Fitzroy's last game

[Dr Pepper]

The Roys were dead last that year, I cant remember what position we were in but nevertheless we were expected to win. I didnt begrudge a victory to Fitzroy that day as it was their last game and emotions wouldve been high at their camp. Im glad they finished off on a good note.

 

[Belnakor]

It was the most eeriest game that I have ever been to

same. Only game i've been to where people were crying after the game.

iirc a Fitzroy supporter ran out onto the ground with a big flag and wasn't stopped by security?

 

[Borry]

I have the game on DVD. Was going to put a goal to goal highlights package on Youtube after doing one earlier in the day, but decided not to just because I don;t know how people would react to it.

 

[Borry]

FWIW They should have allowed Fitzroy to compete as they were in the VFL competition and have them possibly aligned to an AFL club. One thing the NRL have done which is a positive for the disbanded clubs in the 80s and 90s is that most are running around in the second tier NSW Cup, the rugby league equivalent of the VFL (e.g. North Sydney, Newtown, Illawarra)

 

[Roylion]

FWIW They should have allowed Fitzroy to compete as they were in the VFL competition and have them possibly aligned to an AFL club.

Not unless Fitzroy's complete independence as a football club was absolutely guaranteed. I saw what Richmond did to the Coburg Lions in the VFL.

 

[slicedndiced]

I had seats on the northern wing right near where the coach ran down to the huddle. A lot of people were emotional that day but for most freo supporters it was more curiosity than anything. The atmosphere was very sympathetic and very, very resigned. There was not much sense of controversy. People forget now, but at the time the club was really not viable. East Perth had more members from recollection. At the end of the game people stayed a long time to see the players off.

The overwhelming reaction was positive although a few hot heads shouted negative things. For example, I kept shouting, "Take Footscray with you! Take Footscray with you!" but it is really hard to get a chant going at times like that.

I was there and remember that it was a very emotional day.

As the youngest club we showed them a lot of respect for their history and I remember they paraded a few of the Fitzroy greats before the game.

Our pre game entertainment used to be a lot better in those days. (Bring back the rock and anchor!)

They had a lady singing Old Lang Syne and our players formed a guard of honor as they left the ground.

A lot of Fitzroy supporters were in tears after the game but they made a point of thanking Fremantle supporters for the send off and they said it was better than they got at their last game in Melbourne.

I remember a couple of Fitzroy supporters from Melbourne saying they were going to support the Dockers the next year rather than support Brisbane.

Twas at the game, and these two posts sum it up perfectly. We, as a club and a supporter group, showed great compassion and empathy, whilst the Roy's showed great dignity and courage throughout a particularly shameful episode in our game.

I am a strong supporter of the rationalisation of current Melbourne based clubs. However, what happened to Fitzroy, and the manner in which it was executed, (pun intended), should never be seen in our game again.

 

[Belnakor]

I am a strong supporter of the rationalisation of current Melbourne based clubs. However, what happened to Fitzroy, and the manner in which it was executed, (pun intended), should never be seen in our game again.

I think the thing about fitzroy is kind of like "why them?" because really, there are an additional 2 nonviable victorian clubs which are being propped up by the league.

 

[theGav56]

I

I think the thing about fitzroy is kind of like "why them?" because really, there are an additional 2 nonviable victorian clubs which are being propped up by the league.

It would be about money.

 

[Roylion]

I

It would be about money.

Fitzroy was $2.7 million in debt. Yet the AFL was prepared to offer $12 million for clubs to merge that same year. Fitzroy would not have sought a merger with any other club, if they could have secured $1 million in sponsorship and the like. They had a chance to do this by playing home games in Canberra, but the AFL knocked it back.

 

[Kram]

There was and probably still is too many teams in Melbourne, someone had to draw the short straw.

 

[slicedndiced]

Fitzroy was $2.7 million in debt. Yet the AFL was prepared to offer $12 million for clubs to merge that same year. Fitzroy would not have sought a merger with any other club, if they could have secured $1 million in sponsorship and the like. They had a chance to do this by playing home games in Canberra, but the AFL knocked it back.

You are reknowned on BF as the doyen of all things Fitzroy, (and a couple of SRP topics ), Roylion. My memory is hazy on this, but it appears from an outside perspective that the AFL had it in for Fitzroy, for one reason or another, by the way they dropped the hammer so brutally on them but backed in other clubs.

Is that a fair assumption, and is there any back-story in the build up to this?

 

[Belnakor]

Fitzroy was $2.7 million in debt. Yet the AFL was prepared to offer $12 million for clubs to merge that same year. Fitzroy would not have sought a merger with any other club, if they could have secured $1 million in sponsorship and the like. They had a chance to do this by playing home games in Canberra, but the AFL knocked it back.

The blocked North merger was the icing on the cake, which was blocked just because the other clubs were worried.

 

[Roylion]

You are reknowned on BF as the doyen of all things Fitzroy, (and a couple of SRP topics ), Roylion. My memory is hazy on this, but it appears from an outside perspective that the AFL had it in for Fitzroy, for one reason or another, by the way they dropped the hammer so brutally on them but backed in other clubs.

It was official AFL policy in the early to mid 1990s to remove a minor Melbourne club from the competition. Fitzroy had bad timing in that at the time they were the weakest club in the competition. Every attempt by Fitzroy's board was improve Fitzroy's position was met with opposition by the AFL.

There is an extensive list of the measures the AFL took to stymie any chance of Fitzroy improving their position and so remaining in the competition. Even the "merger" was engineered by the AFL to make sure North Melbourne didn't merge and the Bears could be financially shored up.

