Fitzroy Lions - Merger Mayhem - Bulldogs and Kangas and Bears - Oh My!

[coolknot1]

From 2011, there should be tribute to Fitzroy during Brisbane v Gold Coast derbys.

[jhardyrules13]

love the title

[autubeuseriam]

no offense to fitzroy or fitzroy fans but your team wasn't professional enough to be in the AFL anymore,

Tiny fan base,

No Money

No Facilities

Poor on field for a number of years

and this went on for decades, so a merger was the best thing of the club by far; there is still a 'lions' who have a similar jumper

[DannyEmbling]

Apologies but I hadnt seen this vid before (thanks emjoi!) and I immediately became a blubbering mess again, and couldn't keep my finger off the posting button.

But ooooh there's some angering stuff in here, as well as the emotional stuff. How could Sheahan pretend he gave a shit? How could anyone defend the crusader Ross Oakley.

Ah well, so long as they're consistent with the hardline approach. I'd hate to see them change tack and start $ handouts to struggling clubs. What?

[Paperbagman555]

Wow that sucks i mean i'm not a fan of Fitzroy or Brisbane but Isn't Fitsroy supposed to be like a legendary team?

[qqq2211]

Brisbane winning those premierships had nothing to do with the merger , if anythng i'm not sure if they had bigger spending allowed from the AFL but if tt was the case it would certanly make sense why brisbane become as powerful as they did

[jamabar]

why didnt they start a save fitzroy appeal but then again they were 6 mill in debt

[zyoidburg]

This sounds harsh but why wasn't Fitzroy considered for VFL status would have been at least some sort of consolation then moving to brisbane but really fitzroy by stealth did win three premierships you can't deny that this story is at times fabricated to make it sound bad when really it was a new beginning for a club given a second chance why can't these old fitzroy fans see this who have shunned the game for the ones who remained lions fans your the ones who need to be saluted and congratulated

[clintonquealy]

I really don't think if your not a fitzroy fan then you cannot comment on something so emotional for those fitzoy fans who lost there club. All I can say if it happened to your club how would you feel?

[jamabar]

this made me cry but like the guy said "nothing can fully compensate for the loss of fitzroys independent identity"

[tramman82]

Who do you support?

[jamabar]

i support collingwood but was a fitzroy fan

[83petro]

@jamabar why did u pick colloingwood when fitzroy merged? u should of followed the bris lions, at leats u would of enjoyed 3 flags

[DannyEmbling]

@83petro and maybe a rape victim falls in love with their rapist because they are impressed with the number of roots he gets?

[jamabar]

@83petro i didnt want to support a brisbane team thats all.

[DannyEmbling]

@zyoidburg Actually it was fabricated to sound good. The video includes comments that for Fitzroy "there was no white knight", when 1) Bernie Ahern (RIP) made a financial guarantee for the FFC, so the AFL enacted a new rule forbidding white knights from guaranteeing loans in the future, 2) Galaxy (the Pay TV network) signed off on a sponsorship deal with FFC so the AFL quashed it claiming a competition issue with the AFL sponsors,(to be continued)

[DannyEmbling]

@zyoidburg while some clubs continued to be sponsored by Pepsi or beer brands that competed with Coca Cola and CUB - AFL sponsors, 3) a novel approach to play matches in Canberra was outlawed - I don't know the reason they gave - but the AFL did state that it wasn't in their interest to have matches played in Canberra, so I'm glad that has never happened again since. (to be continued)

[DannyEmbling]

@zyoidburg Other falsities include a defensive stance for Oakley who is the only point where all major religions agree in their versions of hell, and Mike Sheahan's manufactured care for Fitzroy, where in reality he dug up every piece of dirt he could find in order to advance his journo role, as is greatly implicit in the murder. (to be continued)

[DannyEmbling]

@zyoidburg I definitely agree with the VFL status option, Fitzroy FC P/L sponsored Coburg Lions into a name change to Coburg-Fitzroy Lions which lasted two years before Coburg's own financial ruin smashed that agreement were slobbered up by the perennially ethically challenged Richmond FC. (to be continued)

