Anthony Mellington (1995 - 1996)

[Grimreepah]

Pick 18 in the 1995 Pre-Season Draft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_AFL_Draft)

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/4143/anthonymellington1.jpg

[Mr Ripper]

The Cougar!

[Grimreepah]

Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Mellington)

After being picked up in the 1995 Pre-Season Draft, Mellington made six AFL appearances in his first year at Fitzroy. He was a regular fixture up forward for Fitzroy in 1996, their last season before merging with the Brisbane Bears. His best performance came in round eight when he kicked six goals in a win over Fremantle. Despite finishing the season with a modest 22 goals (and 26 behinds), it wasn't bettered by any other teammates, giving Mellington the honour of winning Fitzroy's final leading goal-kicker award.

In search of a new club for the 1997 AFL season, reigning premiers North Melbourne selected him in the Pre-season Draft. He had 16 disposals and five goals against Richmond in just his second game for North Melbourne, with he backed up with three and four goal hauls in the following two rounds. By the time finals arrived he had lost his place in the side and appeared just six more times for the club, five in 1998 and the other in their premiership winning 1999 season.[/URL]

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/2378/anthonymellington2.jpg

Statistics:
[URL="http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/A/Anthony_Mellington.html"]
rleague (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Mellington#cite_note-AFLTables-0)
footywire (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pc-kangaroos--anthony-mellington)
final siren (http://finalsiren.com/PlayerStats.asp?PlayerID=182)

[Grimreepah]

Round 8 - May 16th 1996 - 14 years ago today, Fitzroy supporters heard their team roar for the last time [in the AFL] when the Lions beat Fremantle by 31 points at the Whitten Oval (http://www.fitzroyfc.com.au/mediaarticles/thelastofthetruemightyroars.html)

“That was my only winning game with Fitzroy. Wasn’t it also one of the lowest crowds? But after the game I can remember the Fitzroy supporters singing on the ground. And I can remember our coach Mick Nunan trying to keep a lid on it. That was never going to happen. The fans wanted something to celebrate. It was a good game for me because they gave me the ball after the match, which I still have, plus I got my only Brownlow vote.

We were training everywhere- Coburg, Waverley, Western Oval, so we were fighting an uphill battle. David Hookes was our runner in 1996 and I remember seeing him about five years later in the casino. He was walking through with a group but he saw me and came straight over. Just a good bloke. These days I feel sorry for those genuine Fitzroy supporters. They should have merged with North Melbourne. OK, some got some joy from Brisbane but it’s not the same. I don’t follow any club today but have a leaning towards the Kangaroos. As for playing I’m still having a run with a club called Tocumwal.”

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/6580/anthonymellington3.jpg

[Grimreepah]

Number 42 (http://m.afl.com.au/news.htm;jsessionid=E2DFAD7B1ACCDDB45D2D605B02248706?action= handleNewsArticleById&id=114358&listRetrievedBy=TEAM&listId=36)

Tristan LYNCH (Bears/Lions) - 55
Terry M. BOARD (Fitzroy) - 15
Pearce HANLEY (Lions) - 12
Max MIERS (Fitzroy) - 7
Lex DWYER (Fitzroy) - 6
Anthony MELLINGTON (Fitzroy) - 6
David RANKIN (Fitzroy) - 6
Marcus ALLAN (Lions) - 5
Ken JONES (Fitzroy) - 5
Josh Green (Lions) - 5*
Paul TILLEY (Fitzroy) - 4
Adam KERINAIUA (Bears) - 3
Shane STREMPEL (Bears) - 3
Jonathan SOLOMON (Bears) - 2
Brent GREEN (Bears) - 1
Wayne EASTMAN (Fitzroy) - 1
Mark EAVES (Fitzroy) - 1
Peter WEIGHTMAN (Fitzroy) - 1

Number 3 - 18 games

[Grimreepah]

Pick 17 in the 1997 Pre-Season Draft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_AFL_Draft)

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/6585/anthonymellington4.jpg

[Grimreepah]

Goublurn Valley Football League Team of the Last 20 Years (http://www.sheppadviser.com.au/sport/620-cream-of-the-crop-.html)

Half Back Line- Robbie Miller, Anthony Mellington & Simon McCarty

Drafted to AFL clubs Carlton, Fitzroy/North Melbourne and North Melbourne respectively are the leagues half back picks. Mellington, a century goal kicker in the Shepparton Bears 2000 premiership year, could play at both ends and through the ruck. 300 game Rochester player, McCarty was known as a tough hard-running left footer a regular GV representative. Miller was a freak all over the ground.

