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Go The Tan - 2012

10.00 pm Wednesday 1st February 2012

Go The Tan is on again and the 2nd VAFA Cup will be held on Saturday 11 February at 9am at the Tan track, Royal Botanic Gardens.

Go The Tan is a 3.8km sprint, jog or walk around the tan to raise money for the Fredreich Ataxia Research Association (FARA).

Last year Fitzroy's Nick Reinalda ran the fastest individual time of 13.57.2.

As part of their pre-season training, Fitzroy players and coaching staff will be participating again this year. There are two ways that Fitzroy supporters, family and friends can join our team and support this worthy cause.

1. Run or walk the tan with our players. Registration is $20 per person. To register and for more information go to www.gothetan.com.au before Tuesday 7th February. When registering don't forget to identify with our team "Fitzroy Football Club"
2. Donation to FARA via Fitzroy's donation page. Go to http://www.everydayhero.com.au/ffc to make a donation.

Thanks and we hope to see you at the TAN!

Fitzroy gets social

6.00 pm Wednesday 1st February 2012

The Fitzroy Football Club (Inc. Fitzroy Reds) has joined the world of social networking with the club joining the world of Facebook - facebook.com/fitzroyfc and Twitter - @Fitzroy_FC along with the Clubs official website fitzroyfc.com.au allowing Roys members, fans and football fans in general to keep in touch and updated with all things happening at Brunswick Street Oval.

The club has big plans for our official social media platforms and its website including displaying all the latest club news,match day and membership information, photo galleries, live updates, updates from games in the VAFA and of course plenty of nostalgia from the Roys days in the VFL/AFL.

There once was a song by the Coodabeen Champions that claimed "Deep in our hearts everyone barracks for Fitzroy" and now the club is offering the chance to prove it by following us on Twitter and Liking us on Facebook. In fact, the club has embarked on a campaign via its new Twiter and Facebook pages to get more followers/likes than Carlton. Its a big ask with Carlton's Twitter page currently on 19,628 followers as of 9:00am 1/2/2012 and Fitzroy's on 205 followers as of 9am on 1/2/2012 but with enough awareness and persistence of the Roys target of beating the Blues in the Social Networking caper we will, as our theme song suggests, "...always fight for victory and always see it through!"

Since merging with the Fitzroy Reds Football Club in late 2008, returning to our home at Brunswick Street Oval and resuming fielding a team in the VAFA, the club is ready for another big season in 2012 in the VAFA's Premier C Division and is not only fielding a team now but will be fielding Five teams amongst various VAFA Teams a seniors, reserves, thirds, U19s and Club XVIII giving plenty of chances for Roys fans young and old to get on down to Brunswick Street and see the Royboys in action. While some AFL clubs may be facing huge debts and relying on AFL handouts, business is booming at Brunswick Street Oval.

For More Information Please contact:

Dylan Leach
Media & Communications - Fitzroy Football Club (Inc. Fitzroy Reds)
Mobile: 0404 970 293
media@fitzroyfc.com.au

Pre-season training update

7.00 pm Saturday 21st January 2012

Pre-season training for season 2012 will resume as of Monday 23rd January with coach Michael Pickering continuing his young side's build-up for their 2012 Premier C campaign.

Training for Fitzroy's senior squads starts this Monday 23 January at Alfred Crescent, North Fitzroy (behind Brunswick St Oval Melways 44B1) and on Wednesday 25 January also at Alfred Crescent.

Training sessions will be starting at 6.15pm. Note that the arrangements above is for next week ONLY (23rd January - 27th January) only.

From then onwards Monday training will be at the Alfred Crescent Oval and Wednesdays will be at Collingwood Athletics Track.

At this point, the Saturday morning running sessions will be at Princes Park at 9.30am, however the Club is endeavouring to secure full size grounds to run some football sessions. Details will be announced when they come to hand. For further details coach Michael Pickering can be contacted via Email. COntact details can be found on the coaches page here.

U19s will start training on Monday 13th February and will be training Monday nights at the Collingwood Athletics Club and Thursday nights at Alfred Crescent. Training starts at 6pm sharp so players to arrive before that. No boots please.

Fitzroy's 2012 Draw released

8.00 pm Tuesday 13th December 2011

Fitzroy will open its 2012 campaign against the Parkdale Vultures on Saturday 21st April in Premier C at Parkdale.

The following week in Round 2, Fitzroy will host its first home game when they take on Marcellin at the Brunswick Streeet Oval.

