AFL legend Leigh Matthews says the decision to have a “flamboyant rock band” perform ahead of the Essendon-Collingwood Anzac Day clash was “so inappropriate.”
The ARIA-winning rock group Lime Cordiale performed as part of the pre-game entertainment at the MCG, ahead of the ceremony that takes place once the teams are on the field.
Speaking on Radio 3AW’s Sportsday program, Matthews said the performance, which followed the traditional motorcade of veterans, was out of place.
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“The only downer for me, seriously – there was the pre-game. We think the pre-game, well that’s the event part of it (because) it’s just a game once the siren sounds and they bounce the ball,” Matthews said.
“They did the motorcade of all the ex-service people and just automatically and instinctively the crowd just stand up and applaud. It’s just a fantastic thing, the acknowledgment the crowd has.
“Then that finished and then in the 10 or 15 minutes before they went into the rest of the Anzac ceremony, they put in a rock band.”
Matthews said the decision to have Lime Cordiale perform didn’t reflect the otherwise sombre occasion.
“It just seems so inappropriate – wrong place and wrong time – to have a rock band, a flamboyantly dressed rock band, belting out two or three tunes for that intervening 10 or 15 minutes,” he said.
“I can tell you the crowd around us had no interest whatsoever. They were just doing their chatter and getting ready for the Anzac ceremony, which everyone thinks is so special in its own right.”
Fellow 3AW broadcaster Neil Mitchell said the AFL made a mistake in having Lime Cordiale perform.
“Why have a group like that on Anzac Day?” he asked.
“Why not have some songs from the times? Why not some World War II or World War I songs even?
“The AFL did a great job but they got it wrong with Lime Cordiale.
“As good as they are, it wasn’t the time or place.”
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