By Beth Newman
Sandgate and Wilston Grange will honour two club legends when they run out for their ANZAC Eve clash tomorrow night.
After a successful inaugural match in 2013, the two clubs have raised the stakes this season, playing for the ANZAC Cup, along with the establishment of the William Forbes- Graham Jewell medal for the best on ground.
Forbes is still an active member of the Hawks’ board, after a long and decorated history with the club.
Sandgate football manager, David Bugeja, said Forbes was the perfect choice as the Hawks’ part of the medal name.
“Will was a great player and he’s still there now, working to make the club better,” he said.
“It could have been one of the usual suspects but Will’s still on the board and he’s a fantastic person to honour this way.”
Forbes played more than 200 games with Sandgate, starting out as a junior with the club in 1965, breaking into the senior side in 1968 at age 16.
Bugeja said tomorrow’s ANZAC game would be a season highlight for the Hawks, and both clubs are determined to make it a cornerstone of their season.
“With the medal and the teams playing for the ANZAC Cup this year, there’s a bit more buzz around it” he said.
“With Grange somewhat of a local rival, we saw this as a good opportunity to get something going and as long as we’re in the same competition, we want it to continue.”
Graham Jewell played for Wilston Grange in the 1960s and while he had opportunities in the then VFL, he generally seemed to find his way back to Hickey Park.
A state representative on numerous occasions, Jewell had a stint with Hawthorn as well as coaching two premierships in the Victorian country league.
The Sandgate-Grange match kicks off a big round of footy around South-East Queensland, with a number of teams paying tribute to past soldiers as part of the weekend.
The Hawks and Gorillas match kicks off at 7:15pm on Thursday night at Lemke Rd.
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