Fitzroy's last win in the VFL/AFL

[Shagga is all Class]

Even though I am glad we survived as North Melbourne Kangaroos, I dont understand why North and Fitzroy were not able to merge.

The other clubs influenced by the AFL and led by Richmond voted against it.

Some crap about North becoming a super club and yet we played Brisbane in the prelim later that year.

We actually gave the AFL what they wanted when they dangled the $6M carrot, a merger and we did not have go to a member vote at the time like other clubs.

Still it would have been interesting if Primus and Mckernan ended up in the same team. Not sure if we could have picked up Jonathan Brown under the father son but Carey, Brown, McKernan and Primus would have gone alright.

 

[Snake_Baker]

In 1932 there was a boy called Bunton running around for Fitzroy who backed up his Brownlow medal win from his first season in 1931. Could play a bit.

Arguably the first real superstar of the VFL.

 

[Shagga is all Class]

I was thinking about Fitzroy the other day funnily enough.
That early 80s team should’ve won a grand final


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I remember they used to put a team of players that left Fitzroy for other clubs in the paper (before they folded). Fair side:
Roos
Pert
Lynch
Osborne
Blakey
Broderick
Armstrong
Barwick
Gale

to name a few.

 

[The acurate one]

Yes I know this is the North Melbourne board, but oddly enough that last win in Round 8, 1996 had quite a connection to the NMFC. The game was on Foxtel today and Fitzroy beat Freo by 31 points, 16.11 to 10.16. I still remember it well and the excitement in the terribly small crowd of just over 5000 at Whitten Oval.

Playing for Fitzroy that day were Pikey, Anthony Mellington and Shane Clayton, who went on to play for us, together with former North player, John McCarthy. Playing for Freo were former North player Peter Mann, and Spider Burton, Winnie Abraham and the late Gary Dhurrkay, all of whom went on to play for us.

Watching again today, I was surprised at how good the standard was, given where Fitzroy was at the time. Freo were decked out in that fashion setting green number that hopefully now has been consigned to the tip. Maybe that was part of the reason for the loss.

Anthony Mellington played his career best game, booting 5 goals and I remember thinking we had found someone. Pikey was very good and John McCarthy played with an interesting piece of head gear, coming back from injury. Spider played just as we all fondly remember him, once roving a pack and sending a mongrel "impossible to mark" punt kick into Freo's goal square. (I miss Spider and still remember that last round game for us against Carlton, when he kicked 3 goals, one of which came on the run after he balked a Carlton player and then slotted it from about 50 metres out - give or take)

There were some other pretty handy Fitzroy players out there who went on to have solid AFL careers. 3 time Brisbane Premiership player, Chris Johnson, who was BOG, John Barker, Matthew Dent, Jarrod Molloy, Matthew Primus and Stephen Paxman. Others whose careers were in my opinion ruined by the Brisbane takeover included Brad Boyd, Nick Carter, Simon Hawking, Scott Bamford. In my opinion there was a nucleus there, that if the AFL had have wanted Fitzroy to survive, might have developed into a handy side.

The "nice thing" today of course is, if you are an old Royboy who follows Brisbane, you can look forward to 4 games in Melbourne and 1 in Geelong, in 2020. Quite the "comprehensive package" really isn't it.

But probably much more than a "relocated to Tasmania" NMFC might get. I'd say 3 in Melbourne and 1 at Geelong would be what the AFL would call a very good outcome.

Anyway sorry again but hopefully everyone will indulge an old Royboy like me, who doesn't support Brisbane, posting on the North board.

You can chat about the mighty Fitzroy as often as you like, you'll have plenty of support from us. It's a travesty and yes you would have had a very handy side built on the smell of an oily rag. Some clubs especially the plastic fantastic ones will never understand what real football CLUBS ARE and the tribal nature of it all.

I do in a way pity them fools!!

 

[Dingster]

Mobbs any interest in this thread? Nice OP Horace

 

[Cold Sober]

Back when fitzroy were going under most opposition supporters were hoping they survived. But they were the original 'dead men walking'.
From memory, forced into what back then was called fire sales their best players were moved on at a price hoping it would lead to club survival.
Sad to say but at the time they were done as a functioning club.
In saying that, for a club sinking at the time the playing lists posted above gives credit to the standard of football at the time.

 

[The Other Dean]

Nice OP Horace

What he said.

Excellent work, Hoz.

I also happened to pass on your OP to a certain ex-Fitzroy Vice Chairperson (and the first woman to ever be elected to an AFL board!).

She liked it, too.

 

[Gibbsy]

Sorry to intrude but saw this thread on the sidebar and have enjoyed reading it. It looks like this upcoming book will be good value for everyone interested in the subject – comes out 1 April 2020 (supposedly!)

The Death of Fitzroy Football Club by Russell Holmesby | Hardie Grant Publishing

The Death of Fitzroy Football Club: The Story of Fitzroy's Demise in the Words of the Men and Women Who Lost Their Club by Russell Holmesby. Hardie Grant BooksSport. Hardie Grant Publishing.

www.hardiegrant.com

 

[Horace]

What he said.

Excellent work, Hoz.

I also happened to pass on your OP to a certain ex-Fitzroy Vice Chairperson (and the first woman to ever be elected to an AFL board!).

She liked it, too.

Thanks for that ToD. Ah, that certain ex-Fitzroy Vice Chairperson. The true First Lady of football. I did have a think about her when I was starting the OP. I'm sure she would have enjoyed it, though also with many sad memories brought back as well.

 

[ApplecrossWC]

Good post Horace. Just looked at AFL tables, didn't realise how one-sided it was for three quarters. From memory the fans stormed onto the turf post-game.

That's correct, I was a child back then and ran on the ground. It's my 2nd favourite Fitzroy moment behind Paul Roos snapping a goal with about 30 seconds left to take the lead and beat Collingwood.

 

[Kimbo]

Thanks for that ToD.

Careful there Horace.

 

[The Warlord]

I was thinking about Fitzroy the other day funnily enough.
That early 80s team should’ve won a grand final
Guns galore
Ron Alexander
Warwick Irwin
Serafini
Rendell
Carlson
Pert
Roos
Garry Wilson
Mc Mahon
Conlan
Grant Lawrie
Quinlan
Harris , too many to mention

Very stiff


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They pumped s**t out of us in 1983.

 

[The Warlord]

I hope you are right. But there are a few things we need to remember. The AFL manoeuvred us out of Ballarat and gave that to the Bulldogs.

They have also said that they would prefer to have a relocated, rather than a start up, club in Tasmania. That will never be Hawthorn and if the hawks pull out, we become the prime candidate with our toe more than in the water in Hobart.

Also I doubt if the AFL will want to have a 19 team competition.

And a part of me as a dyed in the wool conspiracy theorist wonders why our AFLW team is playing a game in Launceston? Not to mention the fact that the AFLW team is known in part as the "Tasmanian Kangaroos".

As I said DNTTB.

It is why us being debt free is so vital - that's the leverage they use.

It is why people sooking about the current admin are so idiotic.