who died during war, images of soldiers from the [[Royal Australian Regiment|Australian Infantry Forces]] and the words "Lest We Forget". Furthermore, the cup is made from [[glass]], [[silver]] and [[bronze]] on a base of [[ironbark]] that comes from an ammunition wagon used in service at [[Villers-Bretonneux]] during the [[First World War]], whilst the bronze columns supporting the silver bowl incorporate metal salvaged from the [[Gallipoli]] battlefields.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-25/anzac-day-trophy-steeped-in-history/5411816|title=Anzac Day AFL trophy steeped in history and symbolism|author=Karen Percy|date=25 April 2014|work=ABC News}}</ref>

==Anzac Medal==
{{Redirect|Anzac Medal|the first Anzac medal|Dora Ohlfsen-Bagge#Anzac medal}}
A best-on-ground player has been named for each of the Anzac Day clashes. Since 2000, the player in the match considered to best exemplify the [[Anzac spirit]]—skill, courage, self-sacrifice, teamwork and fair play—has been awarded the AFL Anzac Medal.<ref name="Essendon_celebrating" /> This medal has been won three times by Collingwood games record holder and former captain [[Scott Pendlebury]] and retired Essendon legend (and former Essendon coach) [[James Hird]]. In 2001, Collingwood's [[Chris Tarrant (footballer)|Chris Tarrant]] became the first—and so far ''only''—player to have won the medal despite playing in the losing team.

Before the start of the 2011 Anzac Day match, the AFL presented retrospective Anzac Medals to their intended recipients for all of the matches prior to the introduction of the medal in 2000.

