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Ahead of ANZAC Day, RSL Queensland worked alongside sporting organisations, clubs, veterans, RSL Sub Branches and communities to embed meaningful commemorations across rugby union, rugby league, AFL, football (soccer), netball, cricket, horse racing and more – ensuring remembrance lives where Queenslanders gather.

Queensland Maroons star and veteran Julia Robinson, former rugby league star and veteran Meg Ward and cricketer Chris Lynn also showed support for veterans and their families in the lead up to ANZAC Day.

$\"Rugby$

Image credit: Rugby Australia

International spotlight: Wallaroos v Black Ferns on ANZAC Day

One of the most prominent ANZAC Day fixtures in Queensland saw the Wallaroos host New Zealand’s Black Ferns at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

On the Friday before game day, Sunshine Coast veterans Trudie Avery, Nichole Hood and Hilary Gatenby joined players from both teams for breakfast to talk about their experiences and the similarities between service and sport.

Sunshine Coast and Regional District President Grendell ‘Skip’ Antony joined the Wallaroos for their team photo at the Maroochydore War Memorial and District Vice President Dave Eden attended the captain’s run.

Both teams also sent players to Dawn Services at the Sunshine Coast on game day.

RSL Queensland then supported the pre‑game Diggers’ Long Lunch delivered by Sunshine Coast Council and the Queensland Government, engaging with fans with rosemary and mirror selfies – symbols encouraging reflection ahead of kick‑off.

Match‑day commemorations included a Guard of Honour of veterans and their families – with Trudie doing the coin toss – as well as bugler Tessaley Banner and a cadet‑led catafalque party. Although the message was up in lights across the stadium, the ANZAC spirit was well and truly alive in all those who attended.

$\"Burleigh$

Image credit: Burleigh Bears

Rugby league: rivals united by remembrance

The ANZAC presence was felt strongly across rugby league, with veterans and Sub Branches directly embedded into match‑day moments.

This was particularly evident across Queensland Rugby League’s (QRL) Hostplus Cup competition with traditional opponents Norths Devils and Redcliffe Dolphins pausing their rivalry to honour the ANZAC spirit, wearing specially designed jerseys.

Nundah‑Northgate RSL Sub Branch President Phill Hickey, who served almost 30 years, highlights the role sport plays in modern remembrance.

“I think it’s great to see the inclusion of sport on ANZAC Day,” Phill says.

“Sport is a huge part of soldiering, sailoring and airmen and airwomen’s lives, so to come together through rugby league on a day like this is a great way to finish ANZAC Day.”

Sandgate RSL Sub Branch committee member and Australian Army veteran Matthew Mancini echoes the sentiment, describing the emotional resonance of ANZAC ceremonies at sporting fixtures.

“To see the players run out in ANZAC jerseys brings a real sense of pride,” Matthew says.

“The Last Post always hits home… from the very first bar, it doesn’t matter who you are – the ground falls silent. It’s an amazing feeling.”

Across ANZAC weekend, RSL Queensland connected most Cup clubs – from Townsville to Tweed Heads – with their local RSL Sub Branches, facilitating commemorative elements and veteran involvement during ANZAC week.

Six clubs – the Devils, Dolphins, Wynnum Manly Seagulls, Burleigh Bears, Brisbane Tigers and Souths Logan Magpies – featured the ‘ANZAC spirit lives here’ on their jerseys, amplifying the message through broadcast and social channels.

Additionally, QRL, under the guidance of former Queensland Maroons star Steve Price, honoured veterans through commemorations at the 47th Battalion Carnival in Toowoomba which involved people from the Toowoomba and South West, Sunshine Coast, Capricornia and Wide Bay regions; all players, and match officials, who took part wore jerseys that included the ‘ANZAC spirit lives here’ design.

$\"47th$

Image credit: QLD Rugby League

AFL: carrying the spirit on the national stage

The Gold Coast SUNS also embraced the commemoration with the launch of their 2026 ANZAC Appeal Round guernsey, incorporating remembrance symbols and ANZAC spirit messaging ahead of their ANZAC Day clash in Tasmania.

RSL Queensland State President Major General Stephen Day DSC AM reinforces the collective role Australians play in carrying the ANZAC legacy forward.

“Each ANZAC Day, we honour not just what was, but what still is: the spirit that shaped us as Australians – the spirit that lives with us, and in us, evermore,” Major General Day reflects.

