ANZAC Day is a very special day for all Australians no matter where you are in the world and the Vietnam Swans took the opportunity to hold their first ever ANZAC Friendship Match in Vung Tau, South Vietnam.

In the lead up to our ANZAC match, our Club was visited by two AFL ANZAC Day match specialists in Nathan Buckley and Gary O’Donnell. Channel 7 came to Vietnam to film a documentary (see You Tube and ) about Ray Buckley (Nathan’s father) and Keith Gent who were returning to Vietnam to reflect on their experiences during the Vietnam War.

Personally, it was a great experience to meet these AFL superstars and footballers affected by the Vietnam War and to have them attend our footy clinic to witness just what this great Club does. The football clinic involved the KOTO (Know One Teach One) which supports and educates underprivileged Vietnamese children, something the Club hopes to continue to support.

Nathan Buckley and Gary O’Donnell embraced the children and played games with them. Not one of these kids would have known who they were. The Superstars didn’t care and neither did the kids. They just loved having the opportunity to teach a great bunch of students a new and interesting game. It was a great sight.

One of the greatest aspects of being in Vietnam is having the opportunity to grow the game on the ground level and seeing the enthusiasm on someone’s face when they first pick up that odd shaped football.

Last weekend, the Vietnam Swans played our inaugural ANZAC Friendship clash in what was a fantastic weekend. The weekend was also used as an opportunity to learn about Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War and to educate us on what actually took place.

However, an experience that sticks out for me was the visit to the local orphanage in Vung Tau which the whole team participated in. There’s a great feeling around the Club especially when we have the ability to do something like visit a orphanage and provide the children with gifts and time. It was surely an experience that none of us will forget.

This footy club uses every opportunity as a chance to assist and every person made a special friend that day. We then put on a little footy clinic of our own and the kids were as receptive as can be. The skills started to increase and so did the smiles on their faces.

The main event of our weekend was the ANZAC match between the Hanoi Hawks and the Saigon Saints. The game was fantastic to be a part of and was probably one of the Club’s most memorable games in its history.

In the blistering heat and on the hard ground of the Vung Tau Greyhound track, it was one of the most physically taxing games we have played. However, with a 400 strong crowd cheering you on, everyone was pushing themselves to register that all important victory.

Being the coach of Saigon, I was not only proud of my team, despite the 1 point loss, but I was proud to be a Swannie. Everyone tried their guts out and put on what was a great game of footy. The reception we received from the crowd after the match just confirmed how much fun the event was to watch; I almost wished I was a spectator.

This Club might have had some on field success but, off the field is where we are really kicking goals! With continued support of local charities and foundations, this Club not only loves to play footy but loves to continue to assist and have fun with the people who make this country, Vietnam, as welcoming as it is.

The first photos of the ANZAC Friendship Weekend in Vung Tau have emerged. The photos are courtesy of player, Josh Little, and therefore, there are no action photos yet of the actual match.

Additional photos will be coming in over the next few days so keep checking for updates and further reports of what was, a very special weekend.

• for photos of the Swannies visit to the Orphanage on Friday 23 April 2010.
• for photos of the Nui Dat Tour.
• for photos of match day (4 photos only at the moment).
• for the photos of the 2010 ANZAC Day Dawn Service, Long Tan Cross.

Remember, more photos are coming.

Adam McCarty has put together a minute-long of video footage of the Long Tan Cross which he recorded yesterday, ANZAC Day 2010.

To see the footage on You Tube, click .

Much more will follow of the ANZAC Friendship Match Weekend over the coming days.

Yesterday, the Vietnam Swans hosted the Inaugural ANZAC Friendship match in Vung Tau.

The Hanoi  Hawks won in an absolute nail biter, 10.3.63 to the Saigon Saints 9.8. 62.

The crowd was played in front of a crowd of 400 at the Vung Tau Greyhound Racing Track.

Yesterday, the Swannies went on a tour of Nui Dat and this morning, it was the Long Tan Dawn Service.

More to follow.

A messge from the Vietnam Swans National President, Phil Johns.

For full details of ANZAC weekend, click .

Dear Swannies, Supporters and Sponsors

In Australia, Australian Rules Footy is very closely aligned with ANZAC Day – the anniversary of that terrible dawn back in 1915 when the ANZACs landed on the beaches of Gallipoli. In Asia this weekend, ANZAC footy matches are being played in nine countries, in memory of Australia’s and New Zealand’s fallen.

This year, for the first time, Vietnam will host an ANZAC match, played between the Hanoi Hawks and Saigon Saints. Commemorating ANZAC Day in this place will have particular significance for those of us fortunate enough to be here today: we will be reminded first hand that wars end long before the pain and suffering they cause – to all involved.

The Vietnam Swans is just an Aussie Rules Club made up of ordinary people from different backgrounds who are living in an extraordinary country. We are humbled by the generosity shown to us by those who have so warmly welcomed us into their country, and we share together our sorrow and mutual respect for the sacrifices of our peoples.

While we are daunted by the prospect of hosting our first ANZAC Friendship match, we are strengthened by the knowledge that sport is a formidable force in building relationships. The Vietnam Swans hope that this match will help build the ever strengthening friendship between two friends: Australia and Vietnam.

Dress Code for those attending Dawn Service

Swans Players: Our new collared club shirts tucked in, pants and shoes (or dress shorts and sandals).
Others: For males, dress pants, shoes and collared shirt tucked in (or sandals and dress shorts). For women, a similar standard.