[DannyEmbling]

@zyoidburg There is now a VERY Fitzroy footy team running around in the VAFA which is much more Roynish than Brissie could be even if it tried its very best. Ground: Brunswick St Oval, Guernsey: red, gold blue, FFC monogram, Operation: the actual same Fitzroy FC admins that went down with the torped ship in 1996, and rose again magnificently, Song: Fitzroy's theme, players:include the grandson of a FFC premiership player (to be continued)

[DannyEmbling]

@zyoidburg So any Fitzroy fan can choose what works for them, some choose Brisbane, some North Melb, some other AFL clubs, some Fitzroy FC Roys, some other leagues, some choose to take a footy sabbatical. No-one has the right to judge them. Some abuse victims become law enforcement officers, some keep out of public, some become therapists. None are wrong. (to be continued, sorry, nearly done)

[DannyEmbling]

@zyoidburg I applaud the young fella on this comments feed that admits he now follows Collingwood. While I personally hate the Pies (don't half the footy world!?), the first image that came to mind was the banner at the last Roys match at Vic Pk. The league fined the cheer squad for it, AND THE PIES CHEER SQUAD STEPPED IN AND CONTRIBUTED TO PAY IT. That's football. Premierships are not football. Football, and only football, can ever be football. (sorry to talk your ear off)

[zyoidburg]

MMMM lets see port and crows have won premierships and west coast oh and sydney and brisbane have won premierships ruffian 1868 your comments are pretty screwed AFL is trully AFL its not Vivctorian dominated thats just total non sense how can SANFL be a good league when one team like PORT MAGPIES WINS 37 premierships or something i say it must be pretty low standards of competition if their is such dominance i say those leauges just like VFL are just sadly fill ins to our footy community.

[kgerlach01]

port magpies have won 36, as much as the power wants say they've won 34 of those premierships. they were formed in 1997.

[DannyEmbling]

@kgerlach01 no offence but incorrect. Port Adelaide FC changed name to Port Power FC. The SANFL club Port Adelaide Magpies was the one formed in 1997.

[kgerlach01]

@DannyEmbling well no offence but the power dont represent the passion or history, not by a long shot. i think the history goes to the club with the same name (magpies) same colours, same gurnsey, same song.

[DannyEmbling]

@kgerlach01 Fair enough, I'm a Roys fan not a Port fan - only a Port fan could know what is the most Port-like to them. 1 thing I've learnt from the Roys is that only the fans have the right to decide what works for them, an outsider's opinion can and should go to blazes. Its all about whichever way your heart leads you! If you're a Port fan, what you say goes. If you were a fan of another SANFL club, you & I would both need to shut up and let the Alberton mob make their own choices :-)

[kgerlach01]

@DannyEmbling thank god, i was hoping this wasnt gonna turn into some stupid debate haha. my dad was a fitzroy supporter (he jumped onto brisbane straight away tho but i dnt think that makkes him any less of a supporter) so i basicly understand how you guys feel, spesh because the magpies are going thru it this year.

[DannyEmbling]

@kgerlach01 yep its rough that Port are having strife, that should almost be impossible considering their history. I was an (armchair) West Torrens fan ... so I seem to have a curse going! Although apparently that merger was one of the less nasty ones. I have friends who follow Brissy now, and friends who follow the local (VAFA) Roys, and some who follow North, St Kilda, Melb, etc. Every one of them has made a choice that should be inarguable. And, of course, there's always the SAAFL Fitzroy :)

[kgerlach01]

@DannyEmbling one thing imo killed west torrens and that was bringing in woodville, never shouldve happend, why not a side from mt.cambier? or somthing like that, it couldve easily worked, but they fucked up.

[rickroxall]

GO DOGS

[DannyEmbling]

@rickroxall stay on the bullies mate, they'll get one soon. I remember marching in to some law office in Footscray to hand $100 over to the collectors, and Peter Gordon himself was there taking donations so I got to drop it right into the hands of Mr Chubbywig. (yes I'm a Fitzroy supporter but in 1989, if we didn't want to merge, the best way about it was to send a few bucks to the doggies)

[ruffian1868]

You want to talk about seeing your football team and history go interstate. You should try being a South Australian or Western Australian football supporter. The AFL has decimated both the SANFL and WAFL, and their teams have struggled, some have merged, but will not be killed off just yet ! Both these leagues have a long and illustrious history.