Link (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/murray-grounds-cut-the-mcg-down-to-size-20100420-srq7.html)

AS THE current president of Tocumwal, Roe last year had a big hand in his club's policy to recruit with big grounds in mind. The plan bore fruit when Tocumwal defeated Moama in the 2009 grand final to win its first premiership since 1991. Anthony Mellington, the rangy former Fitzroy and North Melbourne player, was best on ground with a standout performance at centre half-back. "He's tall and athletic - the type of player who excels on this ground," Roe said.

["Roar Passion"]

Got me stuffed how he was named in the GV team of the century ?
FWIW I think he is still playing with Heathcote ( might actually be coaching them ) in the Heathcote and District Football League.
Not certain but think Jonnny Soloman who Fiztroy or Brisbane also drafted, may have been in the Gv TOC side, was a gun !

[Grimreepah]

Blast from the Past (http://www.lions.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/5085/newsid/117974/default.aspx)
8:36 AM Thu 07 Jul, 2011

What are your fondest memories of your time at Fitzroy?

The first thing that comes to mind is the Fitzroy supporters. I always remember how keen and one-eyed they were.

I felt for them more than anyone else when the team eventually merged in 1996.

While those that did go on to follow the Brisbane Lions enjoyed some success, I always thought a merger with another Melbourne Club would’ve been better suited.

Luckily enough for me, I was picked up by the Kangaroos in 1997 which was a real eye-opener. It was amazing to see how professionally run North Melbourne was compared to Fitzroy in those final years.

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1093/anthonymellington.jpg

[Grimreepah]

Coodabeens Champtions (http://www.coodabeens.com.au/dukes_08042000.htm)

It's a mystery train why North picked up Mello. You can only think he was a back up in case Carey or Longmire or Mark Roberts or Sholl or McKernan fell over. Yet when he played senior football he was like a small business - put all his wares on display.

Mellington was drafted by Fitzroy from VCFL team Shepparton in 1995. He made his senior debut the same year. He wore the number 3 jumper made famous by Gary Pert. Mello was built fine as a summer's day, certainly no Adonis in maroon and blue. Yet at full forward AM was FM - a fantastic mark. He used his body cleverly in marking contests and had pace over 10. His goal kicking was sometimes erratic but when on song he was the full symphony.

Mellington was the Roys' leading goal kicker in 1996 with 24 lee majors. That was the year the AFL allowed the fires of proud inner suburban club to be extinguished. In that last emotional game against the Dockers at the Whitten Oval, Mello on a long lead marked out in front of his dial turned, played on and slotted truly down the Barkly Road end 15 minutes into the second quarter. During the last term, Mello grabbed the nut, dodged two defenders and snapped a great goal that Solskjaer would have admired. Surprisingly the Mello man was not picked up by the Brisbane Lions.

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/1093/anthonymellington.jpg

[Grimreepah]

The Lions' last roar (http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/24951/default.aspx)
Paul Gough
12:00 AM Thu 18 May, 2006

However, despite the Fitzroy team that day featuring a host of players that would go on to make a name for themselves in the AFL, it was two players that failed to do so who were the real stars of the victory over Fremantle - Anthony Mellington and Nick Carter.

Mellington, who would later struggle to break into a strong Kangaroos' team, kicked six goals at full-forward, while the 179-centimetre Carter - who would play just eight more games with first Brisbane and then Melbourne after Fitzroy folded - had 31 possessions.