Down to the wire
After trailing for most of the match, the men’s ADF Anzac Aussie rules team drew on a never-say-die attitude, surging to a last-minute victory over Australian Combined Emergency Services (ACES) in front of a crowd of 5000.
They were four or five goals down midway through the second quarter of the game held at Adelaide Oval on Anzac Day as a curtain raiser for the AFL Round 7 Port Adelaide vs Geelong clash.
“Our game was shortened as the curtain raiser, so that makes the margin even harder to come back from,” forward FLTLT Blayke Lane said.
The strategy was to control the ball, make the emergency services work hard to defend, ultimately wearing them down towards the end.
“Which ended up happening,” FLTLT Lane said.
The momentum swung in the third quarter, sparked by an epic goal from the 50-metre boundary by PTE Zach Fuller.
“We were down all game, then in the last quarter, it was a flurry of goals to win right at the end,” FLTLT Lane said.
It was FLTLT Lane’s 13th time representing Air Force and the ADF in an Aussie rules game, but his first win.
'We were down all game, then in the last quarter it was a flurry of goals to win right at the end.'
The final score was ADF 10.5 (65) to ACES 9.3 (57).
An honourable mention went to Army LT Sam Woods, who FLTLT Lane said “got absolutely poleaxed by the emergency services’ captain”.
“It looked like a car crash. He got up 30 seconds later and played the rest of the game, which was pretty inspiring,” he said.
Full-forward AB Jaxsen Shinners said the emergency services were a formidable team.
“They carried more physical mass than us and used it,” he said.
“But at the end of the day, we were quicker on the legs.”
After the match, the team changed into service dress for the Anzac Day march around the oval, held before the main match and in front of a crowd of 40,000.
SGT Roger Morris, playing on the wing in his fifth Anzac match, said the lap of honour never gets old.
“Everyone’s clapping, kids are coming up for high-fives, you’re seeing friends and family. It’s always the best feeling,” he said.
For many of the players, the Anzac Day march ultimately meant more than the win itself.
Man of the Match Army CPL Simon Mackie was awarded the Jack Hammond Medal, and the MAJGEN Matt Hall players’ player award went to TPR Adam Justice.
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