[kgerlach01]

i understand what you mean. im a huge port adelaide magpie suporter but i cant stand the port adelaide power, ever since the power joined the AFL the magpies have done nothing but struggle, all the money made at the club bar goes to the power nothing goes to the magpies. its just an apsolute disgrace.

[ruffian1868]

With a name like Gerlach, how could you not be a Magpie supporter. The AFL's set up is a disgrace and only benefits Victoria. God bless both our SANFL and WAFL and all who support them !

[kgerlach01]

haha my dads name is gerlach n hes a glenelg supporter haha but your totally true about the AFL

[ruffian1868]

So am I. Go The Mighty Bays !

[zyoidburg]

gee 37 premierships is a big struggle man in your clubs history lmfao

[kgerlach01]

haha mate we wont win another premiership for 10 years, BTW its 36 haha

[neddy05]

I agree. The AFL has destroyed the WA and SA leagues as well. We have so much history that is now ignored. Channel 7 here have either destroyed or disposed of all of the footage from the old WAFL. The competition in WA is so distorted that Subiaco, who get all the money, will probably win the next 20 premierships. Unfortunately, the AFL don't care because they've got more people watching now than ever before.

[kgerlach01]

i dnt think the SANFL will ever be re-branded by the AFL. who knows about the WAFL. seeing as i dnt live in perth, i dont kno if theres any plans to re-brand it self

[microastronomy]

I was at the Bulldogs "save our dogs" rally in 1989 as a 3 year old. This video breaks my heart. Real supporters im sure feel this same pain. Mike Sheahan is a tool. Lets send Collingwood interstate. They will keep 80% of their Victorian membership and will gain the new members where ever they go. IF the AFL is after guaranteed success this is the way to do it.

[zyoidburg]

Funny that in 1996 it took only 1 and a bit million to wipe out Fitzroy look at carlton they were 6-8 million and still alive and even geelong was 6 million in the red and now top performers is Fitzroy stiff probably not cause sadly fitzroy people you had two players in my lifetime worthy of a mention

roos and lynch and maybe chris johnson

were geelong and carlton had way better players. I don't find it disheartening that fitzroy is gone cause they really have won out of this.

They haven't lost

[fitzroy1944]

i think you'll find kevin murray, 1969 browlow medalist, 333 games is also worth a note. your views on Fitzroy are shit and shared by no one

[franjon]

The superteam thing was bullshit. Who did North Melbourne play off against in the preliminary final that year? Who played Carlton in the qualifying final the year before? The AFL just wanted a top team in Queensland to justify the money they had outlaid to have a team there in the first place to rake in the extra millions.. Greed, greed, greed. This is what happens when you have business people running the show.

[kgerlach01]

@franjon no offence but i think the brisbane merger was alot more fairer, no in the super team department but the fact the roys werent gonna get anything in the north meelbourne merger, it was basicly a take over. least they got something outta the brisbane merger.

[jamabar]

@kgerlach01 it was basically a take over,the bears gave up alot for fitzroy but think of this how much fitzroy do we see in the brisbane to date? me hardly any they have pretty much forgot fitzroy and they are their own team, brisbane lions is brisbane lions. no brisbane bears no fitzroy except for the bbfffc on the back of their guernsey.

[surreyparkfc]

i honest cannot understand how clubs can go broke or even near broke with the amount of money the Afl makes i.e the cost of TV rights sold off to seven and ten.

i would have liked to been able to grow up with the roy's playing, but instead all i got was port power.

[dannitori]

I am a old Roys supporter... and it sickens me the state of our game today! All the business BS! Its not for the fans anymore...

[jamabar]

@dannitori exactly what i say its about the money not the people now. look at what happened to waverly park heaps of people loved that place.