“Every person who takes part in ANZAC Day helps to carry the ANZAC spirit forward… every action – big or small – honours those who’ve served and shows us that the ANZAC spirit lives here.”

Speaking ahead of the SUNS’ ANZAC Day match, Army Officer Sally Carter highlighted the natural connection between sport and service.

“ANZAC Day is a great opportunity for serving and ex‑serving military members to catch up and reflect, reminisce over old stories and remember mates,” Carter said.

“If you can do that while watching a sporting match – why not, it’s very Australian.”

$\"Burleigh$

Image credit: Burleigh Bears

One message, many moments

Other sporting clubs and organisations who connected with their local RSL Sub Branches and worked to bring the ANZAC spirit to life included Brisbane Roar, Brisbane Lions, NRL Wheelchair, Queensland Cricket and Brisbane Racing Club.

Through partnerships spanning elite sport, community competitions and regional events, RSL Queensland ensured remembrance was deeply woven into the places where Queenslanders connect – with each other, with sport and with history.

This ANZAC Day, from stadiums to local fields, the message was clear: the ANZAC spirit lives here.

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Let’s show the ANZAC spirit lives here

ANZAC Day is more than simply a date on the calendar.

It’s a time for Australians and New Zealanders to come together and honour the courage, sacrifice and mateship of all who have served.

It’s a call to carry those values forward every day, and a reminder of just how lucky and grateful we are.

So, whether you join a Dawn Service, pause at home in quiet reflection, or share stories with family and friends, your participation matters. Every action, big or small, honours the ANZACs and shows us that the ANZAC spirit lives here.

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$\"Rugby$

Image credit: Rugby Australia

International spotlight: Wallaroos v Black Ferns on ANZAC Day

One of the most prominent ANZAC Day fixtures in Queensland saw the Wallaroos host New Zealand’s Black Ferns at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

Both teams also sent players to Dawn Services at the Sunshine Coast on game day.

$\"Burleigh$

Image credit: Burleigh Bears

Rugby league: rivals united by remembrance

The ANZAC presence was felt strongly across rugby league, with veterans and Sub Branches directly embedded into match‑day moments.

Nundah‑Northgate RSL Sub Branch President Phill Hickey, who served almost 30 years, highlights the role sport plays in modern remembrance.

“I think it’s great to see the inclusion of sport on ANZAC Day,” Phill says.

“Sport is a huge part of soldiering, sailoring and airmen and airwomen’s lives, so to come together through rugby league on a day like this is a great way to finish ANZAC Day.”

Sandgate RSL Sub Branch committee member and Australian Army veteran Matthew Mancini echoes the sentiment, describing the emotional resonance of ANZAC ceremonies at sporting fixtures.

“To see the players run out in ANZAC jerseys brings a real sense of pride,” Matthew says.

“The Last Post always hits home… from the very first bar, it doesn’t matter who you are – the ground falls silent. It’s an amazing feeling.”

$\"47th$

Image credit: QLD Rugby League

AFL: carrying the spirit on the national stage

RSL Queensland State President Major General Stephen Day DSC AM reinforces the collective role Australians play in carrying the ANZAC legacy forward.

“Each ANZAC Day, we honour not just what was, but what still is: the spirit that shaped us as Australians – the spirit that lives with us, and in us, evermore,” Major General Day reflects.

Speaking ahead of the SUNS’ ANZAC Day match, Army Officer Sally Carter highlighted the natural connection between sport and service.

“ANZAC Day is a great opportunity for serving and ex‑serving military members to catch up and reflect, reminisce over old stories and remember mates,” Carter said.

“If you can do that while watching a sporting match – why not, it’s very Australian.”

$\"Burleigh$

Image credit: Burleigh Bears

One message, many moments

This ANZAC Day, from stadiums to local fields, the message was clear: the ANZAC spirit lives here.

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If you pause outside the Rosewood Memorial Hall, you might just catch the soft notes of a piano drifting through the air as the local RSL Sub Branch gathers.

The musician behind the melody is none other than 13-year-old Taylor Heit, one of RSL Queensland’s youngest members. She joined Rosewood RSL Sub Branch as a Citizen’s Auxiliary Junior member in December 2025, following in the footsteps of her father, Navy veteran Joel Heit.

A life of service at sea

Joel joined the Royal Australian Navy in 2003 at the age of 20, deploying to the Middle East aboard HMAS Melbourne soon after completing his training.

