
Who does the ANZAC Day experience better - the AFL or NRL?
I am going down to Melbourne with my son and staying a few days to take it all in. Will hit the Shrine of Remembrance for the Dawn Service which I have never been to at the Shrine - but the place is amazing having been through there a few years back - and it's location is just right looking down (is it St Kilda boulevard?) - anyway - looks great. Then off to the match which has a longish history now between Essendon and Collingwood. Got a function prior at Collingwoods training ground across the road from the "G". After may hot the restaurants in the city - or possibly south bank - was down that way last August and South Wharf and Southbank seem to be the place to be nowadays but want to show my Son some of the laneway cafes and bars as well that Melbourne is famous for - just got to know where to go as often hidden without signage etc. Great one just across from Fed Square near the graffiti lane. Then night before we are going to ANZAC Eve game at night - which, going from TV, looks like quite the pregame spectacular.
I don't know much about the NRL game - but I am guessing they would have NZ team playing which makes sense. Do they get a good crowd - is it just the one game that day - like the AFL used to have or have they now a night game later on? Is it the same team every year? Is this something they have always done - playing on the 25th April regardless of when it falls - or is it something they borrowed from the AFL - (or vice versa?).