THE Halls Head and Baldivis Football clubs will have that little bit more to play for when they take to the field on Saturday for their annual Anzac Day clash.
This year the Dawesville RSL sub-branch has got behind the game with the winner to be presented with The Anzac Centenary Trophy.
The trophy will be awarded annually to the winning seniors football team and kept by that team until the next Anzac Day game between the two is played.
President of the Dawesville RSL sub-branch Colin Gibson said the branch was happy to donate the trophy.
“Made in cold-cast bronze, it is one of a limited edition; it is very striking,” he said.
The Dawesville RSL has also donated a medal, the Spirit Award, to be given to the best on ground in the league match.
Last Anzac Day Halls Head ran away with the game in second half to win 20.5 (125) to 11.6 (72).
Baldivis trailed by just 23 points at three-quarter time but ran out of legs to be soundly beaten.
This season both teams have started strongly with Halls Head on top of the ladder with two victories while Baldivis is third with a win and a loss.
Halls Head will enter the game as favourite after a 96-point win against Mundijong over the weekend after defeating Mandurah by 49 points in round one.
After losing to South Mandurah in round one by 51 points, Baldivis bounced back to defeat Pinjarra by 78 points.
Kevin Royal, Halls Head Football Club president, said the game has become a great tradition between the clubs.
“The RSL has always supported the game and it’s great that this year they have got behind it further,” he said. “It’s going to be a cracker game; last week we defeated last year’s runner-ups and Baldivis defeated last season’s premiers.”
Baldivis Football Club president Mark Chapell echoed Royal’s comments.
“It’s fantastic the RSL can support the event,” he said. “The game has been held every year that Halls Head has been in the competition.
“At first we thought it may be a one off but it’s become probably our biggest game in terms of crowd size for the season.”
Chapell said it would be a good challenge for Baldivis’ young side.
“Halls Head have recruited well,” he said. “Our average age is probably 22 so if they don’t get over-awed by the occasion I think we will give it a good go.”
In the other annual Anzac Day match-up Mandurah will take on South Mandurah in a cross-town derby.
Last year South Mandurah thrashed Mandurah by 77 points, winning 24.13 (157) to 12.8 (80).
With Anzac Day falling on a Saturday all the Peel Football League fixtures will be held on the day with Pinjarra taking on Centrals and Rockingham taking on Waroona.
