There will be two Anzac day AFL matches today with the second of them being between St Kilda Saints and Sydney Swans which will be played in New Zealand at Westpac Stadium. The opening bounce is set to commence at 7:50pm AEST time. Sydney Swans will be looking to continue their unbeaten start to the season whilst the Saints will hope to change their poor start to the year around. View our live scores and results fot the match between St Kilda Saints and Sydney Swans.
WHERE AND WHEN: Westpac Stadium, 7:50 PM April 25, 2013
Opening Odds:
St Kilda Saints $4.75 vs Sydney Swans $1.20 at Sportsbet Australia
St Kilda Saints $4.65 vs Sydney Swans $1.20 at Luxbet Australia
Teams:
St Kilda Saints:
B: N.Wright 34, S.Fisher 25, D.Roberton 17
HB: S.Dempster 24, R.Stanley 28, S.Gilbert 19
C: L.Hayes 7, C.Jones 4, J.Geary 14
HF: D.Armitage 20, N.Riewoldt 12, N.Dal Santo 26
F: A.Saad 21, S.Ross 6, J.Saunders 35
Foll: B.McEvoy 5, J.Steven 3, L.Montagna 11
I/C from: T.Dennis-Lane 8, A.Siposs 2, T.Hickey 1, T.Lee 9, J. Koschitzke 23, F.Ray 22, B.Murdoch 30
In: J.Koschitzke, S.Dempster, T.Lee, A.Siposs, T.Hickey, B.Murdoch, J.Saunders
Out: S.Milne (suspended) B.Maister (hand), T.Milera (omitted), T.Simpkin (omitted)
Sydney Swans:
B: D.Rampe 43, H.Grundy 39, N.Smith 40
HB: M.Mattner 29, T.Richards 25, N.Malceski 9
C: K.Jack 15, R.O’Keefe 5, L.Jetta 32
HF: J.Bolton 24, S.Reid20, D.Hannebery 4
F: M.Pyke 38, A.Goodes 37, B.McGlynn 21
Foll: S.Mumford 41, J.Kennedy 12, J.McVeigh 3
I/C from: T.Armstrong 19, M.Morton 10, L.Parker 26, C.Bird 14, A.Everitt 13, J.White 18, T.Walsh 17
In: J.White, A.Everitt, T.Walsh
Out: L. Roberts-Thomson (knee)
New Zealand game a stepping stone for the AFL
The AFL’s first overseas premiership season game is just a stepping stone towards their long-term international dreams.
AFL deputy chief executive Gillon McLachlan says the league will take the sport wherever they can.
He said Thursday night’s Anzac Day clash between St Kilda and Sydney in Wellington was the ideal time and place to start, given Australia and New Zealand’s cultural and geographical links.
“We’re about growing our great game and taking our story to as many places as we can,” McLachlan told reporters at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium.
“Our story’s been one of national expansion over the last few years and we certainly don’t think our job’s in any way completed as we push into NSW and Queensland.
“But we’ll take any opportunity we can to take our game and give the opportunity for young children to play and for people to see and participate in our game.
“It’s an important stepping stone.”
McLachlan said a NZ-based team was a long-term dream and there were also potential opportunities to take matches elsewhere around the globe.
But their first mission is to ensure the Wellington game, tracking to attract more than 20,000 spectators, succeeds to the extent that it hooks New Zealanders beyond the initial novelty factor.
The Saints will host two games per season in Wellington from next year onwards, including an annual Anzac Day fixture.
McLachlan said the AFL would continue to put strong clubs up against the Saints in Wellington, as they had by fixturing the reigning premiers this time, to enhance the games’ drawing power.
They also wanted to find new ways to build on the shared history of Anzac Day.
“The first (game) always has that ‘Let’s go and have a look’ factor,” McLachlan said.
“But we have huge confidence that when people go and see our game live that that only whets the appetite.
“We think we can develop people’s passions and interests in our game.
“We also think we can develop the Anzac story and as we look towards the centenary in 2015 I really think that’s a great horizon to have a look at.
“I know the Wellington City Council have already got extraordinary ambitions on what they might do in a couple of years time.”
