With Remembrance Round taking place this weekend teams around the Hyundai A-League are preparing unique ways to honour the service men and women who lost their lives during times of conflict.
Western United, Newcastle Jets, Adelaide United, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City will all play host to Remembrance Round matches this weekend.
With a special curtain raiser taking place at Coopers Stadium, Ernie Merrick running a unique training session for Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and free tickets to each match on offer, these five teams are rolling out the red carpet for our past and present service men and women in Round 5 of Hyundai A-League action.
Hyundai A-League Clubs and Westfield Matildas to observe Remembrance Round this weekend
Initiatives around the grounds
There will be full pre-match remembrance ceremonies before kick-off at all five Hyundai A-League matches this weekend.
Pre-match proceedings will include a bugler, the reciting of The Ode, flag raising, a guard of honour and the Australian national anthem.
The New Zealand national anthem will also be played when Melbourne Victory host Wellington on Sunday afternoon.
Members of the ADF will also be incorporated into match day events including the coin toss, presenting the match ball and walks around the ground.
Poppy appeal
The Hyundai A-League clubs will unite this weekend in the efforts to raise funds for the Poppy Appeal.
The poppy will adorn the front of all kits this weekend which will then be auctioned off after the round is through, with all proceeds going towards local RSL’s chosen by each club.
The Poppy Appeal will be present at each game of the round collecting donations, which will contribute to the improvement of services for veterans and their families, including crisis accommodation and health and wellbeing programs.
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory’s clash with Wellington Phoenix takes on a special significance as the Australian and New Zealand teams unite to commemorate their fallen ANZACs.
Both the Australian and New Zealand national anthems will be sung in a pre-match ceremony at AAMI Park, with the flags of both nations being incorporated in proceedings.
On match day, any fan who presents an Australian Defence Force or Returned and Services League card will be presented with two free tickets to the game, which kicks off at 4:00pm (AEDT).
Members of the ADF will be included throughout the match-day proceedings for the coin toss, ball presentation and walks around the ground.
Adelaide United
A fun and wholesome curtain raiser will get proceedings underway at Coopers Stadium before Adelaide United’s clash with Brisbane Roar on Sunday afternoon as the Adelaide United Legends take on the ADF Open Men’s Team, all in the efforts of commemorating Remembrance Round.
Aurelio Vidmar will coach the Adelaide Legend’s squad including some iconic former Reds such as Travis Dodd, Cássio, Cristiano, Marcelo Carrusca and many more.
On match day, any fan who presents an Australian Defence Force or Returned and Services League card will be presented with two free tickets to the game, which kicks off at 5:30pm (Local).
The Adelaide Legends will wear the ‘Soldier On’ brand on their kits during the match, a service which supports our soldiers and their families.
Melbourne City
The first game of Round 5 will also take place at AAMI Park between Melbourne City and Central Coast Mariners, and much like their cross-town rivals City are pulling out all the stops to make ADF and RSL members feel welcome.
Two free tickets will be on offer to anyone who presents their ADF or RSL membership at the game.
As will be the case at every Hyundai A-League game this weekend a Poppy Appeal donation drive will take place at the ground on Friday night, as City call on their fans to raise funds to improve veterans services.
Newcastle Jets
Ernie Merrick will run a unique training session on Monday when he puts members of the ADF through their paces in a combined training session with his Jets side.
In true Aussie fashion a sausage sizzle will follow the session for both the ADF members and Jets players to enjoy, in what will be an unforgettable day out on the park for all involved.
Merrick and the Jets will then prepare for their Remembrance Round clash with Perth Glory at McDonald Jones Stadium which gets underway on Saturday afternoon at 5:00pm (AEDT).
Western United
The Hyundai A-League new boys are getting in on Remembrance Round action offering two-for-one tickets for friends and families of current serving personnel for their clash with Western Sydney at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night.
In their inaugural Remembrance Round game Mark Rudan and his side will observe a full pre-game remembrance ceremony including recital of The Ode, The Last Post and a moment of silence.
Wellington Phoenix
Phoenix players will take to the field wearing a special Poppy Appeal-themed playing kit for their clash with Victory at AAMI Park.
Each Wellington playing kit will be embellished with an RNZ-approved poppy logo, which will be later auctioned off on TradeMe – with all proceeds going to RSA NZ.
