Sinoswooper
Debutant
To the bigfooty community,
As we come together once again for one of the most powerful days on the AFL calendar—the ANZAC Day clash between Collingwood and Essendon—I wanted to share a thought that’s been on my mind. It's offered in the spirit of respect, reflection, and community.
ANZAC Day is a time when we honour courage, sacrifice, mateship, and service. It’s one of the few days that brings the entire nation together in quiet gratitude, and the footy tradition that now surrounds it adds another layer of meaning—football as a way to remember, to unite, and to tell our national story.
But there’s a chapter of that story that’s still often left out: the Australian Frontier Wars—the long, painful period of conflict between First Nations people and European settlers from 1788 through to the early 20th century.
These were not formal wars in the way ANZAC Day traditionally honours. But they were real. People fought and died defending their land and culture. Many of those battles happened right here—on the very ground we now call home. And yet, for the most part, this part of history remains unspoken in our national commemorations.
So here’s the thought, could ANZAC Day, one of our most important days of remembrance, grow to include recognition of the Frontier Wars? Not to diminish the memory of those who served overseas, but to deepen and broaden our understanding of who has fought for this country—and why.
I know this is sensitive terrain, and footy forums aren’t always the place for heavy topics. But if the ANZAC Day match is about honouring all those who’ve defended their people and their home, then maybe we can start to gently ask whether that honour should extend to the first Australians who did exactly that.
Please share your thoughts—whether you agree, disagree, or are still unsure. This isn’t about politics or blame. It’s about whether our national story has room to grow.
Lest we forget—all of them.
As we come together once again for one of the most powerful days on the AFL calendar—the ANZAC Day clash between Collingwood and Essendon—I wanted to share a thought that’s been on my mind. It's offered in the spirit of respect, reflection, and community.
ANZAC Day is a time when we honour courage, sacrifice, mateship, and service. It’s one of the few days that brings the entire nation together in quiet gratitude, and the footy tradition that now surrounds it adds another layer of meaning—football as a way to remember, to unite, and to tell our national story.
But there’s a chapter of that story that’s still often left out: the Australian Frontier Wars—the long, painful period of conflict between First Nations people and European settlers from 1788 through to the early 20th century.
These were not formal wars in the way ANZAC Day traditionally honours. But they were real. People fought and died defending their land and culture. Many of those battles happened right here—on the very ground we now call home. And yet, for the most part, this part of history remains unspoken in our national commemorations.
So here’s the thought, could ANZAC Day, one of our most important days of remembrance, grow to include recognition of the Frontier Wars? Not to diminish the memory of those who served overseas, but to deepen and broaden our understanding of who has fought for this country—and why.
I know this is sensitive terrain, and footy forums aren’t always the place for heavy topics. But if the ANZAC Day match is about honouring all those who’ve defended their people and their home, then maybe we can start to gently ask whether that honour should extend to the first Australians who did exactly that.
Please share your thoughts—whether you agree, disagree, or are still unsure. This isn’t about politics or blame. It’s about whether our national story has room to grow.
Lest we forget—all of them.