In round 3, those Fitzroy fans that also follow the Brisbane Lions in the AFL, will have some choices to make as the AFL Lions meet Essendon at 1.40 pm at Etihad Stadium, while just across town, Fitzroy will make the journey out to Keilor Park to take on Old Essendon at 2 pm. The same happens on the weekend of June 23rd in Round 9 when Fitzroy take on the Hampton Rovers at Hampton and the AFL Lions take on the Western Bulldogs at Etihad at 2.10 pm.

Round 6 on Saturday May 26th provides the first opportunity for not only Fitzroy's Brisbane Lions fans to see both Fitzroy and the AFL Lions to play in Melbourne at seperate times, but also the opportunity for Brisbane Lions fans, especially those from interstate, to experience a Fitzroy game at the Club's traditional home ground. The Club invites all Brisbane Lions fans to come and see Fitzroy play Old Camberwell on Saturday afternoon before fronting up again on Sunday May 27th to watch the Lions take on North Melbourne in the AFL at Etihad Stadium.

The experience can be repeated on the weekend of June 16th-17th when Fitzroy host their 2009 Grand Final conquerors Rupertwood at the Brunswick Street Oval in Round 8 and Brisbane clash with Hawthorn at the MCG the next day on Sunday afternoon.

For those wishing to only have one day of their weekend taken up by watching football, Round 15 allows fans to travel to North Balwyn to watch the Roys take on Old Camberwell, this time away, at 2 pm and then back into the city to watch the Lions play Carlton at 7.40 pm at Etihad Stadium.

The Club hopes to see as many Fitzroy fans as possible at all their 2012 games and in particular in Round 6, Round 8 and Round 15. The Club extends a very cordial invitation to all Brisbane Lions fans making the journey to see their team play in the AFL from all parts of the country to come and see where it all began 128 years ago.

The Club hopes for a successful year culminating at the very least an appearance in the finals.

A full copy of Fitzroy's 2012 Premier C draw can be downloaded from here (PDF)

Another Fitzroy Junior taken in AFL draft

9.00 am Friday 25th November 2011

Former Fitzroy Junior Dylan Buckley has been taken at Pick #62 via the father- son rule for the Carlton Football Club in the AFL draft held on Thursday 24th November, following Viv Michie (Pick #44 Fremantle Dockers 2010) and Jasper McMillan-Pittard (Pick #16 Port Adelaide, 2009).

Dylan, the son of Carlton triple premiership champion Jim Buckley, will join the Blues in 2012 after agreeing to terms under the AFL’s father-son rule. The pressure of being a child prodigy is something that Buckley has managed to cope with well over the years. “I don’t want to be like my dad…obviously I would like to be as good as he was, but I think that we are different players.” Buckley conceded he contemplated accepting the Carlton number 16 Guernsey, made famous by his father in the late 70’s and 80’s, but decided instead to carve his own path, agreeing to wear the vacant number 7 made famous by current Carlton Coach Brett Ratten.

Dylan's father Jim, played 13 games against Fitzroy in a 164 game career for Carlton between 1976 and 1990, for nine wins, one draw and three losses, kicking nine goals.

Three years ago in 2008, Dylan Buckley lined up against fellow draftee Tom Mitchell in the Grand Final of the Yarra Junior Football League's under-15 competition - Mitchell for Ashburton and Buckley for Fitzroy. "My team got up and I still hold it over him, even today," Buckley says with a broad grin. "It is kind of [surreal] to be in this situation though. If you'd asked three years ago, I would have said that it was a long shot, but it's definitely something we've both been aiming for."

When asked about his junior days at the local level playing for Fitzroy in the Yarra Junior Football League, Buckley was quick to praise his junior coaches for his development and success. “I didn’t even know dad played footy when I was a real young kid, I just started playing because a I met a kid and he was like come down and play [at Fitzroy] and I was like yeah alright…It wasn’t until around U14 that I started to realise there could be something in this. I guess I always had great coaches that supported my development along the way…guys like Andrew Johnson”

The Fitzroy Football Club wishes Dylan Buckley all the best his AFL career in the future, playing for one of Fitzroy's oldest VFL-AFL inner city rivals- Carlton.

Fitzroy memorabilia display to open at Etihad Stadium

8.00 pm Monday 7th November 2011

The Fitzroy - Brisbane Lions Historical Society - in conjunction with the Brisbane Lions and Etihad Stadium - are set to reveal a new permanent home for the display of historic Fitzroy memorabilia in Melbourne.