Itinerary

For full details of the weekend, including some history, click onto the . But, in summary:

Today, Friday 23 April

Afternoon – Swannies to tour Vung Tau Orphanage. Hold a footy clinic, teach some English and spend time.
Evening –

Saturday, 24 April

Morning – Nui Dat Tour
Afternoon – Vietnam Swans ANZAC Friendship Match, Hanoi Hawks Vs Saigon Saints
Evening – Vung Tau Dog Races

Sunday, 25 April

5am – ANZAC Day Dawn Service and Minh Dam Memorial to pay respects to Vietnamese fallen
11.30am – ANZAC Day Match, Collingwood Vs Essendon,
Afternoon (various times) – Return to Saigon and Hanoi

Charities

Over the weekend Tommy’s 3 Sports Bar and the Vietnam Swans will be raising money for two local charities. In addition, the Vietnam Swans will conduct a silent auction for:

An Essendon jumper signed by Essendon Captain, Jobe Watson
A football signed by Nathan Buckley and Gary “O’Donnell when they recently visited the Vietnam Swans on their ANZAC trip
A Vietnam Swans kit comprising footy jumper, shirt, hat, shorts, bag etc.

All money raised will be donated to a charity in Hoi An, Central Vietnam which conducts “train the trainer” swimming lesson. In Vietnam, more children die from drowning than road accidents.

And so…

A special weekend is about to begin.

The Vietnam Swans in Hanoi who will play in our ANZAC Friendship Match on Saturday as the “Hanoi Hawks” have just unveiled the new players’ kit.

Looks schmick.

Tonight, this photo to the left has been peeled off the fax machine and immediately placed on the Swannies website.

Dave Kainey in Singapore has just picked up our new Club shirt.

It’s the same base shirt as we used for the 2009 Asian Champs in Malaysia. But on the front, as well as the red “V”, we now have the running man on the right breast. On the back of the shirt is the “Angry Swan” that adorns the front of our footy jumpers.

The Vietnam Swans will wear this shirt to the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Long Tan on Sunday 25 April.

Together with the Club shirt tucked into dress pants, we shall wear shoes (or dress shorts and sandals).

It is not acceptable to wear singlets, thongs, t shirts or board shorts to the Dawn Service.

On Friday 23 April 2010, the Vietnam Swans will visit an Orphanage in Vung Tau.

David Hadley of the Swannies, who is organising the visit, has advised that the orphanage we will visit is located at 96 Tran Hung Dao, Ward 1, Vung Tau City.

He adds that they are very excited about welcoming us and there should be approximately 25 children in attendance. Initially, we will hand out some small presents.

Then, the real stuff begins – a footy clinic and a handicrafts session so we really will have something for everyone.

Afterwards, we will informally “teach” the children some English. And maybe we can throw some stuff in like, “Oh, what a screamer…!”

Kev Dacey, a Swannie who no longer lives in Vietnam but remains very much a part of the team, has forwarded this article to the Blog reflecting upon his attendance at the Long Tan Cross Service on 18 August 2007.

The Australian Embassy in Hanoi and the Australian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City co-ordinate the Vietnam Veterans Day each year on the 18^th of  August, the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan

Click for background on the actual battle.

HCMC Consulate staff members were invited to attend and I took some visitors from Australia and HCMC along with me to the ceremony.

The actual site is in a private rubber plantation about two hours drive from HCMC. The memorial consists of a simple white cross first erected in 1969 by 6th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment, which fought in the battle, during its second tour of duty. Unfortunately the original cross disappeared after the War.

It has since been replaced by representatives of the Australian Veterans Vietnam Reconstruction Group with the consent of the local authorities and the owners of the rubber plantation.

The Long Tan Cross has become an extremely important site for veterans and others who seek to recognize Australians who served in Vietnam.

Prior to the commencement of the ceremony some of the Vets who were involved in the battle gave an impromptu talk of what conditions were like on the actual day. Horribly wet and muddy, with extremely low visibility and leading up to dusk.

The ceremony started at 3.30pm and right on cue there was an enormous rumble of thunder, much to the consternation of some of the Veterans in attendance. Happily it did not rain like it did 41 years ago.

The service was very solemn and low key, in deference to the Vietnamese who fought in the war. No medals allowed, even for the current serving Australian military in attendance.

The speech by the Australian Ambassador, the prayer by the NZ Consul General and the recitation of the Ode by the rep from Dept of Veterans Affairs were all very moving.

Unfortunately the playing of the Last Post and Reveille was done using canned music but in the eerie silence of the rubber plantation under leaden skies, it was extremely emotional. The sound of 250 Aussies and Kiwis singing their respective National Anthems brought tears to the eyes of many people in attendance.

To me personally, it was extremely emotional and moving as I reflected that over 40 years ago I was called up in the first draft and had service deferred whilst I was studying. My thoughts were for the families of the fallen on both sides, and on the long term effects that this particular war has had on people both in Australia and in Vietnam. Quite chilling to be standing on the actual site with some of the Vets.

A sombre drive back to HCMC by all concerned.

Next day I was persuaded to participate in a Hash House Harriers run / walk, about an hour and a half outside HCMC in a rubber plantation which looked very similar to the one at Long Tan. You guessed it, right on cue at 3.30pm, the heavens opened, accompanied by thunder and lightning and we spent the next hour and a half slogging through the rain and the mud. It gave me a better insight as to how the Diggers must have suffered in similar conditions. Many beers later we arrived back in HCMC to have a hot shower.

Thought I would share this with you as one of the highlights of working in Vietnam.