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

* The tumultuous events leading up to the formation of the AFL's first merged club, the Brisbane Lions.

* Illustrated with the dramatic headlines of the day and unforgettable photos of the Roy Boys' final game.

* Mike Sheahan, Mark Robinson and John Anderson discuss the emotional impact of Fitzroy's demise.

* A brief clip from the Herald Sun "Our Game" DVD.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Fitzroy
• Lions
• Brisbane
• Bears
• Footscray
• Western
• Bulldogs
• North
• Melbourne
• Kangaroos
• VFL
• AFL
• Australian
• Football

[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.

[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...

[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.

[coolknot1]

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

[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.

[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.

[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

[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.

[jamabar]

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

[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.

[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.

[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 :)