Radio hosts slams AFL's ANZAC tradition: 'It loses its value'

During a time when Australians and New Zealanders reflect on the sacrifices made by the ANZAC service members, the Australian Football League (AFL) honoured this solemn day with its own traditions.

However, not everyone is in agreement about the way the AFL handled the tributes, with some accusing the league of turning a moment of respect into a mere spectacle.



Brisbane's Triple M Breakfast radio host Greg 'Marto' Martin voiced a strong opinion against the AFL's Anzac Day practices.

He particularly criticised the use of The Last Post—a bugle call played at military funerals and commemorative services—as a pre-game ritual for all matches during the ANZAC round.


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Greg Martin slammed AFL’s use of The Last Post on ANZAC Day. Image source: AFL/ Facebook



‘Football has now turned (The Last Post) into a gimmick,’ he said.

The Last Post, a haunting melody that resonates with deep emotional significance, is traditionally associated with ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day ceremonies.



It is a time for silence, reflection, and honouring those who have served and sacrificed.

Martin recalled the powerful impact of this ritual when it was first introduced in 1995 for the ANZAC Day clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where a crowd of 97,000 would stand in respectful silence.

‘But now what’s happened, as football always does, and I’m not just talking AFL, I’m talking rugby league as well, they’ve taken a wonderful thing, and they’ve gone, “Oh that’s good ... (how do we capitalise?”)’ he expressed.

Martin argued that what was once a poignant tribute has now become overused to the point of inducing 'bugle fatigue' among fans.



‘So what’s going to happen this week in all (nine) games of the AFL and all eight games of the rugby league…every single one of them will play (The Last Post), and you’ll get ANZAC (or) you’ll get bugle fatigue,’ Martin said.

‘We have to stop it somewhere.’

His co-host, Margaux Parker, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the over-saturation of the tribute lessens its value and turns it into a mockery.

‘It gets saturated, so it loses its value,’ Parker stated.

The backlash against Martin and Parker's views has been swift and severe, with some social media users accusing them of disrespecting Australia and questioning their patriotism.

‘Surely they can’t go any lower than that. That’s disgusting,’ a social media user wrote.



‘These people really hate Australia, don’t they?!’ another posted.

A third person asked: ‘Tell me this is a joke! ⁦The AFL cannot axe this!’

The AFL, for its part, maintained that ANZAC Day is one of the nation's most important national occasions and encouraged fans to participate in the pre-match formalities.

Several clubs have even embraced the tradition by wearing ANZAC-themed jumpers, with plans to auction them off and donate the proceeds to The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL), an organisation supporting veterans.

Additionally, the league encouraged fans to arrive early to ‘soak up the atmosphere and pre-match formalities that will no doubt be another moving tribute to the sacrifices of our past and present service men and women’.
Key Takeaways
  • AFL games' tradition of playing The Last Post during ANZAC Day round has been criticised by Triple M's Greg 'Marto' Martin for becoming excessive and likened to a gimmick.
  • Martin took issue with the use of The Last Post before all games during the round, not just the central ANZAC Day match, suggesting the practice leads to 'bugle fatigue’.
  • The criticism from the radio hosts has been met with strong condemnation from the public, who feel that the tradition is a respectful tribute to service men and women.
  • AFL clubs embraced the ANZAC Day tribute by wearing themed jumpers, with some clubs participating for the first time and planning to auction off the guernseys to donate proceeds to the RSL. The league underscored the importance of ANZAC Day and encouraged fans to participate in the pre-match tributes.
We invite our readers to share their thoughts on this matter. How do you feel about the AFL's ANZAC Day tribute? What's your take on the radio hosts' criticism? Let us know in the comments below.
 
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I watched both the AFL and NFL tributes to Anzac Day and it was wonderful, very respectful and dignified towards our most cherished day , it honoured the men and women who fought and died to make our country the great place it is today, the players and the crowd showed the greatest respect , the last post was played and you could hear a pin drop and see tears from a lot of the crowd, and I am sure from all watching from home, it was a beautiful way to honour our fallen and our veterans ❤️🇦🇺❤️
How disgraceful of these so called radio wannabes to suggest this , just shows how out of touch they are.
 
