The Gold Coast SUNS have officially launched a 2022 commemorative ANZAC Guernsey to be worn for the ANZAC Day Eve QClash against the Brisbane Lions this Sunday afternoon.

The SUNS and RSL Queensland have joined forces to support Australian veterans and spark the ANZAC Spirit in the hearts of everyday Australians ahead of the ANZAC Appeal Round.

The partnership is reflective of this year’s Light Up The Dawn campaign for ANZAC Day with the Gold Coast SUNS commemorating ANZAC Day at the game on Sunday 24 April and are aiming to help raise funds to support ex-serving veterans and their families in times of need.

Gold Coast SUNS Chief Executive Mark Evans said it was a small role we can play as a football club to support our community.

“For our ANZAC Day eve clash in 2022, our AFL players will wear a specially designed commemorative guernsey to acknowledge our partnership with RSL Queensland and help raise awareness for the ANZAC Day Appeal,” Evans said.

“Amongst a host of other fundraising opportunities at our ANZAC Appeal, Round 6 match against the Brisbane Lions, all of the player worn guernsey’s will be auctioned after the game, with all proceeds raised donated by the Gold Coast SUNS to the appeal. A small show of our gratitude and support to those who have served.

“As a football club, we want to mean more to the Gold Coast than just being its national AFL team, we want to show our support and raise awareness for causes that resonate amongst our community.”

Gold Coast SUNS Vice-Captain, Sam Collins was thrilled to help launch an exciting new partnership between the club and RSL Queensland.

“It’s incredible to wear a guernsey that represents such a momentous occasion in Australian history and to be able to commemorate the past and the present is something the playing group will wholeheartedly embrace,” said Collins.

“For us, we’ll never be able to truly understand what people do to serve our country and the least we can do is show our support and help raise funds for all the work RSL Queensland and the ANZAC Appeal do behind the scenes to assist.”

Gold Coast SUNS Midfielder Noah Anderson was taken back by the opportunity he and his teammates had to acknowledge our country’s serving forces.

“It’s such an honour to be able to wear this guernsey and support the ANZAC Appeal and veterans that have served our country. Myself and my teammates will wear it with immense pride and passion against the Lions on Sunday afternoon at Metricon Stadium,” said Anderson.

RSL Australia Ambassador and RSL Currumbin Palm Beach Sub Branch board member, Cherisa Pearce, endorsed the partnership and said the current generation of veterans, many of whom are in their 20s and 30s, are of a similar age to the Gold Coast SUNS playing group.

“It’s wonderful to see the Gold Coast SUNS embrace the importance of ANZAC Day. This partnership will particularly resonate with a younger generation of veterans, recognising the large number of veterans returned from recent deployments. It is so important for Australians to recognise our veterans and support them however we can,” said Cherisa.

Citing principles of endurance, courage, mateship, humour and ingenuity, RSL Queensland State President Major General Stephen Day, DSC AM said the ANZAC Spirit lives on not only in veterans but in people right across the county.

“This year, as communities across the country honour the services of Australian and New Zealand men and women who have, and continue to, bravely defend our values and freedom, we are encouraging people to pause and reflect on ANZAC Day.

“We urge Queenslanders to attend a march, a service or to Light Up The Dawn and simply commemorate in a way that means the most to them,” he concluded.

The guernsey was officially launched at dawn by RSL District President, Gold Coast, Pat Fairon and RSL National Ambassador Cherisa Pearce, as well as Gold Coast SUNS players Sam Collins and Noah Anderson.

The design includes four key elements, the rising sun to ‘light up the dawn’, a silhouette of a digger and a sprig of rosemary on the front to symbolise fidelity and remembrance. The words ‘Lest We Forget’ also feature on the back of the design.

For a full list of RSL ANZAC Day commemorative services, and to discover how you can honour our veterans with a moment of private reflection from home at 6am on ANZAC Day go to lightupthedawn.com.au