Belated thanks from a Fitzroy supporter

[skilts]

Just watched my (highly edited) video of the demise of Fitzroy, in 1996. Lots of tears, of course, as a Fitzroy supporter.

The thing which struck me was that the Fremantle people were the only ones who really knew how to deal with the whole disaster. The concept of having that wonderful woman singing 'Auld Lang Syne', silouhetted beside the scoreboard was an inspired idea. Who was she?

I went to Fitzroy's last game in Melbourne, the week before, against Richmond. I was with a Collingwood and a Carlton supporter, both of whom wanted to wallow in the demise of an AFL team. They cried a lot after the game. I just wanted to get out of the MCG. To me, it was just another 150 point loss for the Lions. I also knew it wasn't our last game. We still had to play you guys. To me, the whole MCG thing was a manufactured sentiment.

You blokes covered yourselves in glory, IMO, by inviting as many Fitzroy legends as you could afford, to be there on the day. It really didn't matter that you won by 87 points. That was inevitable.

I was, and still am, pleased that it was a REAL football club who got to say goodbye to us, in a most appropriate manner.

I lived in Perth for the 1973 season and got to see South and East Fremantle play, while I, obviously, followed Subiaco. Unlike the other team in your neck of the woods, you come from a history of understanding what this game is all about.

Thanks. You did us proud.

[funky_monk]

Thanks dude!

[Rob]

Originally posted by skilts
Unlike the other team in your neck of the woods, you come from a history of understanding what this game is all about.


You'll get on great on this board mate! :D

[anchor man]

Skilts I was at the game and the build up for the Roos was tremendous.Very emotional and touching.It was great to be able to pay tribute to all the greats of the club.It was a day in football that I will never forget.
I think the fact that Freo gave such a great send off to The Roy Boys shows how much a real footy club we are.I think the people running the club at the time realised what the advent of the VFL/AFL had on our own competition and understood the feelings of the Fitzroy club and supporters.
If you are not aware of it,the advent of the Eagles,to the VFL as it was at that stage almost destroyed our local competition.Some people would say that it did.

[Roylion]

Yes, I've always had a soft spot for Fremantle since the Roys last game in 1996. Very classy effort by the Dockers to see out a foundation club of the competition in style. Of course our last win in the AFL was over Fremantle as well.

Ever thought of removing the purple from your uniform? ;).

[spring6]

We've done you loads of favours then! and our jumper is the best in the league, they better not take the purple out of it!

[Horace]

I would like to echo the comments made by Skilts. At the time I could not comprehend (and still cannot) how little the AFL seemed to care about Fitzroy, yet Fremantle showed nothing else but absolute class.

I will always have a soft spot for the Dockers as well and in fact would have far preferred if we had have been merged with either Fremantle, or for that matter Port Adelaide.

Clubs with real history and tradition and in the case of Fremantle in 1996 a real sense of history.

By the way I have a video of that last game, yet I still cannot summon the courage to watch it.

[Fat Pizza]

Fremantle's handling of the situation was all class. Thanks Freo from another Roys supporter.

[anchor man]

The VFL had no thought for anything to do with footy at that stage.And more than likely still don't.
I don't think the Fremantle people would have embraced the idea of a VFL club coming over here to play.Especially a club that realistically was not very succesful.I for one would not have taken to the idea at all.
In fact the AFL wanted the Fitzroy club to be moved to WA or at least be part of a new club to come from WA.

People will say this is not true but I was told by one of the major players in the introduction of the Dockers that this was indeed the case.This person was appointed to the board by the WAFC.

It was and still is my opinion that the Dockers and the Power were introduced into the AFL five years to soon.
Neither the WAFL or the SANFL had been given enough time to recover from the introduction of the Eagles and the Crows.

The Power were able to entice some very good players back to SA and had an almost immediate impact on the competition.

The Dockers on the other hand had to start from absolute scratch and could not lure quality players back,or even get players of the quality that was required to make our team competitive.This I believe was due to Neeshams autocratic style of coaching.His way or the highway.

But by the same token I was very proud to have been there that day.