Guernsey Talk

[Haggis McHaggis]

Feel free to discuss any element of our guernsey/s in here. I'm creating this because I don't really think what I want to say fits into other conversations. Given the amount of talk about our strip, it's probably an idea to have a general discussion about it.

For me, I'm worried about the 'the lions should always wear the FFC guernsey when playing in Melbourne' school of thought. It's easy to suggest after an emotional weekend, but IMO it has real potential to backfire.

What happens if the club does make that commitment & we end up in a grand final? Do arguments start over which moniker the merged club should wear that day? I could see it happening. Our HoF rightfully acknowledges Fitzroy, Bears & BL. Our playing strips should always do the same. On GF day, I want to see the moniker of the united club being played for, to honour everything we now are, and to add to that shared heritage.

IMO, we should play one match a year in a Bears guernsey, one in a Fitzroy guernsey, and the rest in our current day strip. It gives us a chance to rotate the historical guernseys each year, generating revenue & allowing us to roll out designs from different era's over the years. Both historical entities are honoured each year, neither is devalued, and we continue to build our shared history on top of that foundation (putting the paddle pop hunk of shit behind us forever).

 

[Nuggo]

I agree with the above. Make it simple. But the new guernsey needs to be something that the players feel like they want to grab like Tommy did on the weekend. Whether it be the premiership guernsey or a new one that appeals to the majority (you'll never be able to please everybody). This should be the priority.

 

[josephs_79]

With respect to the guernsey speak that has been happening for years I think that you are right that come GF (IF we ever get there ) would cause too many issues. At this tage on special occassions it should be worn.

For example and I believe is already happening\discussed at club level that if the HOF is in Melbourne the Fitzroy heritage jumper is worn, if in Brisbane than a Brisbane Bears Heritage jumper created and used and same goes for the Heritage round if they do not happen to be on the same weekend.

On all other standard rounds\games then the normal Brisbane Lionsjumper is worn (hopefully going back to the original lion instead of this thing they call a Lion).

 

[Judge]

I'm happy for whatever strip we wear in Melbourne games to reflect the Fitzroy heritage (and like most I thought the shorts/jumper on Saturday looked fantastic), but regardless the jumper must carry a Lions (not FFC) logo for the simple reason that we are the Brisbane Lions and not an incarnation of Fitzroy.

That is, we are a merged entity known to all and sundry as "the Lions" and this must be reflected in whatever jumper we wear anywhere bar heritage rounds.

By the way, I'm a proponent of the traditional "Fitzroy" Lion which in my view should appear on all of our jumpers.

 

[adey115]

I like what you've said there Haggis....

There's an element of romance in wearing the Roys jumper in Melbourne every time, but I don't think its necessary. I think once a year in Melbourne with a Roys, and once a year in Brisbane with a Bears, makes perfect sense to me. i said in a previous thread that we're a unique club, and we're embracing our uniqueness like never before, and that is something for us to be mightily proud of. Once a year in Bris and Melb would reflect us pointing out to one and all that ongoing, we're very proud of our roots and this is where we've come from. But our ongoing appearance should be the same week in week out outside of those occasions.

One correction - "Current day strip" = Lions jumper with traditional Brisbane Lion on the front.

 

[GabbaGirl]

I agree Haggis. I want to primarily see a jumper that symbolises my club, the Brisbane Lions. I like the idea of playing heritage jumpers once a year in each city, but that will do me.

Clearly there was a lot of Fitzroy sentiment on the weekend past and understandably so but ultimately, there is more to the Brisbane Lions than Fitzroy. I just can't wait to not be embarrassed by a cartoon jumper anymore.

 

[lionbear]

I think everyone involved knows a FFC jumper at all Melbourne games will not work for the club as a whole, The away jumper we had in 2008 & 2009 I think is most likely out of the wardrobe of jumpers to re-appear in 2013 (With a little less blue) I think that with a good home jumper makes a good mix of Fitzroy and Brisbane Lions in it.

I think the FFC logo should be on the front of our jumper once every 2 or 3 years, but not all the time, it has so much more relevance and pride when worn every few years like it currently is.

 

[western royboy]

I have a slightly different opinion with regard to the jumper worn in Melbourne.

At the outset, I acknowledge we are a merged club. Our main jumper is a Brisbane Lions jumper, exit the paddlepop and return to the jumper that was widely regarded as one of the best in the league.