==Match results==
{{S-start}}
|- style=";background:#ccf;font-size: 110%" 
| 
| '''Year'''
| '''Home Team'''
| {{Tooltip|'''Score'''|Goals – Behinds (Total)}}
| '''Away Team'''
| {{Tooltip|'''Score'''|Goals – Behinds (Total)}}
| '''Ground'''
| '''Crowd'''
| '''Result/Winner'''
|{{Tooltip|'''M'''|Margin}}
|{{Tooltip|'''HRT'''|Highest Ranked Team entering the match}}
|{{Tooltip|'''H2H'''|Head to head.}}
|style="text-align:center;"|{{Tooltip|'''AM'''|Anzac Medallist}}
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''1''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[1995 AFL season|1995]]
| [[File:Collingwood icon.svg|16x16px]] Collingwood
| 17.9 (111)
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 16.15 (111)
| rowspan="25"|[[Melbourne Cricket Ground]]
| 94,825
| style="text-align:center;"|Draw
!0
!D
|
|[[Saverio Rocca]]* (Col) 
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''2''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[1996 AFL season|1996]]
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 16.9 (105)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwood icon.svg|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''17.15 (117)'''
| 87,549
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White 2px; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!12
!W
|style="background:Black; color:White; border: White 2px; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+1'''|Black}}
|[[Scott Russell (footballer)|Scott Russell]]* (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''3''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[1997 AFL season|1997]]
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 10.10 (70)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwood icon.svg|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''14.15 (99)'''
| 83,271
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!29
!L
|style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+2'''|Black}}
|[[Damian Monkhurst]]* (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''4''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[1998 AFL season|1998]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwood icon.svg|16x16px]] Collingwood
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''15.18 (108)'''
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 12.16 (88)
| 81,542
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!20
!L
|style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+3'''|Black}}
|[[Saverio Rocca]]* (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''5''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[1999 AFL season|1999]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Essendon'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''15.18 (108)'''
| [[File:Collingwood icon.svg|16x16px]] Collingwood
| 15.10 (100)
| 73,118
| style="background:Red; color: Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''Essendon'''|Red}}
!8
!W
|style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+2'''|Black}}
|[[Mark Mercuri]]* (Ess)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''6''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2000 AFL season|2000]]
| [[File:Collingwood icon.svg|16x16px]] Collingwood
| 15.10 (100)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Essendon'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''21.14 (140)'''
| 88,390
| style="background:Red; color: Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''Essendon'''|Red}}
!40
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+1'''|Black}}
|[[James Hird]] (Ess)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''7''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2001 AFL season|2001]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Essendon'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''15.13 (103)'''
| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] Collingwood
| 14.11 (95)
| 83,905
| style="background:Red; color: Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''Essendon'''|Red}}
!8
!W
|
|[[Chris Tarrant (footballer)|Chris Tarrant]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''8''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2002 AFL season|2002]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''9.12 (66)'''
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 4.9 (33)
| 84,894
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!33
!L
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+1'''|Black}}
|[[Mark McGough |Mark McGough]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''9''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2003 AFL season|2003]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Essendon'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''23.9 (147)'''
| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] Collingwood
| 12.9 (81)
| 62,589^
| style="background:Red; color: Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''Essendon'''|Red}}
!66
!L
|
|[[James Hird]] (Ess)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''10''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2004 AFL season|2004]]
| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] Collingwood
| 11.13 (79)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Essendon'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''17.10 (112)'''
| 57,294^
| style="background:Red; color: Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''Essendon'''|Red}}
!33
!W
| style="background:Red; color:Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''+1'''|Red}}
|[[James Hird]] (Ess)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''11''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2005 AFL season|2005]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Essendon'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''11.17 (83)'''
| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] Collingwood
| 10.9 (69)
| 70,033^
| style="background:Red; color: Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''Essendon'''|Red}}
!14
!L
| style="background:Red; color:Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''+2'''|Red}}
|[[Andrew Lovett]] (Ess)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''12''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2006 AFL season|2006]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''15.16 (106)'''
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 12.17 (89)
| 91,234
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!17
!W
| style="background:Red; color:Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''+1'''|Red}}
|[[Ben Johnson (Australian footballer)|Ben Johnson]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''13''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2007 AFL season|2007]]
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 11.13 (79)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''12.23 (95)'''
| 90,508
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!16
!L
| 
|[[Heath Shaw]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''14''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2008 AFL season|2008]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''23.16 (154)'''
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 12.9 (81)
| 88,999
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!73
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+1'''|Black}}
|[[Paul Medhurst]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''15''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2009 AFL season|2009]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Essendon'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''13.15 (93)'''
| [[File:Collingwood icon.svg|16x16px]] Collingwood
| 12.16 (88)
| 84,829
| style="background:Red; color: Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''Essendon'''|Red}}
!5
!L
| 
|[[Paddy Ryder]] (Ess)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''16''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2010 AFL season|2010]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''18.12 (120)'''
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 8.7 (55)
| 90,070
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!65
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+1'''|Black}}
|[[Scott Pendlebury]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''17''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2011 AFL season|2011]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| style="background:#cfc;"| 11.11 (77)
| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| '''16.11 (107)'''
| 89,262
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!30
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+2'''|Black}}
|[[Scott Pendlebury]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''18''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2012 AFL season|2012]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| 11.14 (80)
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 11.13 (79)
| 86,932
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!1
!L
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+3'''|Black}}
|[[Dane Swan]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''19''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2013 AFL season|2013]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Essendon'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''18.13 (121)'''
| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] Collingwood
| 10.15 (75)
| 93,373
| style="background:Red; color: Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''Essendon'''|Red}}
!46
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+2'''|Black}}
|[[David Zaharakis]] (Ess)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''20''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2014 AFL season|2014]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''12.11 (83)'''
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 8.12 (60)
| 91,731
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!23
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+3'''|Black}}
|[[Dane Swan]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''21''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2015 AFL season|2015]]
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 6.13 (49)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''9.15 (69)'''
| 88,395
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!20
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+4'''|Black}}
|[[Paul Seedsman]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''22''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2016 AFL season|2016]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''22.10 (142)'''
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 11.7 (73)
| 85,082
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!69
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+5'''|Black}}
|[[Steele Sidebottom]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''23''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2017 AFL season|2017]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Essendon'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''15.10 (100)'''
| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] Collingwood
| 11.16 (82)
| 87,685
| style="background:Red; color: Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''Essendon'''|Red}}
!18
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+4'''|Black}}
|[[Joe Daniher]] (Ess)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''24''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2018 AFL season|2018]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''14.17 (101)'''
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 7.10 (52)
| 91,440
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!49
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+5'''|Black}}
|[[Adam Treloar]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''25''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2019 AFL season|2019]]
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 10.9 (69)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwood Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''10.13 (73)'''
| 92,241
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!4
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+6'''|Black}}
|[[Scott Pendlebury]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
|
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2020 AFL season|2020]]
! colspan="11" | <div style="text-align: center;">''No match played due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]''</div>
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''26''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2021 AFL season|2021]]
| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] Collingwood
| 13.7 (85)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Essendon'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''16.13 (109)'''
| rowspan="5"|[[Melbourne Cricket Ground]]
| 78,113^^
| style="background:Red; color: Black; border: Black; text-align:center;" |{{color box|Black|'''Essendon'''|Red}}
!24
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+5'''|Black}}
|[[Darcy Parish]] (Ess)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''27''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2022 AFL season|2022]]
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 12.10 (82)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwood icon.svg|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''15.3 (93)'''
| 84,205
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!11
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+6'''|Black}}
|[[Jack Ginnivan]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''28''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2023 AFL season|2023]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''13.12 (90)'''
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 11.11 (77)
| 95,179
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!13
!L
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+7'''|Black}}
|[[Nick Daicos]] (Col)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''29''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2024 AFL season|2024]]
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 12.13 (85)
| [[File:Collingwood icon.svg|16x16px]] Collingwood
| 12.13 (85)
| 93,644
| style="text-align:center;"|Draw 
!0
!D
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+7'''|Black}}
|[[Zach Merrett]] (Ess)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''30''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2025 AFL season|2025]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Collingwoodsymbol.png|16x16px]] '''Collingwood'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''16.11 (107)'''
| [[File:Essendon Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] Essendon
| 10.6 (66)
| 92,044
| style="background:Black ; color: White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''Collingwood'''|Black}}
!41
!W
| style="background:Black; color:White; border: White; text-align:center;" |{{color box|White|'''+8'''|Black}}
|[[Steele Sidebottom]] (Col)
|}
''* Retrospective medals awarded in 2011, for games from 1995 to 1999, as the first official Anzac Medal was awarded in 2000.<ref name="Essendon_celebrating" />''

