Are the Brisbane Lions starting to resemble the Fitzroy Lions?

[Klaus]

This might sound ridiculous to some people, however lately i've began to think there are many parralells between the two clubs.

I started following footy in the late 80's, my main memories of Fitzroy were that:

• They were always capable of upsetting a top team or running them very close (I recall them defeating us on multiple occasions)
  
• They always seemed to have their players poached (Lynch, Roos, Pert, Broderick, McIvor, Kappler etc.)
• They would vary between a middle of the road team and a cellar dweller
  
• They always seemed to have no support from the AFL.

Recently, these circumstances have very much mirrored what has happened with Brisbane.

• They've been capable of a miracle win (the defeat of Geelong/Essendon last year and close loss to Geelong in round 23 come to mind)
  
• They've had a huge number of players poached from other clubs
  
• They've gone from a middle-of-the-road team in the late 2000's to a cellar dweller in 2010-11, then back to middle-of-the-road and they're now a cellar dweller again.
• They also seem to be at the mercy of the AFL; they've been dealt a draw as difficult as any other team, they've had no reasonable compo from the AFL after all of the high draft picks they've lost and they have barely any money to spend. They also seem to get an unfair deal from the umpires every week (I recall a stat where they had received over 300 less free kicks than any other team in the past four seasons).

I really feel sorry for their fans. I know they've made some mistakes with recruiting and coaching decisions, however their treatment seems simply unfair. If the AFL continue to let other clubs walk all over them and don't give them any priority picks, I genuinly fear for them. The crowds/TV audience up there is very volatile depending on success. If they fall into a heap (ala Melbourne), they may lose too much ground to recover from.

Just my two cents.

 

[JeffDunne]

Brisbane are in trouble but unlike Fitzroy their survival is guaranteed.

They'll soon be a pet AFL project again. The AFL are reactionary, they'll wait until they need to.

 

[Klaus]

Brisbane are in trouble but unlike Fitzroy their survival is guaranteed.

They'll soon be a pet AFL project again. The AFL are reactionary, they'll wait until they need to.

They're a serious chance to go winless. If they lose tomorrow, the only potential wins I can see for them are against GWS in round 13 and Melbourne in round 19 (at the MCG). Considering GWS and Melbourne are improving by the week, they're no more than 50-50 games. I really feel for them; Polec, Longer and Yeo would all be playing for them atm (especially with the injuries to Rich, Leuenberger and Hanley). Instead, they've been given a few hit-or-miss second round picks. It's unfair, I tell ya!

 

[Byron_Clanger]

They're a serious chance to go winless. If they lose tomorrow, the only potential wins I can see for them are against GWS in round 13 and Melbourne in round 19 (at the MCG). Considering GWS and Melbourne are improving by the week, they're no more than 50-50 games. I really feel for them; Polec, Longer and Yeo would all be playing for them atm (especially with the injuries to Rich, Leuenberger and Hanley). Instead, they've been given a few hit-or-miss second round picks. It's unfair, I tell ya!

They won't go winless, if Gold Coast and GWS didn't go winless then Brisbane wont

 

[Klaus]

They won't go winless, if Gold Coast and GWS didn't go winless then Brisbane wont

What kind of logic is that? I hope they don't go winless, however they're certainly a chance with the incredibly difficult draw they've been given.

 

[Roylion]

Brisbane are in trouble but unlike Fitzroy their survival is guaranteed.

Yep. They have AFL support.

The only similarities between Fitzroy and Brisbane is that they were/are both nicknamed the Lions and sometimes wear the same colours.

 

[Roylion]

What kind of logic is that? I hope they don't go winless, however they're certainly a chance with the incredibly difficult draw they've been given.

There hasn't been a winless team since 1964 and while it is certainly possible, it's unlikely. Brisbane won the wooden spoon in 1998 with four wins and a completely decimated Fitzroy won the wooden spoon in 1996 with one win. There's 18 rounds to go.

 

[Klaus]

Yep. They have AFL support.

The only similarities between Fitzroy and Brisbane is that they were/are both nicknamed the Lions and sometimes wear the same colours.

They certainly didn't have any AFL support at the end of last year. I think they should've been compensated for losing Polec, Longer, Yeo and Docherty is a similar way to what the Western Bulldogs were with losing Callan Ward. They were high draft picks that Brisbane 'earned' by finishing low on the ladder, now they're back to square one because they weren't fairly compensated.

 

[Brisbane2013]

Atleast the AFL will finally wake up and realize how ****ed up we are, and maybe then they could stop having a huge erection over the gold coast suns

 

[Crawb]

So...is it safe to enter this thread?

 

[Shaneprice97]

There hasn't been a winless team since 1964 and while it is certainly possible, it's unlikely. Brisbane won the wooden spoon in 1998 with four wins and a completely decimated Fitzroy won the wooden spoon in 1996 with one win. There's 18 rounds to go.

Hey Roylion, being fairly young i dont know much about the Roys and there situation as much as someone who is 20 years older than me so would you mind if i ask 2 questions?
-I only know 1 Brisbane lions supporter in Victoria personally, which i find odd as i know a lot more Sydney supporters(obviously different circumstances, but relocating to Sydney may have caused some damage to the South Melbourne faithful) but did many of the Fitzroy supporters stop supporting AFL or support another team instead of supporting the Brisbane Lions?
-Do you classify yourself as a Brisbane Lions supporter?