He later served as a Navy Damage Control and Firefighting Instructor at HMAS Cerberus, before moving to Darwin in 2005 to work on Border Force patrol boats.

In 2010, Joel transitioned to the Navy Reserve and returned to the town he grew up in – Rosewood.

“We could move back to my hometown, and I could still do the job that I loved, which was the Navy,” Joel says.

The fly‑in, fly‑out Reserves role offered varied work – from border protection to illegal fishing monitoring – while also giving Joel valuable time with family and friends, until the pandemic hit and then his contract ran out.

\"There are difficult memories that have stayed with me,” he reflects.

“But the way that I look at it, there were far more good days than bad. It’s not a bad trade.”

After years at sea, Joel has maintained a deep connection to the ocean.

“We live here [in Rosewood] where there's no ocean in sight, but there's something special watching the sun rise and set over the water in the same day,” he says.

“When I die, I want my ashes spread at sea.”

How ANZAC Day lives on in Rosewood

Over time, Joel’s understanding of ANZAC Day has deepened.

“As a kid, it was about acknowledging those who served,” he remembers.

“Now, it’s about the sacrifices made by veterans – whether that was the ultimate sacrifice, or the trauma veterans live with long after service.”

When the Last Post sounds, Joel doesn’t only think of those lost in battle.

“I think of friends who’ve taken their own lives,” he says.

“ANZAC Day is a time to remember them and their sacrifice too.”

Each year, Rosewood marks the day together, with around 1,000 people attending the Dawn Service.

“No matter how hard it is to get out of bed at 4:30am or stand in the rain,” Joel says, “it pales in comparison to what others endured.”

For Taylor, ANZAC Day is more personal.

“It makes me think of my dad,” she shares. “When he went away in the Navy, I always hoped he would come back, and I’m really happy that he did.”

When generations come together

As both father and music teacher, Joel encouraged Taylor to play piano for the Sub Branch, helping her build confidence while connecting with older generations.

“At first I was really shy,” Taylor admits. “But each time I came back, I felt more confident talking to people.”

Her favourite piece to play is Interstellar, though Sub Branch members are especially fond of The Entertainer.

“It makes me feel proud and happy that I know that people are listening to my music and enjoying it,” Taylor shares.

Beyond the piano, Taylor lends a hand wherever she can at Sub Branch events and meetings – from cooking sausages on the barbecue to helping pack up chairs.

\n $\"Joel$

“Usually, I ask how they're going, and then sometimes they talk about how long they've been with the Sub Branch for, or their service. I like listening to their stories; some of them are really cool,” she says.

It was this willingness to be part of the community alongside her dad that saw Taylor become one of the youngest RSL Queensland members at only 13 years old.

In the future, Taylor hopes to continue to develop her friendships at the Sub Branch and even has her sights set on the top job – Sub Branch President.

“I'm very proud of the young lady that she is becoming,” Joel says.

“Her drive to support veterans and the community makes me a very proud dad.”

The strength of Sub Branch connection

This year marks Joel’s third ANZAC Day with the Rosewood RSL Sub Branch, having joined more than a decade after returning home.

“It took a while for the timing to feel right,” he says.

“But this Sub Branch plays such an important role in the community, especially for veterans who don’t have strong support networks elsewhere.”

“This is the family they’re looking for,” he adds. “Having people to talk to keeps you grounded.”

It’s this connection to one another, no matter your age or where you served, that resonates with Joel the most.

\n $\"Rosewood$

“I had an uncle who was an engineer in the Vietnam War. My mum said the only time she ever heard him speak about the war and the things that happened over there was with me. So, I think people feel more comfortable sharing here because they feel more understood,\" Joel remembers.

“It's nice to be able to talk to other veterans with lived experience. It might be in a different era, but it's still the same experience.”

It’s this sense of belonging that drew Taylor in too.

“We’ve got a really strong Sub Branch,” Joel says. “Everyone is welcoming and that’s why Taylor wanted to be part of it.”

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Let’s show the ANZAC spirit lives here

ANZAC Day is more than simply a date on the calendar.

It’s a time for Australians and New Zealanders to come together and honour the courage, sacrifice and mateship of all who have served.

It’s a call to carry those values forward every day, and a reminder of just how lucky and grateful we are.

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ANZAC Day news and stories