''^ Capacity of ground reduced due to redevelopment for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.''

''^^ Capacity of ground reduced due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].''

{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Summary results'''<ref name="AFL_table" />
|- style="background:#87cefa;"
|-
! scope="col" width="120" |Football Club
! scope="col" width="240" |Years Drawn
! scope="col" width="080" |Total Draws
! scope="col" width="240" |Years Won
! scope="col" width="080" |Total Wins
! scope="col" width="240" |Years Lost
! scope="col" width="080" |Total Losses
! scope="col" width="240" |Anzac Medals
! scope="col" width="080" |Total Medals
|-
|  {{AFL Col}} || 1  align=center | 1995, 2024 || 2 || 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025 || 18  align=center | 18 || 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021 || align="center" | 10 || 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025|| align=center | 20
|-
|  {{AFL Ess}} || 1  align=center | 1995, 2024 || 2 || 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021 || align="center" | 10 || 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025|| 17  align=center | 18 || 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021, 2024 || align=center | 10
|}

== Other Anzac Day fixtures ==
=== Anzac eve ===
'''Melbourne vs. Richmond (2015–present)'''<br/>
{{Infobox Sports rivalry
 | title                     = ANZAC Eve Clash
 | firstmeeting                     = 24 April 2015
 | mostrecent                     = 24 April 2025
 | nextmeeting                     = 24 April 2026
 | total                     = 10
 | series                     = {{AFL Mel}} (7 wins) <br> {{AFL Ric}} (3 wins)
}}
[[File:AFL_ANZAC_Day_Eve_-_Lighting_the_torch.jpg|thumb|400px|centre|[[Ron Barassi]] with a serviceman lighting the torch with the Eternal Flame at the [[Shrine of Remembrance]]. (Barassi's [[Ron Barassi Sr.|father]] was killed in action during the [[Siege of Tobruk]].)<br />This is part of the [[Pre-game ceremony|pre-match ceremony]].]]

On 30 October 2014, the [[Australian Football League|AFL]] confirmed that [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]] and [[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne]] would host an Anzac eve night clash at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground|MCG]] starting from the 2015 season.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-10-30|title=Tigers, Dees in Anzac eve showdown|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/afl-fixture-2015-richmond-and-melbourne-to-clash-in-anzac-eve-showdown/news-story/60e547aa8eb350342537b1745674fd15|access-date=2021-03-19|website=heraldsun|language=en}}</ref>

