Essendon Football Club will pay special tribute to its past players who served Australia in the defence forces, with a specially designed ANZAC Day Guernsey.
The Guernsey will be worn in the traditional ANZAC Day blockbuster against Collingwood at the MCG in Round 4.
Captain Jobe Watson was joined by teammates Tom Bellchambers and Cale Hooker to launch the new Guernsey at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance.
The trio recently travelled to Gallipoli with the Club to learn more about the upcoming centenary of the ANZAC Day landings and Essendon’s historical links to war.
“Following the experience we had in Gallipoli, it’s great to see the Club has designed a fitting Guernsey to honour the Club’s connection to ANZAC Day and the sacrifice Essendon players have made for our country,” Watson said.
“The Club and the players are doing everything we can to acknowledge and recognise the significance of ANZAC Day.”
“We are incredibly fortunate just to be able to participate in a game on such a big day on the Australian calendar.
A standout feature of the special Guernsey is the club’s iconic red sash which will be made up of the symbolic flower of remembrance, the red poppy.
The red poppies honour the twenty known Essendon players who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country during the Boer War, First World War and Second World War.
Boer War
Private W. Charles Moore
World War One
Second Lieutenant Lewis G Blackmore
Private Phillip H Callan
Corporal Richard H Clough
Lieutenant Andrew C Fogarty
Bombardier James D Gordon
Captain William G Harvey MC
Captain Herbert H Hunter
Lieutenant Frederick R McIntosh
Lieutenant Charles H Morley
Private Leslie J Rogers
Lance Sergeant Gerald J Ryan
Lieutenant Bruce M F Sloss
Private John A Wood
World War Two
Private Godfrey R Goldin
Private Leonard A Johnson
Sergeant Jack Keddie
Trooper Norman S Le Brun
Flight Sergeant George F Regan
Private Archibald F Roberts
The red poppy sash is also narrower and curved to reflect the strip from 1915, the same year of the Gallipoli landings.
Over the course of history, a total of 233 Essendon players have served our country. As part of the commemorative Guernsey the names of every Essendon player to have served our country will be inscribed on the body of the fabric.
The ANZAC Day Rising Sun logo also takes pride of place on the front of the Guernsey, and the Essendon WW1 era heritage logo is on the back of the neck.
Featured on the inside of the neck is the iconic picture of a lone soldier playing the bugle, as well as the ode of remembrance with ‘Lest We Forget’ written on the hem.
Essendon CEO Xavier Campbell said the club will be donating a percentage of the ANZAC Day Guernsey sales to the RSL.
“It has always been a privilege for the Essendon Football Club to play on ANZAC Day,” Campbell said
“ANZAC Day is an opportunity for everyone around Australia to remember and thank the ANZAC’s for the sacrifice they made for our freedom as a nation.”
“Importantly, we wanted to not only commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the Gallipoli landing but also honour Essendon players who have served for our country.”
“I know the players will feel extremely proud to run out onto the MCG wearing this specially designed guernsey and as a Club we are all fortunate to be involved on ANZAC Day.”
General Manager – Pacific at adidas, Steve Castledine, said the company’s design team was honoured to design such a significant Guernsey.
“Being part of the iconic Anzac Day clash is something that is really important to everyone at adidias each year,” Castledine said.
“As we celebrate and remember the 100th anniversary of the Anzacs landing in Gallipoli, we wanted to work with Essendon to create a Guernsey that honored the Anzacs, but also reflected the transformation that the club has gone through over the years.”
“The iconic red sash is made up of Remembrance Day poppies, serving as a reminder to all those lost in the war. The names of the 233 Essendon players who served this country are also printed on the Guernsey in the same font that is used on the Wall of Remembrance as a further sign of respect. Every detail has been factored in by our designers and product managers to create something that would be both visually impactful, but also deeply respectful.”
