Tribute to ANZAC legend Len Hall

[Murray79]

Hi Dockers fans

Monday is going to be a great game. It's definitely my favourite fixture, as we pay tribute to the ANZACS who risked their lives for our freedom.

I have written an article paying tribute to the great Len Hall, I hope you enjoy it.


Thank you.

 

[Nickos66]

Look like you'll need to get it published by someone Failnewslast!

 

[Lach72]

Murray: I appreciate that you have written the article...however this is your content and you can post the article in full here with no links.
If you don't wish to post it here and the intention is to get people to visit the linked site, then we'll treat it as spam and delete the posts and we've been asked by admin to boot those who continue this.
Cheers.

 

[Murray79]

No worries Lach.

When the fourth-placed Fremantle Dockers host bogey side Western Bulldogs at Patersons Stadium on Monday night, the players and coaching staff will be contemplating more than just the four points on offer.

Monday’s much anticipated ANZAC Day contest pays tribute to ANZAC legend and Western Australian Len Hall, who served at Gallipoli as a machine gunner.

In 1914, Hall joined the 10th Light Horse at Guildford and from there served at Gallipoli, where he was the last man evacuated. A staggering 879 of his fellow diggers were killed.

“I only survived because I had a really good Vickers machine-gun,” said Hall. “This stopped me getting hit. It was a very fast gun.”

Remarkably, Hall lived to the ripe old age of 101 – he passed away in Perth on February 24, 1999. Hall’s passing ended the last living link with Lawrence of Arabia.

Another point of interest was that Hall was born on May 9, 1897, only a day after the first ever VFL match was played.

In addition to his bravery and love of sport, Hall was known for setting off airport security devices due to a piece of shrapnel being embedded in his arm from the battle of Bersheeba.

Footballers understand that the battle taking place on the footy field is incomparable to what the soldiers risked when fighting for Australia. Occasionally, there are those that suggest that ANZAC day and AFL fixtures should not mix – fortunately those are an overwhelming minority.

To be able to pay homage to the soldiers who fought for this great nation in front of a packed stadium, take that into perspective and then play a hard-fought match of Aussie Rules football is an absolute blessing.

There is no doubt the Dockers love playing in the Len Hall Memorial game and will be hoping this tradition continues for many years to come.

The inaugural Leonard Hall match took place on Friday April 26, 1996, between Fremantle and Melbourne. It was also the first time that an annual qualifying match was named after an individual, and what an outstanding individual Hall was!

This year’s Len Hall match appears likely to be a thrilling contest – the Dogs have won the past six matches against Freo, including an 82-point belting last season in round 17.

Dockers coach Mark Harvey is aware of past history between the clubs and is keen for his chargers to assert their authority on Monday.

“We have let the Dogs off the leash in the last three years and we need to make sure that they bark a bit more and chase us a bit more,” said Harvey.

“Everyone is talking about the Essendon -Collingwood game…well this game will have it all as well.”

It certainly will, with the fleet-footed Stephen Hill playing his 50th game for the club. The 20-year-old still remains quietly spoken but has learnt to come out of his shell, especially on game day.

“It probably took me a little while. The first couple of years I was still settling in and was a younger player and I probably kept to myself a little bit.

“Now I’m settled in, I feel like a part of the team. I’ve learnt to take the game on a bit more and I’ve come out of my shell, so my communication on the field is a bit better,” Hill commented.

A player who was never in a shell to begin with is livewire forward Hayden Ballantyne, and his aggressive pressure in the forward line, along with the likes of Chris Mayne, Matt De Boer and utility player Adam McPhee will be crucial to the contest.

“We’ll be all guns blazing from the start,” quipped Ballantyne.

The Dockers have also been well-serviced by outstanding youngster Nat Fyfe and veteran midfielders David Mundy and Captain Matthew Pavlich.

The Dogs may be without ball magnet Daniel Giansiracusa, but have plenty of high possession players available, such as Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross and former Brownlow Medalist Adam Cooney.

The clash in the midfield showcases some of the top talent in the AFL and could well determine the outcome of this game.

Whichever way the result goes, you can be assured Freo won’t forget the ANZACS and Len Hall, a great serviceman of this nation.