THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE FITZROY FOOTBALL CLUB AND SOCIAL CLUB

FITZROY'S FIRST FUNCTION SINCE 1996

HAYDN BUNTON BALL

ALBERT BY THE LAKE

15th JUNE...BE THERE

117th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Club's 117th Annual General Meeting was held in the Community Room at the Brunswick Street ground on Tuesday the 26th March. It's probably the first time that the AGM has been held at the ground, but it was a very successful evening with nearly eighty members present. Apparently this was more than the Brisbane Lions AGM in Brisbane and nearly as much as North Melbourne's AGM that was held on the same night!

Elaine Findlay and Bill Atherton were re-elected and we welcomed Dean McVeigh and David Lauritz to the Board. Kevin Ryan did not seek re-election and retired after twelve years service as a director of the Club including a term as the Club's chief executive officer in the early nineties. A presentation was made by our Chairman, Dyson Hore-Lacy to Kevin, in appreciation of his many years of loyal service to the Club.

The President of the Fitzroy Juniors, Steve Turner was presented with a club honour board listing their Club's office bearers and premiership successes since they were formed ten years ago. The honour board looked fabulous and was a credit to the wood working skills of long standing member Ted Hassett, who made the board for the Juniors. Ted was also present at the hand over. Many thanks Ted for your very kind effort.

To mark the progress of the young men graduating from junior football to their new careers in senior football with the Fitzroy Reds, we presented them with genuine Fitzroy Football Club Ltd jumpers with their own name embroided on them. Adrian Marcon, Sharbell Sukkar, Chris Meighen, James Dau and Ben Atherton were presented with a jumper by our Chairman, Dyson Hore-Lacy. All of these boys have come from the Fitzroy Junior Football Club with the exception of Ben Atherton who has come from the Mentone Amateurs U.19 team. (But he is a Royboy from birth.)

During the year, the family of the late Mr Patrick Henry Pidoto, consented to the transfer of his 200 shares in the Club to the Fitzroy Reds. We took the occasion to present the Reds with their new share certificate duly framed. The Reds were wondering if this would give them some entitlement to Fitzroy's share of the Waverley money? The final presentation was done by Elaine Findlay in her capacity as a Governor of the Fitzroy Foundation. The Fitzroy Juniors and the Fitzroy Reds were each presented with a $750.00 cheque.

James Sagert, whose wife Raelene runs our website for us, gave the members present a demonstration of how the website works and took them through the various sections on it. The meeting then concluded around 9pm and light refreshments were served. Many thanks to the members who came to the meeting. We're sure they enjoyed the night.

On Saturday the 27th April, before the start of the Fitzroy Reds Parkside game, we laid a wreath at the War Memorial, built in 1919 by the "Fitzroy Cricket, Football, Bowling, Baseball, and Tennis Clubs". This long forgotten War Memorial was once a beautiful archway situated at what was once the entrance path from Brunswick Street behind the original Football Club grandstand and the Bowling Club. It was probably the only VFL ground where a war memorial had been built.

Fitzroy Football Club players remembered were: (THE GREAT WAR - World War 1)

Lt. Harold Collins DCM 6th Battalion 1st AIF. Played 6 games in 1912 and 1915. Killed in action France 10th August 1918

Lance Corporal Jack Cooper 8th Battalion 1st AIF. Played 136 games 1907 - 1915. Killed in action Belgium 20th September 1917.

Capt. George Elliott Military Cross. Aust Army medical Corps. Played 1 game 1905 University 1908-13 79 games. Killed in action Belgium 25th Sept.1917

Lance Corporal Arthur Harrison 22nd Battalion, 1st AIF Played 19 games 1913 - 14 Killed in action in France 3rd May 1917

Trooper Arthur Jones 8th Australian Light Horse Played 7 games 1914 Killed in action on 7th August 1915 at Gallipoli

Sgt. Sydney O'Neill 8th Australian Light Horse Played 1 game 1909 Killed in action on 7th August 1915 at Gallipoli

Fitzroy Football Club players remembered were: ( WORLD WAR II )

Sgt Tom Corrigan RAAF Played 107 games 1922 to 1928 including the 1922 Premiership team Died on 9th January 1943 in Melbourne

Private Fred Heintz 2/21 Battalion 2nd AIF Played 14 games 1931 - 1933. Killed in action on the island of Ambon 20th February 1942

The full account of these brave Fitzroy players can be read in the new book "FALLEN" which has just been published by Crown Content and written by Jim Main and David Allen.

