Hawthorn and St Kilda will compete for the 22nd annual Blue Ribbon Cup when the two sides face off at Marvel Stadium in Round 7.
The Blue Ribbon Cup is one of the AFL’s longest standing traditions and honours the courage and sacrifice of all Australian Police Officers and those that have fallen in the line of duty. Once again in 2021, players, coaches and on-field staff from both the Hawks and the Saints will wear blue and white checked armbands as a show of respect.
The match was first established in 2000 as a tribute to Victoria Police members, Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller who were killed in the line of duty in 1998.
The match continues to honour fallen officers who put their lives on the line to protect their community, a risk we were so devastatingly reminded when four Victoria Police Officers, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Glen Humphris and Constable Josh Prestney, tragically lost their lives in the line of duty in April 2020.
At the conclusion of Saturday’s match, all players will receive commemorative Blue Ribbon medals, with the best player from each team (voted by the opposing club’s president) to each also be awarded Silk-Miller Memorial Medals.
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Hawthorn CEO Justin Reeves acknowledged the legacy of the Blue Ribbon Cup at Hawthorn.
“The Blue Ribbon Cup has been woven into the fabric of our club over its 22-year history with us,” Reeves said.
“Each year we are reminded of the courage and sacrifice of Victoria’s police officers.
“This match is an opportunity to honour and thank the men and women in blue for the incredible work they do in our community.”
The Blue Ribbon Foundation was formed in 1988 to preserve the memory of Victoria Police members killed in the line of duty through the support of worthwhile community projects and programs. The foundation provides funding to Victoria’s public hospitals for the building of new and improved emergency facilities, creating opportunities to honour and remember lives by saving others.
The below video, created in 2019, depicts Hawthorn player Jack Scrimshaw's connection to the Blue Ribbon Cup.
