Annual rant - ANZAC jumpers and merch

[Randall Stevens]

While we are at it, scrap the ANZAC day game medal. It's crass.

Totally agree.

More broadly, I think medals for any single home and away game are pointless, but this one is the worst of the lot.

I'm sure nobody seriously confuses courage on a football field with courage on a battlefield, yet the basis on which this medal is supposed to be judged does imply a link.

 

[Randall Stevens]

I agree that the commercialisation is awful. I also think If they must do it then it really should be all proceeds not just a portion.

This is along the lines of my thoughts.

If the clubs are really about commemoration rather than commercialism (and I think we already know the truth of this matter) they should:

• Produce only enough jumpers for the team to wear on the day
• Cover the costs of production and design
• Auction the jumpers after the match
• Donate ALL of the proceeds to RSL, Legacy or some other connected organisation

 

[JackOutback]

These ******* jumpers and merch get worse every year.

The day is meant to be about solemn remembrance and respect.

It’s not a ******* celebration or a dress up party.

The players should be in normal strips with a simple ANZAC badge or appropriate symbol on the chest as a mark of that respect.

And they should not be sold ffs.

The traditional item that people wore was a small, simple pin that showed a recognition and respect.

We’re “commemorating” the brutal slaughter of countless poor young men who were sent to die young, alone and terrified a world away from their homes and families. And hoping that it doesn’t happen again.

Is it though? This is what the RSLWA is up to in Perth.

'Packed with interactive military vehicles, rides, commemorative activities, live music and food trucks, the free event will run from 10am to 4pm.'

If the RSL is throwing a carnival over the bodies of dead soldiers, why would we expect anything different from the AFL.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Is it though? This is what the RSLWA is up to in Perth.

'Packed with interactive military vehicles, rides, commemorative activities, live music and food trucks, the free event will run from 10am to 4pm.'

If the RSL is throwing a carnival over the bodies of dead soldiers, why would we expect anything different from the AFL.

I can’t say I’m totally across the RSL’s activities, but plenty who are say they’re unrepresentative and part of the problem

 

[Running Dog]

This is along the lines of my thoughts.

If the clubs are really about commemoration rather than commercialism (and I think we already know the truth of this matter) they should:

• Produce only enough jumpers for the team to wear on the day
• Cover the costs of production and design
• Auction the jumpers after the match
• Donate ALL of the proceeds to RSL, Legacy or some other connected organisation

The WAFL did this a few years back. Could never figure out how to participate in the auction- not sure if it was even conducted publicly or whether the jumpers were donated to other entities to use in fundraising efforts. East Fremantle wore a jumper in tribute to the RAAF. But yes, good idea.

 

[Lockyer24]

The clubs love getting on their high horse on Australia Day, then are quick to make a buck off the vets who served for the Australian flag.

They probably need to pull their head in a bit in both.

 

[Rabish Binney]

Was in the Somme a couple of weeks ago. Visited the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland memorial, which has the largest intact system of remaining trenches. Would highly recommend if you're in the area.

One a freezing and wet spring day, felt a world away from the MCG, I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear.

As long as the game is the focus of the day for most - let's not kid ourselves here - it won't sit right for me, but I long ago stopped worrying about it. Those who are interested will seek out a more accurate understanding of the ANZAC story, rather than the superficial jingoism of the mass-consumption version.

I, my wife, sister and brother in law did a personalised 3 day Western Front Tour in Belgium and France last year

It's probably the best thing we've ever done.

We visited the sites of Amiens; Pozieres; Villers-Bretonneux; Fromelles and Bullecourt. Stayed in night in Ypres where at 8:00 PM every night at the Menin Gate, the local fire brigade conduct a ceremony and play the last post. There was a huge crowd there and it was amazing.

We visited Tyne Cot cemetery where there are 12,000 graves (most of them unmarked) and 35,000 names of the fallen on the walls of the cemetery itself.

I did know a bit about the history of WW1 but what we saw absolutely blew us away. It was extremely, overwhelmingly emotional and I can say that we all lost it several times When you see the cemeteries; the memorials and tributes to our fallen - most of whom were aged 18-25 it really brings it home. The sheer numbers of the casualties (i.e. at Fromelles, 5,500 in 48 hours) you just cant comprehend. it.

The cemeteries' are immaculately kept, some have stone walls around them and there is not a blade of grass out of place on the lawns.

In the town of Bullecourt, there is a huge sign in the middle of the town 'ANZACS WE WILL REMEMBER THEM' . We had lunch at the pub there and as soon as the owner saw that we were Aussies, she shouted us our first round of drinks.

We sent info to the tour company prior to the trip as my brother in law had a great great uncle who lost his life in 1917 to see if they could locate his grave. And yes, given that the records kept are so good now, our host was able to track the grave down and even locate the land on where he may have been wounded, taken to the field hospital and ultimately died.