As part of the [[Pre-game ceremony|pre-match ceremonies]], a torch lit from the Eternal Flame at the [[Shrine of Remembrance]] is carried to the ground, where it lights a cauldron on an MCG stage to burn for the duration of the match. Players from both sides, including coaches and officials, alongside returned servicemen and women, line up near the flame for the playing of the "[[Last Post]]" and "[[Advance Australia Fair]]". The pre-match ceremony was developed by—and has the full support of—the RSL, the [[Shrine of Remembrance]], and the [[Australian Defence Force]]. [[Ron Barassi]], whose father died at Tobruk during World War II in 1941, was the first person to light the cauldron.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-04-20|title=Barassi to light Anzac eve flame|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/ron-barassi-to-light-flame-at-mcg-before-richmondmelbourne-anzac-day-eve-clash/news-story/541526ea812d6957a886493dddb0397f|access-date=2021-03-19|website=heraldsun|language=en}}</ref> In 2017, the Anzac eve match drew a crowd of 85,657, the highest ever between the two clubs, ensuring the fixture was continued the following year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-24/afl-scorecentre-richmond-melbourne/8457624|work=ABC News|date=24 April 2017|title=Richmond beats Melbourne Demons by 13 points at MCG to make excellent start to AFL season}}</ref>

Until 2020, there was no official trophy for the winning team or player's medal for best on ground. Since 2021, the [[Frank Hughes (footballer, born 1894)|Frank 'Checker' Hughes]] medal has been awarded to the player judged best afield.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2021-anzac-day-round-fixture-melbourne-vs-richmond-medals-anzac-medal-winners-new-award/news-story/7884875fb9e13ffb3e6d2432852c871a|work=Fox Footy|date=7 April 2021|title=Exclusive: New Anzac Eve medal to honour Hall of Famer Frank 'Checker' Hughes}}</ref>

[[File:AFL ANZAC Eve National Anthem 2023.jpg|center|thumb|376x376px|National Anthem ceremony prior to the beginning of the 2023 match]]

{{S-start}}
|- style=";background:#ccf;font-size: 110%" 
| 
| '''Year'''
| '''Home Team'''
| {{Tooltip|'''Score'''|Goals – Behinds (Total)}}
| '''Away Team'''
| {{Tooltip|'''Score'''|Goals – Behinds (Total)}}
| '''Ground'''
| '''Crowd'''
| '''Result/Winner'''
|{{Tooltip|'''M'''|Margin}}
|{{Tooltip|'''H2H'''|Head to head.}}
|style="text-align:center;"|{{Tooltip|'''FHM'''|Frank 'Checker' Hughes Medallist for best player afield. Awarded since 2021; names listed for matches prior to this refer to the player awarded three Brownlow votes.}}
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''1''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2015 AFL season|2015]]
| [[File: Richmond Football Club colours (2017-).svg|16x16px]] Richmond
| 6.15 (51)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Melbourne Football Club Colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Melbourne'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''12.11 (83)'''
| rowspan="5"|[[Melbourne Cricket Ground]]
| 58,175
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''Melbourne'''}}
! 32
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''+1'''}}
| [[Nathan Jones (Australian footballer)|Nathan Jones]]* (Mel) 
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''2''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2016 AFL season|2016]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Melbourne Football Club Colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Melbourne'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''20.9 (129)'''
| [[File: Richmond Football Club colours (2017-).svg|16x16px]] Richmond
| 14.12 (96)
| 59,968
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''Melbourne'''}}
! 33
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''+2'''}}
| [[Max Gawn]]* (Mel)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''3''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2017 AFL season|2017]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File: Richmond Football Club colours (2017-).svg|16x16px]] '''Richmond'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''12.16 (88)'''
| [[File:Melbourne Football Club Colours.svg|16x16px]] Melbourne
| 11.9 (75)
| 85,657
| bgcolor="Black" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#FED102|'''Richmond'''}}
! 13
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''+1'''}} 
| [[Jack Riewoldt]]* (Ric)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''4''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2018 AFL season|2018]]
| [[File:Melbourne Football Club Colours.svg|16x16px]] Melbourne
| 8.8 (56)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File: Richmond Football Club colours (2017-).svg|16x16px]] '''Richmond'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''15.12 (102)'''
| 77,071
| bgcolor="Black" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#FED102|'''Richmond'''}}
! 46
|
| [[Kane Lambert]]* (Ric)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''5''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2019 AFL season|2019]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File: Richmond Football Club colours (2017-).svg|16x16px]] '''Richmond'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''12.13 (85)'''
| [[File:Melbourne Football Club Colours.svg|16x16px]] Melbourne
| 6.6 (42)
| 72,704
| bgcolor="Black" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#FED102|'''Richmond'''}}
! 43
| bgcolor="Black" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#FED102|'''+1'''}}
| [[Nick Vlastuin]]* (Ric)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| 
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2020 AFL season|2020]]
! colspan="11" | <div style="text-align: center;">''No match played due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]''</div>
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''6''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2021 AFL season|2021]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Melbourne Football Club Colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Melbourne'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''12.10 (82)'''
| [[File: Richmond Football Club colours (2017-).svg|16x16px]] Richmond
| 6.12 (48)
| rowspan=5 |[[Melbourne Cricket Ground]]
| 56,418
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''Melbourne'''}}
! 34
|
| [[Christian Petracca]] (Mel)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''7''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2022 AFL season|2022]]
| [[File: Richmond Football Club colours (2017-).svg|16x16px]] Richmond
| 8.6 (54)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Melbourne Football Club Colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Melbourne'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''9.22 (76)'''
| 70,334
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''Melbourne'''}}
! 22
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''+1'''}}
| [[Clayton Oliver]] (Mel)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''8''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2023 AFL season|2023]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Melbourne Football Club Colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Melbourne'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''15.6 (96)'''
| [[File: Richmond Football Club colours (2017-).svg|16x16px]] Richmond
| 11.12 (78)
| 83,985
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''Melbourne'''}}
! 18
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''+2'''}}
| [[Jack Viney]] (Mel)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''9''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2024 AFL season|2024]]
| [[File: Richmond Football Club colours (2017-).svg|16x16px]] Richmond
| 5.12 (42)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Melbourne Football Club Colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Melbourne'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''13.7 (85)'''
| 72,840
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''Melbourne'''}}
! 43
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''+3'''}}
| [[Max Gawn]] (Mel)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''10''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2025 AFL season|2025]]
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Melbourne Football Club Colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Melbourne'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''12.11 (83)'''
|  [[File: Richmond Football Club colours (2017-).svg|16x16px]] Richmond
| style="text-align: center;"| 9.9 (63)
| 71,635
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''Melbourne'''}}
! 20
| bgcolor="#0F1131" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|#CC2031|'''+4'''}}
| [[Max Gawn]] (Mel)
|}
<small>Note:<br>
Since 2021 the best player afield has been awarded the [[Frank Hughes (footballer, born 1894)|Frank 'Checker' Hughes]] Medal. Names listed prior to this date refer to the player who received three [[Brownlow Medal|Brownlow]] votes.</small>