We are a unique club and I think we need to maintain as much of a link with the Fitzroy history as we can, it can be a massive bonus if we get everyone on board. For that reason I would favour using a Fitzroy jumper for Melbourne games to maintain the link. As a Fitzroy supporter I love seeing the colours that I grew up with going around and it helps maintain the link with the past whilst building a bridge to the future.

For Heritage games it should be a jumper from whichever club we are playing in, keep it simple.

If we were to make a Grand Final, we use the main jumper and I can't imagine a situation where we would have to use anything different.

I really thing the uniqueness of the situation lends itself to using a Fitzroy based jumper when playing in Melbourne.

 

[whatboutbob]

Agree with the OP.

While the 'FFC' monogram looks great on heritage guernseys IMO it has no place on the (semi) permanent Lions guernsey.

I'd love to see the red/blue from last weekend on the premiership guernsey with the classic gold lion (or some slight variation, a la costa sports).

Here's hoping the club doesn't go down the lion-head academy guernsey path.

 

[kylegee28]

I Personally reckon something like this would be great. The classic Fitzroy colour scheme is beautiful, while I think most people like the Lion from the premiership years.

(See what I resort to during Uni holidays )

 

[Happy_Neale]

Yep I like the idea of having a couple of different away strips, with the fitzroy colors one of them. Our fitzroy schemed away lions jumper is fantastic.

Further to this, I'm not sure I'm all that comfortable about going back to our old jumper. I feel like the club would be taking a step backwards. Great opportunity for a new identity, which would be symbolic of the new direction of the club. Done respectfully to all parties, of course.

 

[Rally]

I don't know what I want anymore. I was one in the minority of people that believed our old jumper was a bit out-dated, and certainly our logo needed a change. Having said that, anything would be better than Paddlepop.

I'm thinking I'd prefer something similar to the original, maybe with just a slight adjustment to the colour scheme/size of the lion. Because I agree with Lionheart, simply reverting back to the original just highlights the fact we made a massive mistake; I believe their intentions for creating a new identity still had merit.

Also, love the idea of playing a home game in the Bears jumper and a Melbourne in the Fitzroy every year. Would look unreal, not to mention an incredibly easy money spinner.

 

[Last of the Roys]

Here is my take on our jumpers:
- I think the primary focus should be to at least get the old Lion back on a jumper that is similar to our golden era jumpers.
- depending on what it actually looked like I might be OK with the colours / old Lion being slightly updated / tweaked, but my initial inclination is 'don't mess with it' given the Paddlepop debacle
- I really passionately hate any white jumpers we have worn. I would much prefer a Bears inspired clash jumper with an old Lion on the front

As for what the jumpers should be in Melbourne / Victoria:
- The most important thing is to get the old Lion back
- What colours we wear (red and blue; or maroon and Navy) is up for grabs I guess - but whatever it is should not be a radical departure from Fitzroy or Brisbane Lions colours
- I would deeply love for the Lions to wear a FFC monogram jumper once a year in Melbourne to keep that strong link to our past

The bottom line is that the membership should get a preferential vote on the whole jumper issue in order to take ownership of it given the recent debacle. Hopefully the Club is heading in that direction.

About the possibility of wearing an FFC jumper for every Victorian game:
- it is unlikely to occur
- it would be devisive, at least initially
- However as western royboy has pointed out, there are a lot of potential Fitzroy supporters out there that might jump on board if this was to occur
- part of me would love to see it, part of me is wary - but I don't think it is on the table in any case.

Bottom line is that I would like to see the old Lion back on our jumpers - to me this is the most important issue.

 

[Ceebee]

I Personally reckon something like this would be great. The classic Fitzroy colour scheme is beautiful, while I think most people like the Lion from the premiership years.

(See what I resort to during Uni holidays )

We are Maroon Blue and Gold I believe, or that is what our song says.
No way do I want our song to change.
Apart from a few times of alternate jumpers ,that is what it should return to.our premiership jumper.

A Gold Lion would look ok on that one though.

 

[lionbear]

Further to this, I'm not sure I'm all that comfortable about going back to our old jumper. I feel like the club would be taking a step backwards.

I think the Western Bulldogs, Hawthorn and to a lesser extent Fremantle (New design is based on there heritage jumper even though the colours are different) have shown that going back to jumpers that are much loved and remembered by the club is not taking a step backwards. Also Port have shown keeping it simple is what the fans want.

You modernise the Lion it leaves the door open to have this happen again down the track. Lets just bring the Lion we have known and loved since the birth of our club and leave it unchanged forever, it is ageless and the best logo in the comp, why play with that?

