The 8th Annual ANZAC Friendship Match will be held in Vung Tau on Saturday 22 April, 2017 against the Cambodian Eagles.

Arguably the most important day of the season for the Vietnam Swans, the ANZAC Day home match just a few hours drive out of Ho Chi Minh City is seen as the premier game to play during the increasingly busy weekend of Asian Footy.  The Cambodian Eagles will be making their first trip to the historical greyhound racing track.

The day will also include two curtain raiser matches making up a huge day of footy: the traditional Commbank Cup featuring the Lagler Legends against the Al Fresco’s All-Stars, as well as an AFL women’s match between Vietnam and Cambodia, following on from the historic first international AFL Asia women’s match in Phnom Penh earlier this year.

Of course the Anzac Friendship Match is much more than just a football game. Over the past five years it has become an event for Veterans, Swannies supporters, ex and current players, families and friends to come together, rekindle old friendships and pay our respects to those that made the ultimate sacrifice.

McMillan Dinner

This year’s McMillan Dinner will be held at the Official Venue of the Vietnam Swans in Vung Tau, Tommy’s Bar from 6:30pm.

After the on-field events finish for the day, enjoy a quality buffet dinner along with free-flow drinks and live bands.  Presentations will occur throughout the evening, including the annual Middleton Address as well as auction items and raffle prizes – with all proceeds raising funds for our Charity partners and .

Tickets:

• Adults: 900,000 VND ($40 + $3 processing fee online)
• Children’s tickets: 400,000 VND ($18 + $3 processing fee online)

Visit the Vietnam Swans online shop to purchase tickets to the 2017 McMillan Dinner.

 

2017 Program

Friday 21st April
Friday night footy (4.50pm Port vs Carlton) and informal welcome dinner at Tommy’s 3 Bar (order from menu)

Saturday 22nd April

Lam Son Stadium (Lord Mayor’s Oval, Greyhound Track)
11.00am Women’s match: Saigon Gaels vs Cambodian Apsaras (4 x 10min Quarters)
12.15pm Commbank Cup: Lagler Legends vs Al Fresco’s All-Stars (4 x 15min Quarters)
1.30pm Presentation of Commbank Cup
1.45pm Pre match formalities inc national anthems and Ode
2.10pm 7th Annual ANZAC Friendship Match: Vietnam Swans vs Cambodia Eagles (4 x 20min Quarters)
4.10pm Presentation of the Friendship trophy at the ground

McMillan Dinner, Tommy’s Bar 3
6.30pm Doors open
– Presentations from Eagles and Swans representatives
– Middleton Address
– Fundraising auctions & raffle prizes

Sunday 23rd April
– Visits to Vung Tau Orphanage
– Players recovery, Tommy’s Bar (3 AFL games shown live on big screen from 12:20pm)
– Buses depart Tommy’s Bar mid-afternoon

Getting There: HCMC – Vung Tau

Buses

The Vietnam Swans will be organising buses departing from District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday evening on Friday 21st April. Return buses will depart Vung Tau on Sunday afternoon from Tommy’s Bar.

Team buses will leave from and return to the Saigon Pearl on Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh District, and will drop off/pick up from Tommy’s Bar in Vung Tau (3 Le Ngoc Han, Vung Tau).

Times: Friday 6PM, Sunday 12PM, Sunday 3PM
Cost: 150k VND per person, each way

To confirm your seat, contact Dan at .

Additional transport is available from Hoa Mai buses () on Nguyen Thai Binh Street in District 1, HCMC for 100K VND each way or 165K VND for the VIP bus, highly recommended over the cheaper bus.

Ferry

A HCMC-Vung Tau Ferry also operates. Visit for ticketing and schedule information.

A Brief History

Vung Tau served as the Australians logistics base during the Vietnam/American War and, more specifically, the match will be played at the Greyhound Racing Track. The Greyhound track, or Lam Son Stadium, was formerly known as the Lord Mayor’s Oval – and the venue for footy tournaments back in 1966-71.

Against this backdrop of sensitivities, the Vietnam Swans feel extremely privileged to be able to host our ANZAC Friendship Match. We wear two black armbands to respect all who have fallen and to share the vision of one bright future.

The Friendship Match, first played in 2010 as an internal game between Hanoi and Saigon, went international with the China Reds attending in 2011 and 2012, Jakarta Bintangs in 2013 and 2016, Malaysian Warriors in 2014 and Singapore Wombats in 2015. Jakarta is the only team to have beaten the Swans in Vung Tau, in both 2013 and 2016 matches.

Our Friendship Match brings together two worlds from two different eras: Vietnam 1970 and Vietnam 2017. For all of us who have chosen to live and work here, Vietnam is such an exciting, vibrant, generous and welcoming country.

We also use the occasion to raise money for local orphanages and swimming education initiatives that will save young lives. In Vietnam, more children currently die from drowning than road accidents.

We warmly invite people to attend the ANZAC Friendship Match in the spirit of friendship and respect – and to have an amazing day at the footy.

For more on the history of the ANZAC Friendship Match click here.

Anzac Dawn Service – Long Tan Cross

The Long Tan Cross (LTC), located in Ba Ria-Vung Tau (BRVT) Province approximately 110 km east of Ho Chi Minh City, marks the site of the Battle of Long Tan. This Battle, which took place on 18 August 1966, was Australia’s single most costly engagement of the Vietnam War, with the loss of 18 Australian soldiers.

A cross was first erected on the site in 1969 when the 6th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, which fought in the Battle, was on its second tour of duty. The original cross was later removed by the Vietnamese. A replica now stands on the same site.

Due to ANZAC Day being held on a Wednesday this year, the Vietnam Swans will not be arranging any specific tours or buses to the Long Tan site for 2017.  Please note that there have been recent changes to the conditions of visiting the Long Tan Cross; please visit the Local travel section on the Vietnam website for more information.