The new showcase will be officially opened to the public on Wednesday 23rd November at Etihad Stadium and will permanently house the display which features a vast collection of Fitzroy artefacts - including seven of the eight VFL Premiership Cups (1898, 1899, 1904, 1905, 1913, 1916 and 1922) commissioned by the Historical Society.

Historical Society Custodian and former Fitzroy Football Club General Manager Arthur Wilson has been at the forefront of this project which has been supported by the Fitzroy Football Club, the Brisbane Lions AFC, the Fitzroy-Brisbane Lions Historical Society, the Fitzroy-Brisbane Lions Past Players & Officials Association and Etihad Stadium. It will feature a comprehensive collection of Fitzroy photos, trophies and membership materials - some of which are more than 100 years old

The grand opening of the new exhibition will be headlined by a number of special guests - including former Fitzroy greats Kevin Murray, Garry Wilson, Bernie Quinlan, John Murphy, Norm Brown, Bill Stephen and George Coates - who will be in attendance on the night.

Watch a montage of images from the opening night.

 

Welcoming our new coaches

5.00 pm Wednesday 2nd November 2011

The Board of Directors is happy to announce the coaching appointments for the 2012 season.

Joining Senior Coach Michael Pickering is Mark Murray in the Assistant Senior Coach position. Mark has played 320 VAFA Senior/U19 Game with De La Salle, Mazenod and one season with Hawthorn AFC. During Mark’s playing career he won three senior B&F at Mazenod, senior B&F Hawthorn AFC (first year back at 36 years of age) and is a Premiership player with Mazenod (C-Grade, B-Grade, U/19 Sect 2) and a two time Premiership player with De La Salle (A Res, U/19 Sect 1). The last three years Mark has been senior coach at Hawthorn AFC (D3) and for two years was Senior Coach Melbourne High (Premier B).

Returning to the senior coaching team are line coaches Simon Kelleher and Brett Pollard as well as fitness coach Steve Hurl who has worked out a gruelling pre-season training session that will commence during the second week of November. The Board wishes to express its thanks and gratitude to Paul Diacogiorgis and Anthony Corponi who were co-coaches of the Reserves in 2011 – a team that played in the 1st Semi Final. Both Paul and Anthony have advised that they wished to return to playing in 2012 and we wish them the best for the coming season.

After a successful year as Under 19 coach, Bruce Edwards has accepted the position of Reserves Coach. Bruce played junior football between 1975 and 1982 winning seven B&Fs and two league B&Fs. In 1982 Bruce captained the WA State U15 schoolboy team - Carnival held in Adelaide and made All Australian team. The following year he played U19 football for South Fremantle as a 16 year old and won a Premiership as well as Best 1st year player award. He also played in the U18 Teal cup carnival in Darwin for WA and again made the All Australian team. In 1984 as a 17 year old Bruce was contracted by the Melbourne Football Club playing in their U19s whilst playing in the U18 Teal cup carnival in Sydney for Victoria. During 1985 – 1987 Bruce played U19's and Reserve football for Melbourne FC and unfortunately retired in 1988 due to excessive hamstring injuries. During 2005 - 2008 Bruce held various roles on the Fitzroy Junior Football Club committee where his son was playing and between 2006 – 2010 coached U11, U12, U13, U14 and U15. In 2008 Bruce joined Fitzroy FC coaching our U19 North 2 side and returned in 2011 to coach our U19 Premier in their first year at this level with the team finish in sixth place.

We also have great pleasure in welcoming Damian Truslove to Fitzroy as the new U19 Premier Coach. Damian first experienced Amateur football playing schoolboys football for Assumption College. Damian played in 2002 with the Doutta Stars Football Club Div 1 Essendon & District League. In 2003 to 2006 Damian was a senior player with Mayne Tigers Football Club QAFL. In 2007 he was a senior player with Maryborough Football Club Bendigo League and in 2008 was a senior player and assistant coach with Manningham Cobras Football Club D4 VAFA. In 2010 Damain was head coach the Point Cook U18 Development team in the Division 1 Western Region Football League. In 2011 Damian was Senior Coach with West Brunswick FC, D3 in VAFA.

2012 Memberships now available

10.00 pm Thursday 20th October 2011

The Club wishes to inform all members and supporters that the 2012 membership renewals will be going out to all registered members shortly.