 

[Roylion]

I'd like to see per year:
- the traditional 1997-2009 Brisbane Lions maroon, blue and gold guernsey with the Fitzroy lion logo worn for all home games and non-Victorian away games (16 games). Including all non-Victorian finals and the Grand Final should the Lions participate.
- the red, blue and gold guernsey with the Fitzroy lion logo worn for all Victorian games. (5 games). To be also worn in all participating finals held in Victoria except for the Grand Final.
- the FFC jumper (from any era) worn for one Victorian game against one of Fitzroy's old traditional rivals such as Collingwood (1 game). Must be an actual Fitzroy jumper, not a hybrid.
- the Bears jumper worn for one home game in Brisbane against an non-Victorian side such as the Eagles or maybe the Gold Coast. (1 game)

All jumpers to wear a combined gold Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy logo on the breast.

 

[whatboutbob]

I'd like to see per year:
- the traditional 1997-2009 Brisbane Lions maroon, blue and gold guernsey with the Fitzroy lion logo worn for all home games and non-Victorian away games (16 games). Including all non-Victorian finals and the Grand Final should the Lions participate.
- the red, blue and gold guernsey with the Fitzroy lion logo worn for all Victorian games. (5 games). To be also worn in all participating finals held in Victoria except for the Grand Final.
- the FFC jumper (from any era) worn for one Victorian game against one of Fitzroy's old traditional rivals such as Collingwood (1 game). Must be an actual Fitzroy jumper, not a hybrid.
- the Bears jumper worn for one home game in Brisbane against an non-Victorian side such as the Eagles or maybe the Gold Coast. (1 game)

All jumpers to wear a combined gold Brisbane Bears-Fitzroy logo on the breast.

I think 4 or 5 (incl a clash) guernseys per year is not terribly practical. I also find the bolded suggestion a tad offensive.

 

[lionbear]

The AFL generally only allows one special occasion Guernsey per year so that would knock the one Fitzroy one Bears jumper idea over.

 

[Bucking Beads]

All I want is the 1997-2009 Guernsey back. I don't want to ask for too much.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

I would prefer the guernsey be so dark as to require Carlton et al to wear their clash strips.

I also don't really put much stock in wearing the Bears jumper once a year. Honestly we get to see the team 11 times a year.

 

[western royboy]

I would prefer the guernsey be so dark as to require Carlton et al to wear their clash strips.

I also don't really put much stock in wearing the Bears jumper once a year. Honestly we get to see the team 11 times a year.

Bingo! the biggest issue for most hardcore Fitzroy people we get to see them 5-6 at best, usually in a hostile environment.

 

[Last of the Roys]

I also don't really put much stock in wearing the Bears jumper once a year. Honestly we get to see the team 11 times a year.

Fair enough, what about the suggestion of the Bears inspired jumper instead of the white clash jumper. I am pretty sure people on this board developed a number of examples a while back based on the early Bears gold one, but with the old Lion instead of the BB on the chest.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Fair enough, what about the suggestion of the Bears inspired jumper instead of the white clash jumper. I am pretty sure people on this board developed a number of examples a while back based on the early Bears gold one, but with the old Lion instead of the BB on the chest.

absolutely. any jumper should be a blend between the two old clubs. I can see the merit in wearing old Roys jumpers once a year, perhaps in conjunction with special events in Melbourne like family fun day or the like.

 

[chopperduck]

Too many jumpers for my liking. We may have come from 2 clubs, but we are now 1 club, and we need 1 main jumper. Whether it's the deep blue & maroon or the lighter colours we use now, as long as it has that Fitzroy(ish) Lion on the front, i think supporters from both sides of the fence would be happy. This jumper is worn home, away, over seas, under water, everywhere and anywhere we play and it represents us now in the present day. When people see our jumper they should instantly know what club it belongs too. Other than this, we should have the away/clash jumper, or both if it's required by AFL.

As for 'speciality' jumpers, if we are allowed only 1 time a year to have a one off, then keep it simple, just alternate a traditional Fitzroy and Bears jumper each year, and tie it in with some kind of function afterwards like we have done, doesn't need to be a Hall of Fame dinner, but some kind of function afterwards would be a great way of showing respect to our past, and making the club a more interactive for members.

This way, the Roy boys get to see the old Fitzroy strip getting a run every second year, old Bears fans see a traditional Bears strip every second year, and everything inbetween we are united under a single a proud jumper that everyone is happy to see our boys run around it.

 

[Back2Back2Back]

All that Jazz

Have been toying with how to write my thoughts, that pretty much sums it all up right there. As far as I'm concerned, the 97 - 09 combination is the best, and can't be topped.