Those two rock jocks are obviously a part of Gen idiocy who dont really understand what it is all about and just want to make waves. Which they have.
As for donating the ANZAC themed players jumpers to the RSL. That is a joke. Once upon a time the RSL was exceptional at looking after veterans. Unfortunately a lot of them now only care about the almighty dollar (this I have heard from numerous vets). They are better off making the donations to Legacy.
Don't get me wrong, there are still RSLs that do their utmost to help.
 
Maybe they are upset because they werent invited to the games .I am an ex Servive woman(from the 70s) and I get goodebumps when I hear the last post and I think the football crowd is showing that they are respectful of the ANZAC's when it is played ,
 
It could have gotten a little predictable if watching both the NRL and AFL games. But they all do it a little differently, and there were only 5 games in total on ANZAC day, not the 17 as suggested.
So yeah, they are idiots and want to stir the pot.
 
Those two rock jocks are obviously a part of Gen idiocy who dont really understand what it is all about and just want to make waves. Which they have.
As for donating the ANZAC themed players jumpers to the RSL. That is a joke. Once upon a time the RSL was exceptional at looking after veterans. Unfortunately a lot of them now only care about the almighty dollar (this I have heard from numerous vets). They are better off making the donations to Legacy.
Don't get me wrong, there are still RSLs that do their utmost to help.
one of those rock jokes you refer to was a wallaby. Greg Martin.
 
I am sick & tired from the amount of football content in our every day lives I am an ex-Pom who was bought up on the real FOOTBALL game of SOCCER I have never embarrass the rough & tumble o either form of Aussie football when all it seems to do is glorify brutality. I am also sick on the moaning from the said footy players on how 5 months without footy is too long . For anyone who doesn't like either form of footy 7 months of footy are too much to bear. As for the ANZAC rounds Why have them at all?
 
There are a lot of women who love football but it’s mostly men, it’s almost mostly men marching on Anzac Day. I don’t agree with football on Anzac Day. We are remembering the fallen in the wars all morning. I think a couple of war time movies in the afternoon would be more appropriate and teach the younger generation a bit about what it was like.
Just my opinion.
 
I am sick & tired from the amount of football content in our every day lives I am an ex-Pom who was bought up on the real FOOTBALL game of SOCCER I have never embarrass the rough & tumble o either form of Aussie football when all it seems to do is glorify brutality. I am also sick on the moaning from the said footy players on how 5 months without footy is too long . For anyone who doesn't like either form of footy 7 months of footy are too much to bear. As for the ANZAC rounds Why have them at all?
doo you not know the aussies are a moaning lot. I am rugby union. leave anzac day for what it is about a day of reflecting and remembering. alas life is selfish now.
 
I have always thought that football should not be played on Anzac day . There is Friday. And protesters on Anzac day what a disgrace.this is a day to think of the men and women. Who died. Now we look and see protesters. And football. And yes I like football. Changes need to be done. Playing the bugle at football no.to a wonderful friend who just died who was 101 who went to war.always helped at rsl. I was missing her
 
I am sick & tired from the amount of football content in our every day lives I am an ex-Pom who was bought up on the real FOOTBALL game of SOCCER I have never embarrass the rough & tumble o either form of Aussie football when all it seems to do is glorify brutality. I am also sick on the moaning from the said footy players on how 5 months without footy is too long . For anyone who doesn't like either form of footy 7 months of footy are too much to bear. As for the ANZAC rounds Why have them at all?
Ahh good to know we still have whinging Poms - thought they had all left.
 
The fact that Collingwood & Essendon play every year on Anzac Day at the MCG proves one thing, that the principal concern of the AFL is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Due to these financial concerns only two sets of players and two sets of fans will ever experience the thrill of this contest on this special day. That doesn't seem very Australian to me.
In Adelaide the SAFL featured the previous years grand finalists on Anzac Day at the Adelaide Oval. The diggers would go from the march through the city to the nearby Oval. Sadly this no longer occurs, and even more sadly the veterans, to whom this was an added feature of their day, are dwindling in numbers.
 
I ask my father once a returned soldier why is football allowed to be played on ANZAC DAY. His reply was the morning is meant to be solemn but the afternoon is meant to be how they would have lived. There were some great footballers who went to war but never came home one was Bluey Truscott. I am sure those who were killed in War would be happy for this tradition to be continued.
 

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