Diggers Cup

The Diggers Cup is a club member, mixed gender event traditionally played on ANZAC day each year as part of the commemoration of the service provided by our armed forces. Of the field of players on the day only those who have served in the armed services of Allied nations are eligible to win the Diggers Cup. All the field, Diggers and non-Diggers, compete for normal competition trophy prizes on the day.

 

The inaugural Diggers Cup was conducted on Sunday 25th April 1982. Newsletter April 1982 explains that this event commenced to distinguish the qualification requirements for the Veterans Cup which had alternated its qualification requirements between those over 50 years of age and those with RSL membership.

 

Interestingly, the club's Council of Management Minutes suggest that Anzac Day was recognised much earlier than this. On 15/1/1973 the Match Committee were requested to consider an annual Anzac Day event and on 10/2/1973 it was agreed to play for the ''ANZAC HELMET'' each year on Anzac Day. Then, on 16/4/1973 the 'Anzac Helmet … To be played for in conjunction with Whisky event.' The relationship of these records and the current Diggers Cup trophy that features a helmet is not known. Furthermore, the minutes record that 'Associates (ladies) … were not to schedule a fixture for April 25th, 1974 but that the Council of Management will keep Tuesday the 23rd of April, 1974 free of trade events for the Associates use.' This clarifies that the event was for men only at that point in time.