=== New Zealand match ===
'''St Kilda vs. various clubs (2013–2015)'''<br/>
{{Infobox Sports rivalry
| title             = New Zealand ANZAC Day Clash
| firstmeeting      = 25 April 2013
| mostrecent        = 25 April 2015
| nextmeeting       = 
| total             = 3
| series            = {{AFL Stk}} (0 wins) <br> {{AFL Syd}} (1 win) <br> {{AFL BL}} (1 win) <br> {{AFL Car}} (1 win)
}}
[[File:westpacstadium.png|thumb|700px|centre|Panorama of Westpac Stadium in Wellington, the home venue for every New Zealand ANZAC Day clash (2013–2015).]]
The New Zealand ANZAC Day matches were held to commemorate the centenary of the forming of the ANZACs in 1913 through to the centenary of the Gallipoli landings in 1915.
In 2013, {{AFL Stk}} and Sydney played an Anzac Day match in [[New Zealand]] in remembrance of the centenary of the forming of the ANZACs in 1913. This was the first AFL game ever played for premiership points outside Australia.<ref name=stk-rp>{{cite web|last=Holmesby|first=Luke|title=Riewoldt proud to be part of historic occasion|url=http://www.saints.com.au/news/2013-04-24/riewoldt-proud-to-be-part-of-historic-occasion|work=Official website|publisher={{AFL Stk}}|access-date=27 April 2013|date=24 April 2013}}</ref> The game was played between St Kilda and {{AFL Syd}} as a night game at [[Westpac Stadium]] in New Zealand's capital, [[Wellington]], in front of a crowd of 22,546.<ref name=age-aflkiwi>{{cite web|last=Wilson|first=Caroline|title=We want AFL team: Kiwis|url=https://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/we-want-afl-team-kiwis-20130425-2ihk7.html|work=[[The Age]]|publisher=[[Fairfax Media]]|access-date=27 April 2013|date=26 April 2013}}</ref> Sydney won the game by 16 points, scoring 11.13 (79) to St Kilda 9.9 (63),<ref name=age-ssgritty>{{cite web|last=Hanlon|first=Peter|title=Saints go down fighting against stubborn Swans in gritty clash |url=https://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-report/saints-go-down-fighting-against-stubborn-swans-in-gritty-clash-20130425-2ihq0.html|work=[[The Age]]|publisher=[[Fairfax Media]]|access-date=27 April 2013|date=26 April 2013}}</ref> while the first New Zealand–awarded Anzac Medal went to Sydney's [[Dan Hannebery]].<ref name=age-aflkiwi /> Before the game St Kilda captain [[Nick Riewoldt]] said "To play on Anzac Day in another country for the first time in the history of the sport is a momentous occasion and as a playing group we feel really privileged to be doing that...".<ref name=stk-rp />
 