[jamabar]

@dannitori i used to love fitzroy, i always say the day fitzroy died was the day the AFL truly showed they had become a business about the money and not the people. us roys supporters were a happy and proud group of supporters, then our club was gone footy was no longer the same. fitzroy could of been saved but the AFL didnt care about the fans they couldnt hand out free money and now there are thousands of heartbroken people. brisbane is nothing like fitzroy.

[afterthesirens]

I think seeing those crying kids who can't understand sport politics says it all.

[northmelb1869]

if the rooboys had of gone to the gc, i would'nt know what id do.

Footy wouldn't be the same without north as is the case withe fitzroy.

[Sportymale]

You know, it always saddens me to see traditional history filled clubs like Fitzroy get killed due to the greed of a big organisation. I agree - Good on Jimmy Brayshaw. I don't want to see North go the same way. I am a memeber of the Kangas now, and will be into the future. I'd just like one day, for people to remember that the Victorian clubs are the ones that were around first. I hope that Demetriou realises that whilst he plans new teams all over the country. Go the Roy boys.

[DJClonus]

AFL never gave a fuck and STILL don't give a fuck about anything to do with tradition within the game, just plain profits. As soon as a club goes through some hard times, they smell blood and give hints of shipping out interstate, merging or folding. Good on Jimmy Brayshaw to tell Demetriou to get fucked.

[bigboybenny6]

Ns. Demetriu is a dog

[kgerlach01]

how much do you bet that theyll do the same wen the gold coast come in??? i feel one of the reasons whye they didnt help the roys was bcoz they had the powers commin in the next yr so they just didnt care.

[SuperGravey]

Spot on, I go for North and teams like Richmond, Melbourne and Western Bulldogs, we will always be in the merger talks. Fuck the AFL; what happened to Fitzroy was totally wrong and the AFL knew but like you said didn't care.

[jamabar]

what happened to fitzroy was totally wrong sadly the afl is about the money now they dont care about the supporters we are just money trees to the AFL

[DannyEmbling]

@kgerlach01 yep they needed an open slot for the Power to drop into.

[fitzroy1944]

i still, to this day, just watching that footage, get chills up my spine when i see fitzroy in these clips, although i was at the last Melbourne game, and made the flight over. it still hurts

[BroncoLion]

Should of brought your camera.

[fitzroy1944]

i did take my camera, got some good shots of Jeff Hogg on the bench for the first 3 quarters

[kgerlach01]

you had some great future players in those days, imo

[SOTHW54]

Though I am still glad that the bulldogs managed to avoid merging with fitzroy I still think that what happened to fitzroy was wrong and would give almost anything to see fitzroy play footy again

[BroncoLion]

I'm not a fan of the Brisbane Lion's new away jumper, it has the colours of Fitzroy, but they don't do anything for what the Bears used to be, it's a different club completely from what Fitzroy was.

If they started wearing the Fitzroy jumper all the time I wouldn't support them anymore coz they just forget completely about the Queenslanders.

[emjoi666]

You make an excellent point. As an old Roy Boy I like the new away jumper. But I acknowledge that other supporters may prefer our maroon, blue and gold home jumper, or even our white clash jumper.

So how do we honour the history of one merger partner without alienating the other? This is a vexed issue and every Lions supporter will have a valid opinion. I personally think the club is to be congratulated for trying new designs, unlike certain other 'traditional' clubs.

[fitzroy1944]

i have mixed emotions about it. watching the lions play Carlton the other week, i had this feeling, i hadnt felt that feeling since i watched Fitzroy play, it looked to me as if they were the roys. but to my kids, they didnt understand, they never got to see the roys play, and they were asking why they dont wear the maroon and gold and blue. so im not sure, i wanted to see the roys jumper worn in Melbourne for sure, but now we have it, im not sure.

[kgerlach01]

i dnt think that it helps that theres no more roy boy boys playing anymore, but i do give credit to brisbane for atleast trying to keep that melbourne fanbase you kno??

[nupthatisit]

@BroncoLion I have to say, stiff shit. Fitzroy had a proud history before the merger, Brisbane Bears was only in existance for 9 years. As a Queenslander stick to what you know, which is rugby, ie shoving your head up the arses of other men.