Past Harvey Merrigan (1969-1981)

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Wikipedia

189cm
90kgs

Harvey Merrigan (born 4 December 1949) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the VFL during the 1970s. He won Fitzroy's Best and Fairest in 1974, only the second fullback to win the award for the club with the other being Vic Chanter. In a game against Melbourne in 1979, Fitzroy put on 238 points and Merrigan kicked the goal that enabled them to pass the record for highest score in a VFL game.

Statistics:

afl tables

 

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Fitzroy Team of the Century

Back Line          Bill Stephen        Fred Hughson     Frank Curico
Half Back Line     Kevin Murray (c)    Paul Roos        Gary Pert
Centre Line        Wilfred Smallhorn   John Murphy      Warwick Irwin
Half Forward Line  Owen Abrahams       Bernie Quinlan   Gary Wilson (vc)
Forward Line       Allan Ruthven       Jack Moriarty    Norm Brown
Followers          Alan Gale           Norm Johnstone   Haydn Bunton
Interchange        Michael Conlan      Alaistar Lynch   [COLOR=Red][B]Harvey Merrigan[/B][/COLOR]
                   Richard Osborne     Percy Parratt    Percy Trotter
Coach              Len Smith

Nominees

Harvey Merrigan played 197 games for Fitzroy between 1969 and 1981. He was considered one of the VFL’s best full backs of his time and won the Fitzroy best and fairest award in 1974. This made him only the second full back, after Vic Chanter, to win the award. He played three times for Victoria and was captain of Fitzroy in 1978 but unfortunately missed the 1978 Night Premiership due to injury. He kicked the goal that broke the VFL record in Round 17, 1979 and played in the finals that year. He was named on the bench in Fitzroy’s greatest team between 1944 and 1993.

Allan Ruthven, Harvey Merrigan and Gary Pert in Fitzroy's Team of the Century motorcade at Princes Park in 2001

 

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For the love of the jumper

Merrigan clearly remembers his first senior game for Fitzroy against Essendon in Round 6 of 1969. He had 15 kicks and took five marks that day.

'I think you always remember that one. My opponent was Alan Noonan. As a kid, I'd barracked for Essendon and he was someone I'd always thought highly of. I got a few kicks; he got a few kicks and kicked a few goals. The first three or four games Iplayed centre half back, then I went onto the wing,' Merrigan said.

'I preferred the idea that I might play up forward, but I guess I made my name at full back. Over a period of time, when you play as a back all the time, you become a bit negatively inclined with your style, where you're always looking to punch the ball rather than mark the ball. It was probably more a product of circumstance than choice that I played there,' Merrigan said.

 

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fullpointsfooty

There was nothing ostentatious or showy about Harvey Merrigan's football, but he was supremely effective and reliable. A full back for most of his 197 game VFL career he was regarded as one of the hardest players to beat one on one in the competition. He joined Fitzroy from Hampton Park and made his senior debut in 1969. A club best and fairest winner in 1974, he captained the Lions in 1978, and represented Victoria 3 times. Later in his career he was undermined by niggling injuries which eventually forced his retirement in 1981 when he was just 3 games adrift of the elusive 200 game benchmark. In February 2002 Harvey Merrigan was selected on the interchange bench in Fitzroy's official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'.

 

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cartoonsandcaricatures.com

 

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Number 36

BRIS/LIONS Daniel BRADSHAW         222
[B][COLOR="Red"]FITZ       Harvey MERRIGAN         190[/COLOR][/B]
FITZ       Philip KNIGHT           33
LIONS      Matt MAGUIRE            29
FITZ       Joe SCALES              25
FITZ       Wayne LAMB              19
FITZ       Matthew DUNDAS          15
FITZ       Jack BARRETT            14
FITZ       Davitt COGHLAN          13
BRIS       Trent BARTLETT          8
FITZ       Simon HAWKING           7
FITZ       Allan WHITE             5
FITZ       Nick MITCHELL           5
FITZ       Bob ROBINSON            5
FITZ       Ray SLOCUM              5
FITZ       Stewart McLATCHIE       4
FITZ       Frank PEARCE            3
BRIS       Michael James KENNEDY   3
FITZ       Bob J. COLLINS          3
FITZ       Barry RIPPON            3
FITZ       Wayne EASTMAN           3
BRIS       Martin HEFFERNAN        2
FITZ       Robert IRELAND          2
FITZ       David McKENZIE          2
FITZ       Bruce SCHARP            2
FITZ       Kevin O'KEEFFE          1
FITZ       Ray CALVERLEY           1
BRIS       Stephen WILLIAMS        1
FITZ       Keith McPHEE            1
FITZ       Alan MUIR               1
FITZ       David SYKES             1

 

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[YOUTUBE]tJHSgPgAliw[/YOUTUBE]

The Roys go "coast to coast' against the Dogs at the Junction in 1981, culminating in an easy goal to Harvey Merrigan.