The game was attended by the [[Prime Minister of New Zealand]], [[John Key]]; Australian [[Minister for Sport (Australia)|Minister for Sport]], [[Kate Lundy]]; and the AFL chief executive, [[Andrew Demetriou]].<ref name=age-aflkiwi /> Key reflected on the significance of the Anzac relationship, commenting shortly before the game began on Australia's immediate assistance following the [[Christchurch earthquake]], and saying "The Anzac spirit is as alive today as it was in 1915".<ref name=age-aflkiwi/> Key also used the occasion to raise the prospect of a New Zealand–based AFL team, saying at the official pre-match function "Let's get real. We've got to get a New Zealand side in the AFL.". While Demetriou would not comment further on Key's statements, he said he planned to chat to Key about it at a later date, and stated New Zealand was "unquestionably our fastest growth market outside Australia".<ref name=age-aflkiwi />

The winning club received the '''"Simpson–Henderson Trophy"''', named in honour of Australian [[John Simpson Kirkpatrick]] and New Zealander [[Richard Alexander Henderson]], both known for carrying wounded soldiers from World War I battlefields on donkeys.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saints.com.au/news/2013-04-25/special-trophy-for-historic-clash|title=Special trophy for historic clash|date=25 April 2013|access-date=15 May 2015|publisher=St Kilda Football Club|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924093800/http://www.saints.com.au/news/2013-04-25/special-trophy-for-historic-clash|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> The New Zealand fixture was retained for the [[2014 AFL season|2014]] and [[2015 AFL season|2015]] seasons, with the Saints' opponents in those years being the [[Brisbane Lions]]<ref>[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/brisbane-lions-to-share-anzac-day-spoils-with-clash-against-st-kilda-in-wellington/story-fni5f4q3-1226747451179 Brisbane Lions to share Anzac Day spoils with clash against St Kilda in Wellington], ''Herald Sun'', 26 October 2013</ref><ref>[http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-04-25/st-kilda-v-brisbane-lions-match-report Lions hold on for desperate win in NZ], ''AFL.com.au official website'', 25 April 2014</ref> and {{AFL Car}}, respectively.<ref>[https://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/carlton-headed-to-wellington-for-anzac-day-clash-with-st-kilda-20141024-11b0ke.html Carlton headed to Wellington for Anzac Day clash with St Kilda], ''The Age'', 24 October 2014</ref> However, the fixture was subsequently scrapped.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-10-27/no-new-zealand-games-in-2016-as-saints-kiwi-push-teeters-on-the-brink|title=No New Zealand games in 2016 as Saints' Kiwi push teeters on the brink|publisher=Australian Football League|work=BigPond|first=Nathan|last=Schmook|date=27 October 2015|access-date=27 October 2015}}</ref>

