It is an uncomfortable and awkward topic, but as an indicator of the Catholic, Irish, trade union and working class roots of Collingwood, Richmond and Fitrzoy in particular (and Carlton to some degree) those 4 teams were the ones that kept playing during WW1. Staunch establishment clubs Melbourne, Essendon, University and less establishment but still protestant, South Melbourne and St Kilda withdrew.
The Catholic archbishop Mannix opposed the war and conscription as an 'English' war or a 'trade war' and it was a massively divisive and controversial time. During 1917 at the height of the war there was a general strike with 100,000 people on strike for 6 weeks, mass protests, violence between strikers and strike breakers.
Collingwood participating in Anzac Day would be regarded as a pretty edgy decision by most people from 100 years ago. They had the fewest players serve in WW1.
Very much the case. Richmond's President from 1909-1918 was Frank Tudor, a federal Labor MP who opposed conscription. When Billy Hughes pushed for it and split the Labor Party to try to get it through, Tudor became the new ALP Leader. When pressure came for all the VFL players to join the war effort, Tudor had a major part in keeping Richmond, Fitzroy, Collingwood and Carlton in the comp.
One of four political leaders that I'm aware of to have been a club president, along with Arthur Calwell at North, Billy Snedden at Melbourne and of course the dickhead at Hawthorn.