 

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Fitzroy Club Champions

[B]1970  [/B] John Murphy 
[B]1971   [/B]John Murphy 
[B]1972  [/B] Garry Wilson 
[B]1973  [/B] John Murphy 
[B]1974  [/B] [COLOR="Red"][B]Harvey Merrigan[/B][/COLOR] 
[B]1975  [/B] Warwick Irwin 
[B]1976  [/B] Garry Wilson 
[B]1977  [/B] John Murphy 
[B]1978  [/B] Garry Wilson 
[B]1979  [/B] Garry Wilson

 

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Fitzroy Firsts

Run Ends: Fitzroy full-back Harvey Merrigan held Collingwood ace Peter McKenna goalless after he'd kicked at least one goal in a VFL record 120 games in a row.

Record Score: Fitzroy kicked the VFL's highest score of 36-22-238 against Melbourne's 6-12-48 at Waverley in Round 17, 1979. Bob Beecroft booted 10 goals and Harvey Merrigan the one that gave them the record score on their way to a record 190-point margin.

Link

Twenty minutes and 50 seconds into the final quarter, Fitzroy veteran and former captain Harvey Merrigan accepted a handpass from Robert Walls on the half-forward flank and goaled on the run from the boundary line. That goal gave the Lions the League record set by Footscray against St.Kilda at the Western Oval last year.

Link

Fitzroy vs. Collingwood at Junction Oval - Harvey Merrigan at full back on Peter McKenna. Time and time again McKenna on the lead with perfect passes for a breadbasket chest mark - but somehow with exquisite timing Harves got a fist in there every time and foiled the inevitable. Fitzroy won - - from memory McKenna went goalless - Merrigan best on ground for me.

 

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Geoff Blethyn

Carlton custodian Jeff Southby headed Geoff’s list of toughest opponents, with Harvey Merrigan(Fitzroy) a close second.

Rino Pretto

His problem was that he was a specialist full-back. He had been recruited to Fitzroy as one, had played the 1977 under-19 grand final against Richmond as one - standing the then unknown Mark Jackson - and all his reserves football on the last line of defence.

But the senior full-back was the club captain, the much-loved Harvey Merrigan, Laurie Serafini was emerging quickly at the time and it did not seem to occur to anyone at Fitzroy to trial the 188-centimetres Pretto in another position.

 

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Richmond's footballing "blitzkrieg" came to an abrupt at the MCG yesterday
The Age - Apr 6, 1970

On one wing, inexperienced Harvey Merrigan took on in succession Dick Clay and Francis Bourke - two of the best in the business - and gave them both a hiding.

Royal Occasion rocked Richmond

Tommy Hafey’s Tigers went into the match as the hottest of hot favorites, but soon found themselves with a real fight on their hands against the Bill Stephen-coached Lions.

Best - Richmond: Bourke, Northey, Sheedy, Beard, Richardson.
Best - Fitzroy: Wall, Merrigan, Andrews, Murray, Lazarus, Herrod.

 

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1978 Night Grand Final

In 1978, the second year of the format in which night matches were held on Tuesdays at Waverley Park and the grand final was held midway through the regular season, the night grand finalists were North Melbourne and Fitzroy. At the time North was on the top of the VFL ladder while Fitzroy, Brisbane's antecedent, was on the bottom. Fitzroy full-back and captain Harvey Merrigan was out injured. Rover Garry Wilson was the Roys' acting captain.

 

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Merrigan in Quick Recovery
The Age - Jun 15, 1977

Harvey Merrigan, who injured his spine four weeks ago against Melbourne, could be available to play in three weeks.

Merrigan was considered doubtful for the rest of the season. Last night he ran 26 laps - or six and a half miles - at Fitzroy's ground.

Merrigan has played 146 games for the Lions in nine seasons, as well as being a State representative, and is badly needed in defence.

 

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Brisbane Lions Hall Of Fame 2023 Re-Cap

Harvey Merrigan was a great of Fitzroy through the 1970’s, a club champion, captain, State representative and Team of the Century selection.

A 190cm barrel-chested, lock-down fullback, and as reliable as they come, he played on the oppositions guns of his era… Hudson, Wade, McKenna, Templeton, Moncrieff and others… through 197 games from 1969-81.

Yet perhaps the one single moment for which he is his best remembered was an unlikely goal in 1979 which gave Fitzroy the highest score in AFL history. It was his 13th goal in his 187th game and came against Melbourne at Waverley.

Fitzroy went on to post 36-22 (238) – a score which has been bettered only once since in history - by one point by Geelong in 1992.

A favourite with Fitzroy fans and teammates alike through a tough era for the club, he was a fixture in the #36 jumper for a decade before recurring injury. The club was desperate to get him to 200 games. He played two games in 1980 and two in 1981 before losing the battle, but not before a career-best five goals in his second-last game for a career total of 18.

A proud, passionate and loyal Fitzroy man, and now a member of the Brisbane Lions Hall of Fame... HARVEY MERRIGAN

 

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Videos | AFL, AFLW, VFL, Pressers & More | Brisbane Lions

A 190cm barrel-chested, lock-down fullback, and as reliable as they come. The Brisbane Lions welcome Harvey Merrigan to the Hall of Fame

www.lions.com.au