Richmond is pleased to announce that Lieutenant Colonel Garth Callender will light this year’s cauldron during the Anzac Day Eve pre-game ceremony prior to the Round 7 match against Melbourne.
Each year that it is Richmond’s home game, the Club invites a distinguished Australian to light the cauldron in honour of their service and to represent those others that have served the country.
TICKETS Anzac Day Eve is a fully ticketed match! Find out how to secure your seat
Callander served the Australian Army with distinction over 25 years in combat intelligence, training, and strategic roles.
He was one of the first casualties medically evacuated out of Iraq when hit by a roadside bomb in 2004.
Callender bravely returned to Iraq in 2006 as second-in-command of the Australian Army’s detachment in Baghdad.
Determined to prevent the kind of bomb attacks that left him scarred, he volunteered again in 2009 to lead a weapons intelligence team in Afghanistan.
Callender’s military deployments and recovery from the attack in Baghdad was chronicled in his book After the Blast.
Having lived and managed some of the most extreme crises across the globe, Callender has gone on to excel in high-profile public and private sector roles.
As CEO of Bravery Trust, Callender provides leadership to the nationally operated charity that assists veterans recovering from financial hardship.
Callender holds a Master of Business Administration and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He also remains a part-time member of the Australian Army at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, where he recently completed tenure as the Commanding Officer of the University of NSW Regiment.
ANZAC CEREMONY
Torch from the Shrine of Remembrance escorted to the ’G
At 5pm, a torch lit from the Eternal Flame at the Shrine of Remembrance will be escorted through the Botanic Gardens to the MCG. A handover of the flame will take place at 5:50pm in Yarra Park near Gate 1.
The Tiger Army is encouraged to come along and watch this handover take place.
Anzac Day Eve ceremony
We strongly encourage everyone to be in their seats by 6:30pm, with the pre-match ceremony commencing from 6:50pm.
6:57pm – Australian Army Band
7:01pm – Corangamite Light Horse Troop enter arena for lap of honour
7:02pm – Players enter arena and line up in front of stage
7:05pm – Eternal Flame lit by Garth Callender
7:05pm – Ode to the Fallen
7:06pm – Last Post
7:07pm – New Zealand & Australian national anthems
7:11pm – Joint banner raised; teams run through
Richmond members are reminded that to attend our Anzac Day Eve match you must secure your seat. General admission memberships must be upgraded to a reserved ticket by entering your barcode on the Ticketek website.