If anyone here is contemplating doing a Western Front trip then all i can say is do it. You wont be disappointed

On the subject of the ANZAC day jumpers, I'm all for it. But how to limit the commercialisation of it, whilst remembering the very reason for doing it remains to to be seen.

 

[Rotayjay]

These ******* jumpers and merch get worse every year.

The day is meant to be about solemn remembrance and respect.

I couldn't agree more. These ANZAC guernseys are hideous and tacky, and it's not the right way to commemorate people who were killed in war. Clubs making a profit out of that is a disgrace.

 

[HugeJohnson]

These ******* jumpers and merch get worse every year.

The day is meant to be about solemn remembrance and respect.

It’s not a ******* celebration or a dress up party.

The players should be in normal strips with a simple ANZAC badge or appropriate symbol on the chest as a mark of that respect.

And they should not be sold ffs.

The traditional item that people wore was a small, simple pin that showed a recognition and respect.

We’re “commemorating” the brutal slaughter of countless poor young men who were sent to die young, alone and terrified a world away from their homes and families. And hoping that it doesn’t happen again.

Little bit funny coming from someone that supports the club that if anything, has built it up in to a 'celebration' rather than a day of solemn remembrance and respect. It gets a huge crowd every year because it has been built up in to this massive game of footy, and a huge atmosphere. Not because it's a way of showing 'solemn remembrance and respect'.

It's not a bad thing, it just is what it is. There are other ways of showing respects and Dawn services everywhere for anyone that wants to make the effort.
I'm sorry, but at the end of the day, it's a game of football. Outside of the 2 minutes of the Last Post, no one is doing any remembering or respecting.

The merch is probably unnecessary and on the whole pretty shit but if it helps out people in need in any way then who cares? However I do believe clubs should be completely transparent about how much of the proceeds actually get passed on.

 

[M Malice]

I don't like our Anzac guernsey for this season.

 

[Gibbsy]

Little bit funny coming from someone that supports the club that if anything, has built it up in to a 'celebration' rather than a day of solemn remembrance and respect. It gets a huge crowd every year because it has been built up in to this massive game of footy, and a huge atmosphere. Not because it's a way of showing 'solemn remembrance and respect'.

It's not a bad thing, it just is what it is. There are other ways of showing respects and Dawn services everywhere for anyone that wants to make the effort.
I'm sorry, but at the end of the day, it's a game of football. Outside of the 2 minutes of the Last Post, no one is doing any remembering or respecting.

The merch is probably unnecessary and on the whole pretty s**t but if it helps out people in need in any way then who cares? However I do believe clubs should be completely transparent about how much of the proceeds actually get passed on.

The worst thing about having to display your supported team on BF is having to deal with “gotchas” like this where someone points to the stance of the club as some sort of detractor or barrier to sharing a reasoned opinion.

Who gives a shit if a club does this, that or the other. Supporters certainly do not have to be in lockstep with the opinions or actions of their club and those actions shouldn’t preclude people from being able to share their opinions freely online.

 

[StillAtLarge]

I don't like our Anzac guernsey for this season.
View attachment 1962699

Ditch the sponsors, remove the lion and shrink the poppy. Then you've got a solid guernsey

 

[boncer34]

Little bit funny coming from someone that supports the club that if anything, has built it up in to a 'celebration' rather than a day of solemn remembrance and respect. It gets a huge crowd every year because it has been built up in to this massive game of footy, and a huge atmosphere. Not because it's a way of showing 'solemn remembrance and respect'.

It's not a bad thing, it just is what it is. There are other ways of showing respects and Dawn services everywhere for anyone that wants to make the effort.
I'm sorry, but at the end of the day, it's a game of football. Outside of the 2 minutes of the Last Post, no one is doing any remembering or respecting.

The merch is probably unnecessary and on the whole pretty s**t but if it helps out people in need in any way then who cares? However I do believe clubs should be completely transparent about how much of the proceeds actually get passed on.

Yet another poster that doesn't understand that you don't have to blindly agree with everything your club of choice does.

 

[dmc333]

It's all content now.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Little bit funny coming from someone that supports the club that if anything, has built it up in to a 'celebration' rather than a day of solemn remembrance and respect.

Possibly a little bit funny, also one of the entire points of the whole thread.

 

[mcgarnacle]

The worst thing about having to display your supported team on BF is having to deal with “gotchas” like this where someone points to the stance of the club as some sort of detractor or barrier to sharing a reasoned opinion.

Who gives a s**t if a club does this, that or the other. Supporters certainly do not have to be in lockstep with the opinions or actions of their club and those actions shouldn’t preclude people from being able to share their opinions freely online.

Here, here!! Well said.

And as Bunk Moreland has said, the merch is crass.