 

[The Swert]

Anybody who goes winless after 5 games look like they will never win but every year they do.

Why is it that every year whoever is at the bottom is said to be on the verge of collapse? Somebody has to come last and even though its happened 118 times only one club has actually collapsed.

 

[JRoo]

Hey Roylion, being fairly young i dont know much about the Roys and there situation as much as someone who is 20 years older than me so would you mind if i ask 2 questions?
-I only know 1 Brisbane lions supporter in Victoria personally, which i find odd as i know a lot more Sydney supporters(obviously different circumstances, but relocating to Sydney may have caused some damage to the South Melbourne faithful) but did many of the Fitzroy supporters stop supporting AFL or support another team instead of supporting the Brisbane Lions?
-Do you classify yourself as a Brisbane Lions supporter?

Not an ex-Fitzroy supporter but from my experience in having a few mates who were Royboys and most of them stopped watching/following AFL fullstop. They now only have a passing interest in the competition and in most cases they have now gone to supporting their local VFL/amateur side rather than following the Lions or any other AFL side.

 

[Kram]

Horrid start but it's still round 5 ffs.

 

[the distributer]

The only thing the AFL can do is give them concessions, they've lost a heap of players over the last few years and they still haven't recovered from the Fev deal, the AFL need to get them competitive again.

 

[Crawb]

And to think if these Rd23 results were reversed we would have actually played in finals last year.... :
Geelong 112 def. Lions 111
Carlton 104 def. Port Adelaide 103

 

[Kram]

One thing that surprised me though was how tough the draw is that they've been given, it's like the AFL wanted them to have shocking season.

 

[Klaus]

One thing that surprised me though was how tough the draw is that they've been given, it's like the AFL wanted them to have shocking season.

They were a sacrificial lamb IMO. The AFL knew they were in for a tough year after the mass exodus at the end of last year, so they gave them an insanely difficult draw to help out clubs like Richmond (who were gifted an incredibly easy draw)

The AFL needs a 17 round season if they are trying to sure up equality, this seasons fixture is a complete joke.

 

[Demonheart]

The AFL will step in and make sure they're successful like last time, first access to players, increased salary cap, hell, they may even kill off another club to poach their players. It's the only way for them to be a good team

 

[Schauermann]

Don't think they are as bad. Lost a lot promising youth and had injuries while most other non finals teams from last year have somehow improved...

There hasn't been a winless team since 1964 and while it is certainly possible, it's unlikely.

This. Is as unlikely as a team going winless. Might look like it at times, but probably won't happen.

 

[Crawb]

The AFL will step in and make sure they're successful like last time, first access to players, increased salary cap, hell, they may even kill off another club to poach their players. It's the only way for them to be a good team

Sigh...another ignorant fan to the challenges a NSW/Qld team face. It's to be expected these days unfortunately .

 

[Kram]

This. Is as unlikely as a team going winless. Might look like it at times, but probably won't happen.

Yep even Fitzroy in the 90s got a win or 2 and they were absolutely abysmal. It will also probably come when people least expect it

 

[master bate]

I look at some of their best players and still see quality midfield building and some other decent talent

Ruck - Leuenberger
Midfielders - Rich, Redden, Rockliff, Zorko, Mayes, Hanley plus new boys Aish, Robertson, Taylor
Fwds - Staker, Green
Backs - Merrett, Patfull, Adcock young Clarke and Cutler, Gardiner

Add in some other guys who can all play to varying degrees - Moloney, Raines, Goldy, Lester, C. Beams

I feel what they were was a middle of the road list under Vossy not going anywhere. 5 players leave, 2 on the potential of being really quality in Yeo and Polec plus Docherty and Karnezis who were around the 22 and throw in a bunch of injuries and there goes the depth. The guys they drafted already look good but you can't have more than a couple of young guys in a side at once these days, GWS showed that, probably still show that.

With a bit of luck with injuries for a change and good coaching I think their midfield and backline will probably stabilise and they will be winning games and not look so bad.

The big issue is up forward where it's a dogs breakfast when it comes to key forwards and second rucks - West, Stef Martin, McGuane, Paine, Papparone, Close, Lisle. They badly need to get in to the draft and find at least a reliable tall forward but whoever they take won't be ready to deliver for a few years unless they get a real freak like Jeremy Cameron.

 

[Schauermann]

Yep even Fitzroy in the 90s got a win or 2 and they were absolutely abysmal. It will also probably come when people least expect it

I meant lossless of course. But your are right. But you are right, one of the nice thing about footy is that nearlly any team can beat any team on their day.

 

[Demonheart]

Sigh...another ignorant fan to the challenges a NSW/Qld team face. It's to be expected these days unfortunately .

Of course anyone who disagrees with your pov is ignorant

The reality is that Brisbane has never been successful without the intervention of the AFL, and that sort of 'assistance' doesn't occur in any other professional sporting league in the world.

Lucky for Brisbane