Photo from the Dept of Defence's website of last year's match between the Vietnam Swans and HMAS ANZAC
Yesterday, the Blog gave an update on the upcoming Anzac Day match in Thailand on 25 April. Tonight, the Blog reports on a story on the Australian Department of Defence’s website regarding last August’s visit to Vietnam of the warship, HMAS ANZAC. The Vietnam Swans played a match against the ANZAC on 27 August.
Under the heading, Anzac Tours Vietnam, the story mentions,
During the visit (to Vietnam) a major highlight was accepting a challenge from a local expatriate AFL team, the Vietnam Swans. The challenge was accepted by Anzac with over 130 of the ship’s company turning up to the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) grounds to support the team.
The twilight match kicked off with high levels of tension amongst both players and spectators alike. .. After a tight third quarter where the match outcome was anyone’s for the taking, the Swans kicked away from Anzac in the last quarter and took the game out 84 to 59. The game was played in the finest spirits and the Anzac team held their heads high in defeat…
On completion of the match, the Vietnam Swans provided a post match function for all players and spectators. The inaugural trophy was then presented to the Vietnam Swans who thanked Anzac for both a great encounter and the chance to build a rapport between the RAN and the Vietnam Swans.
HMAS ANZAC's crew teach 26 orphans how to blast wheelie bins
The article also describes other activities undertaken by the crew during the visit which included a visit to Long Tan and teaching 26 orphans from the Sunlight House Boys Shelter how to blast wheelie bins with fire hoses!
Click on the link to read the full report. To see photos of the ANZAC’s visit to Vietnam, click here.
It was a great visit and the Vietnam Swans are very keen to welcome the next Australian naval ship.
Footnote: What would you expect the crew of HMAS ANZAC to feed 26 hungry orphans? Anzac biscuits.
To see other published articles about the Vietnam Swans, click on In the Press.