 

[Gough]

I couldn't agree more. These ANZAC guernseys are hideous and tacky, and it's not the right way to commemorate people who were killed in war. Clubs making a profit out of that is a disgrace.

It's indicative of the way the way Anzac Day has changed over thirty years. In 1995 unless you were an ex services family Anzac Day was one where nothing much happened and a footy game came as a bit of a relief, since then we've added a new franchise in Villiers Bretonneux (who'd ever heard of that battle in 95?) and a massive industry has built up around the whole thing, the AFL has just reacted to the market.

 

[BF Tiger]

Is it though? This is what the RSLWA is up to in Perth.

'Packed with interactive military vehicles, rides, commemorative activities, live music and food trucks, the free event will run from 10am to 4pm.'

If the RSL is throwing a carnival over the bodies of dead soldiers, why would we expect anything different from the AFL.

I can’t say I’m totally across the RSL’s activities, but plenty who are say they’re unrepresentative and part of the problem

I have no idea about the RSL now but I do remember them as a kid (1980s) as smaller meeting places that we treated with some reverence. The older generation (ie those who saw war, or those who lost loved in wars) made sure of that.

Nowadays I think maybe not enough of us have been impacted in that way, which is a good thing, but has had its consequences with how the RSL is viewed, both internally and externally. For starters they have become consolidated, no doubt because attendances started to diminish as veterans (and families) passed. The land became valuable and sold off. Business cases and RoI were established and considered. And that was just the start.

 

[PizzaPie]

It’s not a ******* celebration or a dress up party.

We’re “commemorating” the brutal slaughter of countless poor young men who were sent to die young, alone and terrified a world away from their homes and families. And hoping that it doesn’t happen again.

In a free society, it is not up to you to determine how people should think, dress, and behave at any time, ANZAC day included.
Why couldn't someone celebrate ANZAC day and that be every bit as virtuous as you seem to think your way is, anyways? Of all the potential outcomes of those wars and how much different life in Australia could have been, there's a lot to celebrate.

 

[BF Tiger]

In a free society, it is not up to you to determine how people should think, dress, and behave at any time, ANZAC day included.
Why couldn't someone celebrate ANZAC day and that be every bit as virtuous as you seem to think your way is, anyways? Of all the potential outcomes of those wars and how much different life in Australia could have been, there's a lot to celebrate.

Yet here you are having a go at someone for the way they think and are behaving.

 

[PizzaPie]

Yet here you are having a go at someone for the way they think and are behaving.

Telling someone they don't determine how people should think, dress, and behave somehow proves they actually do? Or that I think I do? Where do you see a contradiction?
Individual freedom =/= an individual free to deny other's their freedom.

 

[The 747]

Muh freedom! I think we know where this leads......

 

[PizzaPie]

Muh freedom! I think we know where this leads......

Freedom is kind of a big deal, you dishonor the sacrifice of those that fought for it by dictating how others dress and when they can celebrate.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

In a free society, it is not up to you to determine how people should think, dress, and behave at any time, ANZAC day included.
Why couldn't someone celebrate ANZAC day and that be every bit as virtuous as you seem to think your way is, anyways? Of all the potential outcomes of those wars and how much different life in Australia could have been, there's a lot to celebrate.

Same thing a lot of people don't seem to get these days - it's not about you and what you want to do.

ANZAC Day is a day of remembrance for those that had their lives taken - most at a horribly young age and in horrifically violent circumstances.

It was always quite solemn - particularly the morning when all events etc were banned. Just yesterday on SEN, Marg (in her 90s) spoke about how it was always such a sad day in their family's household as they had three people who were killed at war - they'd stay home, watch the march and reflect on those who gave it all. The soldiers themselves then gathered together after the morning's events.

That's how people who were actually affected by it chose to do it, yet now that's not respected. They've mostly died off now so of course it's been much easier to change the tenor of the day.

Would you spend somebody's funeral blasting music out of your phone? In a free society, it is not up to you to determine how people should think, dress, and behave at any time. Why couldn't someone celebrate and that be every bit as virtuous as you seem to think your way is, anyways?

It's just about respect.

And I'm not saying cancel everything. What is was not long ago was fine - the footy, a service before the game, a parade of veterans, a simple badge on the player's jumpers to mark it.

What it's become now is just increasingly grotesque, and it's happening for one simple reason. Money.

The tacky jumpers and merchandise, the $300/head breakfasts and lunches, all to supposedly "celebrate" it. Don't get it wrong, it's all for one reason - profiteering.

 

[radiojake]

Freedom is kind of a big deal, you dishonor the sacrifice of those that fought for it by dictating how others dress and when they can celebrate.

For sure

And people have the freedom to call out the tacky and crass consumerism that the AFL has latched on to and ridicule those who support it