Is that a fair assumption, and is there any back-story in the build up to this?

There's plenty of back-story. Bottom line is I wouldn't trust the AFL or what it says under any circumstances. Hence my considerable cynicism about their handling of the Essendon drug saga.

 

[Roylion]

The blocked North merger was the icing on the cake, which was blocked just because the other clubs were worried.

Encouraged and engineered by the AFL who wanted a 'merger' with Brisbane. Why do you think an administrator was appointed taking the whole process out of the hands of the Fitzroy directors? The AFL actively encouraged North Melbourne not to pay Nauru out of the merger monies, forcing Nauru to appoint an administrator for $1.25 million. The AFL was also in North Melbourne's ear saying they would have their merger anyway and that Fitzroy's role would be minimal. North therefore kept changing their demands to Fitzroy, dragging out the whole saga, allowing the AFL more opportunity to manipulate the final result.

 

[western royboy]

It was official AFL policy in the early to mid 1990s to remove a minor Melbourne club from the competition. Fitzroy had bad timing in that at the time they were the weakest club in the competition. Every attempt by Fitzroy's board was improve Fitzroy's position was met with opposition by the AFL.

There is an extensive list of the measures the AFL took to stymie any chance of Fitzroy improving their position and so remaining in the competition. Even the "merger" was engineered by the AFL to make sure North Melbourne didn't merge and the Bears could be financially shored up.



There's plenty of back-story. Bottom line is I wouldn't trust the AFL or what it says under any circumstances. Hence my considerable cynicism about their handling of the Essendon drug saga.

One like is not enough for this post particularly the bottom paragraph. If you think the AFL and its Executive are the doyens of corporate governance and operate on a level playing field and excercise fairness and transparency when dealing with issues - then you are sadly mistaken.

 

[estibador]

If you think the AFL and its Executive are the doyens of corporate governance and operate on a level playing field and excercise fairness and transparency when dealing with issues - then you are sadly mistaken.

I doubt there's a single person on bigfooty who thinks that.

 

[western royboy]

I doubt there's a single person on bigfooty who thinks that.

Not sure - the current circus is a direct example of back room deals - Hird is far from blameless - but people up the chain should also be more than nervous.

 

[slicedndiced]

Not sure - the current circus is a direct example of back room deals - Hird is far from blameless - but people up the chain should also be more than nervous.

I think the level of cynicism and suspicion towards AFL Management and the Commission is probably running at an all time high at present.

 

[estibador]

Not sure - the current circus is a direct example of back room deals - Hird is far from blameless - but people up the chain should also be more than nervous.

I think everyone who's keeping an eye on that saga realises the AFL have been up to some dodgy stuff behind the scenes to protect the image of the game at all costs.

It's just that no one is sympathetic to Hird's PR campaign that he's been victimised when any AFL involvement has doubtless been in an effort to protect Essendon.

 

[western royboy]

I think everyone who's keeping an eye on that saga realises the AFL have been up to some dodgy stuff behind the scenes to protect the image of the game at all costs.

It's just that no one is sympathetic to Hird's PR campaign that he's been victimised when any AFL involvement has doubtless been in an effort to protect Essendon.

Hird knows where the bodies are buried - if he turns "rogue" and goes to court it will be well worth attending. The public outpouring of pats on the back for Vlad sparked this, Vlad has been aiming up for a political career - initially federal but now it looks to be state. The Hird's are incredulous that they have been forced to accept a deal when in reality nothing has been proven. Regardless of the moral/ethical issues involved, rightly or wrongly they believe what the program was legal based on advice received.

 

[clogged]

Hird knows where the bodies are buried - if he turns "rogue" and goes to court it will be well worth attending.

You reckon? I think he thinks he knows. AFL are unsure and risk averse so will keep him onside until they've mitigated his risk completely (Demetriou gone, Hird and Essendon receive punishment from ASADA).

I think if Hird knew anything substantive the AFL wouldn't have engineered it to pin everything on him.

 

[Darcy 2 Fyfe]

Ironic that the game is in the best financial position in it's or any other Australian sports history yet is more corrupt than at any other time. Hard to know what better given the choice.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Ironic that the game is in the best financial position in it's or any other Australian sports history yet is more corrupt than at any other time. Hard to know what better given the choice.

I'll always eat up this game because it's good fun to play and at an elite level it's entertainment, it's something to look forward to before work shifts you dread and uni assignments churned out too early... it's a good distraction and nothing'll replace going to the football on a Saturday with a close mate and living it in. I'll take 1990 over corrupt 2014. As long as life's good and Freo perform well the rest is irrelevant.

Hell, I'd be happy with supporting South Fremantle religiously like my family did for decades in the WAFL.

 

[western royboy]

You reckon? I think he thinks he knows. AFL are unsure and risk averse so will keep him onside until they've mitigated his risk completely (Demetriou gone, Hird and Essendon receive punishment from ASADA).

I think if Hird knew anything substantive the AFL wouldn't have engineered it to pin everything on him.

a well connected man in politics and essendon told me as much - they only accepted the deal under huge sufferance because it risked going across multiple years - this a negotiated settlement - if somehow hird is turned loose = watch out

 

[slicedndiced]

a well connected man in politics and essendon told me as much - they only accepted the deal under huge sufferance because it risked going across multiple years - this a negotiated settlement - if somehow hird is turned loose = watch out

So why was the redoubtable Mrs. Hird poking the bear and getting her, and Golden boys, head pulled in by the Essendon board today?