Anzac triple header on the cards

St Kilda and Sydney players run through a joint banne for the first AFL match outside of Australia for premiership points. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph

THE AFL is strongly considering an Anzac Day triple header next year involving nine hours of football, with Brisbane emerging as St Kilda's likely opponent.

Anzac Day falls on a Friday next year, which means the league could conceivably play Collingwood-Essendon at 2pm, St Kilda and a Queensland opponent (5pm) in Wellington and finally the traditional Len Hall clash involving Fremantle at Patersons Stadium.

It would be a ratings bonanza, satisfy St Kilda's wish to grow its New Zealand presence and give Fremantle the fixture they require to commemorate Anzac Day in the west.

The Saints will discuss their potential opponents for next year with the AFL in coming weeks, but Wellington's Council believes a Queensland team would lure extra visitors from another state to the nation's capital.

Brisbane was mentioned in early discussions last year, but either the Lions or Gold Coast would fit the bill perfectly given it is the council which stumps up the backing for the Saints.

New South Wales and Queensland are key markets for Wellington, which provides St Kilda between $400,000 and $500,000 per New Zealand game.

The league has already all but guaranteed the Saints presence in New Zealand until 2015, with excitement already building about a spectacular Anzac Day commemoration built around the Gallipoli centenary.

Wellington will be the centrepiece of New Zealand's Gallipoli centenary in 2015, with buzz centering around a possible harbour re-enactment that could even involve legendary director Peter Jackson.

The harbour city will open a National War Memorial Park in time for Anzac Day 2015, with the league keen to be part of the build-up on such an important day for both countries.

St Kilda easily met its performance indicators to kick the deal into the next phase with two matches in each of 2013 and 2014, with hotel occupancy alone jumping from 22 per cent last Anzac Day to 100 per cent this week.

Saints veteran Nick Dal Santo said yesterday the vibe during the week in Wellington proved the concept was a success.

"I think the whole week's been pretty good; the way Wellington and NZ's embraced us, they've got a little bit out of it as well with us being around," he said.

"It felt a little bit like grand final week, you walk down the street and there's St Kilda scarves, people just walking the streets, St Kilda and Sydney. It just has a really good feel.

"Obviously it's a huge occasion. I think 22,000, I assume the clubs and Wellington would be happy with that.

"I can only see it getting bigger though. The spectacle that was put on last night, even though it was a little bit greasy and the game wasn't as clean as it can be, particularly at the dome under the roof, it was a really competitive game.

"I'd like to think NZ people would have been impressed by the way we play our footy."
 

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