An initiative of the AFL, the Finding Sydney Foundation and the Royal Australian Navy, the match will be held in memory of the 645 men who died when the HMAS Sydney II was sunk by the German Auxiliary Cruiser Kormoran on November 19, 1941, about 112 miles West of Shark Bay, Western Australia.
The fate of Sydney and her crew remained a mystery until she was found on March 16, 2008, sitting upright on the ocean floor, 2,500 metres from the surface.
The game will be held annually, with the Swans representing HMAS Sydney’s home port and the Eagles representing the ship’s final operations and resting place. The game will be held in honour of the sacrifice made by those men and by their families.
Keith Rowe, from the Finding Sydney Foundation which funded the search for the ship’s remains, says that the number of young men lost of HMAS Sydney II - 645 - is almost exactly equivalent to the total number of listed players currently playing in the AFL.
A trophy will be presented to the winning team on Saturday. It has been produced to represent a Ships’ Battle Honour Board, showing Sydney’s distinct badge, campaign and battle honours, in polished bronze on a jarrah base.
The Finding Sydney Foundation will also present a perpetual trophy for the player judged as ‘Best on Ground’ for each game. The trophy is based on the shell casing of a 76mm gunnery round fired by the present and fourth HMAS Sydney.
The coin toss before the start of each game will be carried out using a 2010 Anzac Day $1.00 coin.
A 25 year supply of both the Silver HMAS Sydney medallion and the Anzac Day coins has been generously donated by the Perth Mint.
HMAS Sydney II Commemorative Football Game
Sydney Swans v West Coast Eagles
Saturday 24 April, 2010, SCG, 2:10pm
Tickets from Ticketek or at the gate.
