Palman Qui Meruit Ferat
Where are they now? - Brad Boyd
Fitzroy's last AFL captain Brad Boyd speaks to Rod Nicholson.
THE MOMENT
Brad Boyd led Fitzroy on to the MCG for the club's final Victorian appearance in 1996 and to say farewell to the historic club. This week he was thrilled to see Fitzroy return to the Brunswick Street Oval, albiet in the D1 Amateurs.
THE FAREWELL
"We copped a thrashing from Richmond, but that was to be expected as we'd won only one game for that season. It was a rotten year as we lurched from one disaster to another.
That final day was very sad for us as players and for the fans. It was bizarre, surreal.
You could see the faces in the crowd, so many people upset. I don't think I realised the enormity of the occasion at the time, the closure, the end of a wonderful history. You just tried to get through each day at that stage.
I wish that had been the last match, because two farewells were overwhelming. After we said goodbye at the MCG, we had to fly to Fremantle for the club's last game. We came home, but the club didn't. It was really draining."
BRISBANE
"I was the first of eight players picked by the Brisbane Bears. But it was a disappointing venture for me. I played only 30 minutes of footy with the club in 1997 due to back and hamstring injuries and only another 14 during the next two years before I retired at 27.
Overall I missed 80 games through injury, which is a lot when you consider I played only 85 with Fitzroy and Brisbane during my career.
But I had my highs. I was Fitzroy captain at 22, won the club best and fairest in 1995 and represented Victoria in 1994 and 1995."
TODAY
"I still follow the Lions and I was thrilled to see Fitzroy back at Brunswick Street Oval last week in their first match in the Amateurs.
"I was guest speaker at the Fitzroy Historical Society at Brunswick Street on Thursday night and I catch up as often as possible with the current players.
I had offers to play in various competitions when I returned from Brisbane, but I couldn't beecause I knew I would break down within five seconds. So my football now is concentrated on my sons Liam, 9 and Matt, 5. My wife Rachel, runs an importing wholesale business with a warehouse in Dromana and I've been in real estate for the past four years. It is a great lifestyle at Mt Martha and I take the boys to footy training and to matches on Sunday."
Rod Nicholson - Sunday Herald Sun - April 26th 2009 p. 32