As in previous years, there are four categories of membership for the 2012 Season; viz,

- Ordinary Membership - $38
- Family Membership - $50
- Gold Lion Membership - $165
- Concessional Membership - $30 (see membership form for details)

Membership income is a major source of revenue for the Club and all supporters are encouraged to take out a membership for the 2012 Season.

All members receive a traditional Fitzroy Season's ticket with the Premier C fixture for the 2012 season on it.

Gold Lion members receive a traditional Fitzroy Gold Lion lapel badge, Club medallion and a free Fitzroy cap.

We are looking forward to a very successful season ahead in 2012. With new coach Michael Pickering at the helm of our rapidly improving senior list, our 128 year old Club will be looking to play finals in 2012 and advance into Premier B for the 2013 season.

A 2012 membership form for the Fitzroy Football Club can be downloaded from here or by clicking on the Fitzroy 2012 membership logo to the right.

We hope all of our members and supporters will get on board for what is bound to be an exciting 2012 season.

Michael Pickering appointed senior coach for Season 2012

10.00 pm Thursday 20th October 2011

The Club's board of directors are very pleased to announce the appointment of the club's new senior coach for 2012, following the resignation of 2011 coach Tim Bell for personal reasons.

The selection process concluded a couple of weeks ago when the Board of Directors considered the unanimous recommendation from the selection committee. The Board endorsed that recommendation and has appointed Michael Pickering as senior assistant coach for a two year term.

Michael Pickering played over 150 AFL games, 136 with the Richmond FC where he won the Best & Fairest in 1988 and was Vice Captain in 1989. He also kicked 161 goals. He also played 14 games with the Melbourne FC. Michael was assistant Reserves Coach at Richmond 1998-1999. He also spent a season as assistant coach at the Western Jets TAC squad. His most recent coaching experiences have been as the assistant coach of Fitzroy Football Club in 2011 and previously with the Fitzroy Junior Football Club, which included coaching the Colts U17 side to the Juniors first Div 1 Premiership in 2007.

The Club looks forward to a very exciting season ahead in 2012 with Michael at the helm of our dynamic senior list that will be looking to push into the Premier B division in the next couple of seasons.

 

James McGee wins Fitzroy's Best and Fairest for 2011

10.00 pm Thursday 20th October 2011

The Best and Fairest count for the Fitzroy Football Club (incorporating the Fitzroy Reds), was held on Friday 24th September at Bell Rydges, Preston.  It was a great night with awards for all teams and the Club being presented.

James McGee took out the Greg Roughsedge Perpetual Trophy (Fitzroy's Best and Fairest Award) for the

Other major Winners were:

Reserves Best and Fairest. Drew Olarenshaw

U.19 Best and Fairest: Julian Turner

Club18 A: Tie - Trent Coleman & Michael Younger

2011 Leading Goal Kicker: Will Pickering (59 goals)

Best 1st Year player: Will Pickering.

Fitzroy kicks a visitor's goal for Melbourne

 

The 125-year old Fitzroy Football Club has stepped into Melbourne’s tourism infrastructure by inviting visitors to join the club on match days to experience the culture of an inner suburban Aussie Rules football club.

After shopping or just grazing along Brunswick Street in Fitzroy (Melbourne’s first suburb), the club is encouraging tourists to walk a few minutes - or catch a passing tram - to nearby Brunswick Street Oval, the club’s home ground.

Former Club President, Craig Little said the club was offering exposure to “real grass-roots suburban footy”, a Melbourne cultural experience, on the city’s doorstep, and an alternative to the AFL’s games at the MCG and Etihad Stadium.

The club is briefing hotel concierges and backpacker hostels about the free exposure (there is no admittance fee) to another side of Melbourne’s eclectic visitor experience.

“We may pick up some new interstate and international memberships and we may generate some funds, but really it’s about the club being an advocate to how Melburnians love their footy at a local level,” Mr Little said.

The ground’s setting is part of the experience, he said ... …a grand heritage grandstand on one side, grassy banks with gold and orange plane trees wrapped around a large oval which is overlooked by two-storey Victorian terrace houses on two sides and the city skyline in the background, a reminder of the ground’s close proximity to the metropolis of Melbourne.

“Visitors can mingle with several hundred supporters who will gladly explain the rules of the game and talk of the proud and colourful history of the club,” he said.

Fitzroy Football Club playing in the Premier C Division of the Victorian Amateur Football Association.