{{S-start}}
|- style=";background:#ccf;font-size: 110%" 
| 
| '''Year'''
| '''Home Team'''
| {{Tooltip|'''Score'''|Goals – Behinds (Total)}}
| '''Away Team'''
| {{Tooltip|'''Score'''|Goals – Behinds (Total)}}
| '''Ground'''
| '''Crowd'''
| '''Result/Winner'''
|{{Tooltip|'''M'''|Margin}}
|style="text-align:center;"|{{Tooltip|'''AM'''|Anzac Medallist awarded to best player afield.}}
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''1''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2013 AFL season|2013]]
| [[File:St Kilda Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] St Kilda
| 9.9 (63)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Sydney Football Club colours.svg|16x16px]] '''Sydney'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''11.13 (79)'''
| rowspan="3"|[[Wellington Regional Stadium]]
| 22,546
| bgcolor="red" style="text-align: center;" div |{{font color|White|'''Sydney'''}}
! 16
| [[Dan Hannebery]] (Syd) 
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''2''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2014 AFL season|2014]]
| [[File:St Kilda Football Club colours (1997-2001).svg|16x16px]] St Kilda
| 11.13 (79)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Brisbane Lions Football Club colours (2010-2014).svg|16x16px]] '''Brisbane'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''12.10 (82)'''    
| 13,409
| bgcolor="#78184A" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|Gold|'''Brisbane'''}}
! 3
| [[Leigh Montagna]]* (StK)
|- style="background:#fff;font-size: 80%;"
| ''3''
| style="text-align: center;"|[[2015 AFL season|2015]]
| [[File:St Kilda Football Club colours (1997-2001).svg|16x16px]] St Kilda
| 12.9 (81)
| style="background:#cfc;"| [[File:Carlton 2018 AFL.png|16x16px]] '''Carlton'''
| style="background:#cfc;"| '''18.13 (121)'''
| 12,125
| bgcolor="#2B2E43" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|White|'''Carlton'''}}
! 40
| [[Marc Murphy (footballer)|Marc Murphy]]* (Car)
|}

=== Len Hall Tribute game ===
'''Fremantle vs. various clubs (1996–)'''

The Len Hall game is named in tribute to the last Gallipoli veteran from Western Australia, Len Hall (1897–1999). Matches are either played on ANZAC Day itself or over that weekend during the same round.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The story of Len Hall, a Fremantle love story |url=https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/1108280/the-story-of-len-hall-a-fremantle-love-story |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=fremantlefc.com.au |date=21 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

