Welcome to – Nearly 100,000 AFL fans backed Uncle Colin Hunter Jr at the MCG after booing disrupted some Anzac Day dawn services, as Collingwood thrashed Essendon.
Almost 100,000 AFL fans packed the MCG and stood as one for a Welcome to Country ceremony on Anzac Day—hours after hecklers disrupted similar moments at dawn services around Australia.
The annual Collingwood vs Essendon clash. now a centrepiece on the sporting calendar. began with a Welcome to Country delivered by Uncle Colin Hunter Jr. who received a standing ovation from the crowd at the start of the pre-match build-up.. As he addressed the supporters. applause followed his words. and the ceremony set a solemn tone for a day that carries deep national weight.
Hunter’s message was both personal and ceremonial.. He began by acknowledging the lands of his ancestors. the Wurundjeri people. before turning to a special acknowledgement that included paying respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to those who have served the country.. Fans continued to cheer and applaud throughout the speech. reinforcing how tightly the ritual has become linked to the emotional fabric of Anzac Day for many Australians.
That reaction landed especially hard given what had happened earlier.. Disruptions were reported at dawn services in multiple cities, with hecklers booing Aboriginal leaders during acknowledgements.. In Sydney. for example. a man was arrested in Martin Place after allegedly heckling an Aboriginal leader as the acknowledgement was being delivered.. At a dawn service in Melbourne and other locations. reports described hecklers being moved on. while the ceremonies continued despite the interruptions.
The contrast between disruption and support has now become one of the defining storylines of the day: at the MCG. the Welcome to Country ceremony was met with a unified show of appreciation. while early-morning moments across the country were marred by hostility from a minority.. For supporters. it was a stark reminder that ceremonial recognition is not just symbolism—it is the way communities publicly decide what respect looks like.
In online reactions. many viewers praised what they saw at the MCG. pointing to the scale of the response as evidence that the message was understood rather than contested.. Some argued that the Welcome to Country belongs wherever Anzac Day is observed. while others pushed back. calling it divisive or unnecessary and insisting the day should focus only on the Anzacs.
Those arguments underscore a reality Misryoum readers will recognise: ceremonies that invite national reflection can also become arenas for wider debates about identity. belonging. and how Australia should remember.. The fact that the same day can produce both boos and standing ovations may help explain why supporters are so invested—people aren’t only watching sport. they are also watching what the country chooses to celebrate.
Even so, the strongest human thread running through Saturday’s event was resilience.. During the dawn service disruptions, Aboriginal leaders continued with their addresses and were met with applause once their speeches concluded.. The willingness to press on—despite being targeted—became part of the wider emotional message. and it carried through to the AFL venue where fans showed. loudly and clearly. what they wanted the tone to be.
On the football side, the day delivered a result that matched the intensity of the occasion.. Collingwood produced a dominant performance to defeat Essendon by 77 points. turning the MCG into a stage not only for ceremony but for an emphatic match statement.. Veteran Scott Pendlebury capped the afternoon by winning his fourth Anzac Day Medal. finishing with two goals and 43 possessions in a best-on-ground display.
Pendlebury’s performance added a sporting layer to an already heavy day. His fourth medal puts him one game shy of equalling the all-time VFL-AFL games record, and it serves as another reminder of why Anzac Day fixtures have such staying power—this is where legacy, leadership, and pressure meet.
With the Welcome to Country ceremony at the heart of the pre-match atmosphere and Collingwood’s on-field dominance reinforcing the sense of occasion. Saturday’s Anzac Day showdown has effectively underlined two parallel truths for Misryoum: communities can disagree about what they think a ceremony should be. yet many still choose to show respect in public. and major sport can amplify that choice at scale.