On March 24 2025, the Fremantle Dockers had announced a new best of ground medal, the Arthur Leggett Medal, named after Western Australia's last surviving World War II prisoner of war. The inaugural medal was awarded to Fremantle's [[Andrew Brayshaw]] after being voted Best on Ground in the club's 2025 Len Hall Tribute Match against the Adelaide Crows.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!
!Year
!Date
!Rd
!Fremantle Score
!Away Team
!Score
!Ground
!Crowd
!Winner
|-
|1
|1996
|26/4
|5
|13.18 (96)
|[[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne]]
|8.11 (59)
|[[WACA Ground]]
|26,618
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|2
|1997
|25/4
|5
|16.11 (107)
|[[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda]]
|15.11 (101)
|[[Subiaco Oval]]
|23,504
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|3
|1998
|25/4
|5
|16.8 (104)
|[[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]]
|12.15 (87)
|WACA Ground
|26,335
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|4
|1999
|25/4
|5
|7.11 (53)
|[[Brisbane Lions|Brisbane]]
|15.18 (108)
|Subiaco Oval
|24,044
|Brisbane
|-
|5
|2000
|25/4
|7
|17.9 (111)
|[[Brisbane Lions|Brisbane]]
|15.10 (100)
|Subiaco Oval
|19,800
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|6
|2003*
|27/4
|5
|10.13 (73)
|[[West Coast Eagles|West Coast]]
|16.12 (108)
|Subiaco Oval
|41,654
|West Coast
|-
|7
|2004
|25/4
|5
|18.9 (117)
|[[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]]
|14.7 (91)
|Subiaco Oval
|35,021
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|8
|2005
|23/4
|5
|15.13 (103)
|[[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]]
|11.18 (84)
|Subiaco Oval
|36,056
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|9
|2006
|22/4
|4
|9.5 (59)
|[[Adelaide Football Club|Adelaide]]
|9.16 (70)
|Subiaco Oval
|35,090
|Adelaide
|-
|10
|2007
|29/4
|5
|7.16 (58)
|[[Adelaide Football Club|Adelaide]]
|8.9 (57)
|Subiaco Oval
|37,172
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|11
|2008
|25/4
|6
|13.10 (88)
|[[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]]
|13.11 (89)
|Subiaco Oval
|38,022
|Geelong
|-
|12
|2009
|25/4
|5
|18.13 (121)
|[[Sydney Swans|Sydney]]
|16.4 (100)
|Subiaco Oval
|32,884
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|13
|2010
|25/4
|5
|15.22 (112)
|[[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]]
|11.7 (73)
|Subiaco Oval
|38,010
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|14
|2011
|25/4
|5
|12.13 (85)
|[[Western Bulldogs]]
|11.12 (78)
|Subiaco Oval
|37,551
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|15
|2012
|27/4
|5
|7.15 (57)
|[[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]]
|10.5 (65)
|Subiaco Oval
|38,847
|Carlton
|-
|16
|2013
|26/4
|5
|12.9 (81)
|[[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]]
|12.8 (80)
|Subiaco Oval
|36,365
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|17
|2014
|25/4
|6
|8.13 (61)
|[[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]]
|10.14 (74)
|Subiaco Oval
|37,624
|North Melbourne
|-
|18
|2015
|25/4
|4
|11.8 (74)
|[[Sydney Swans|Sydney]]
|8.12 (60)
|Subiaco Oval
|39,009
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|19
|2016
|24/4
|5
|9.14 (68)
|[[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]]
|10.12 (72)
|Subiaco Oval
|34,796
|Carlton
|-
|20
|2017
|22/4
|5
|9.13 (67)
|[[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]]
|9.8 (62)
|Subiaco Oval
|33,319
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|21
|2018
|21/4
|5
|16.12 (108)
|[[Western Bulldogs]]
|8.6 (54)
|[[Perth Stadium]]
|43,056
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|22
|2019
|27/4
|6
|13.10 (88)
|[[Western Bulldogs]]
|9.15 (69)
|Perth Stadium
|43,732
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|
|2020
| colspan=8| ''No match played in 2020 due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]''
|-
|23
|2021
|24/4
|6
|14.15 (99)
|[[North Melbourne Football Club|North Melbourne]]
|6.12 (48)
|Perth Stadium
|0^
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|24
|2022
|23/4
|6
|14.13 (97)
|[[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]]
|9.8 (62)
|Perth Stadium
|42,302
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|25
|2023
|21/4
|6
|10.9 (69)
|[[Western Bulldogs]]
|17.16 (118)
|Perth Stadium
|'''47,503'''
|Western Bulldogs
|-
|26
|2024<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-27 |title=High on Fyfe: Superstar winds back clock as Freo sinks Dogs |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1116666/high-on-nat-fyfe-superstar-winds-back-the-clock-as-fremantle-dockers-sinks-western-bulldogs |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=afl.com.au |language=en}}</ref>
|27/4
|7
|14.11 (95)
|[[Western Bulldogs]]
|10.11 (71)
|Perth Stadium
|45,931
|'''Fremantle'''
|-
|27
|2025
|25/4
|7
|12.13 (85)
|[[Adelaide Crows]]
|9.13 (67)
|Perth Stadium
|53,048
|'''Fremantle'''
|}
''* There was no match played in 2001 and 2002 because Fremantle played away in the Anzac Round in both of those years.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Players honoured to line-up in Len Hall Tribute Game|url=https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/302086/players-honoured-to-lineup-in-len-hall-tribute-game-|access-date=2021-03-19|website=www.fremantlefc.com.au|date=19 April 2017 }}</ref>

''^ Match played without crowd attendance, due to [[COVID-19 pandemic in Australia#Western Australia|COVID-19 restrictions]].''

'''Arthur Leggett Medalist'''

The Arthur Leggett Medal has been awarded to the player deemed best on ground in the annual Len Hall Fixture since 2025.

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Table of recipients
|-
! scope=col | Year
! scope=col | Recipient
! scope=col | Club
|-
| [[2025 AFL season|2025]]
! scope=row | {{sortname|Andrew|Brayshaw}}
| {{AFL Fre}}
|}

==References==
{{Commons category|ANZAC Day match (AFL)}}
{{reflist|30em}}

{{AFL Anzac Medal}}
{{AFL BOG medals}}
{{Special AFL fixtures}}
{{Collingwood Football Club}}
{{Essendon Football Club}}
{{Australian Football League}}
{{Melbourne events}}

{{Coord|37|49|12|S|144|59|00|E|display=title|region:AU-VIC_type:event}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anzac Day clash}}
[[Category:Australian Football League games]]
[[Category:Australian Football League awards]]
[[Category:Australian Football League rivalries]]
[[Category:Collingwood Football Club]]
[[Category:Essendon Football Club]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Melbourne]]
[[Category:1995 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:ANZAC (Australia)]]