If a membership renewal form is enclosed with this mail out, then it means that we have not yet received your membership renewal. Please give this your urgent attention because we can only continue to exist and keep the FITZROY name alive in football if our members continue to support us.

So far we have received 2002 membership renewals from over half of our members. So if you are one of the, " I've been meaning to do it brigade", DO IT NOW, please.

SEND THIS FORM BACK TO THE CLUB SECRETARY ASAP.

OUR THANKS TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS WHO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE FITZROY FOOTBALL CLUB

The all conquering Fitzroy Reds have been promoted to section D2 of the VAFA competition this year, and life has been a little bit more difficult than the glorious days of 2001 in section D3. This time last year we were 5 - 0 and handing out thrashing after thrashing. Things are a bit different this year. After Round 5 we sit 2 - 3 but the Fitzroy fans at the Brunswick street ground have had two good old fashioned nail biting finishes in the very tradition of the Brunswick Street VFL games of the Len Smith era.

Section D2 is a tougher grade than D3 and when you lose the services of ten of your key players from the premiership team, it makes the battle to consolidate in the next highest grade that much harder. Some of the missing in action are Banna Urbancic, (VAFA Interstate ruckman - gone overseas) No.88 Kiwi (gun midfielder. Gone home to NZ.) Steve Addicott (father of twins) Matt Wharfie, Jezza Rawlings, Chopper Pidoto, (Shoulder reconstruction), Paul Gunn, Darren Curtis, Chris Nave and gun full forward, Paul Ronke and we have a problem.

But we have some marvellous young men to take their places. The 2001 U19 B&F winner, Chris Meighen is doing a marvellous job in the ruck and copped everything that the old stages from Oakleigh and Bentleigh could throw at him. Matt Cairns rang us before Christmas to play with FITZROY. He has been a very handy player. Brett Pollard is another FFC contact who is starting to find his place in the team and be a top player. And Ben Atherton is also starting to shine as a Roy Boy. Of course the old stages in Steve Drury, Patrick Mushy Jackson, Paul Crowe, Ricky Johnstone, Tod Clarke, and Toby Mitchell have stayed on board to help the young ones.

After opening beltings from Yarra Valley and Oakleigh, the Club is starting to find its way after a classic win over Parkside at home and again last week against Old Carey. The young ones are starting to step up and if we can hold our own in D2 this year we'll be OK.

According to Club President Steve Turner, the Juniors are having a good year. A peek at the Yarra Junior Football League website (www.yarrajfl.au) confirms this view.

The Under 17 Colts are 4th with 3 wins no losses and 2 draws. The under 13 Greens are having a very successful start with 5 straight wins and top place on the ladder. All up there are 12 teams competing with two U.10s, two U.11s, two U12s, two U.13s, two under 14 teams and one under 15 team. The boys play on Sundays at the Brunswick Street ground in their Fitzroy jumpers. One of the traditional matches that is played each year in the Colts division is Fitzroy Vs. Beverley Hills. Now if you want to see a good old fashioned game between the Fitzroy jumper and the Brisbane Lions jumper, this is the game. I see from the YJFL website that Fitzroy defeated Beverley Hills last week by 49 points. (10.10.70 to 3.3.21)

Another Fitzroy team supported by the Club is the FITZROY BOMBERS. This is the football team for socially disadvantaged men run by St.Mary's House of Welcome at 165 Brunswick Street Fitzroy. (9417 1114) The team competes in the mid week REC LINK competition.

Their home ground is the Northcote Park Football ground in Westgarth Street Northcote. After a submission from Kevin Ryan, the Board was able to secure some sponsorship from the Anti Cancer Council, (QUIT CAMPAIGN), and this has enabled us to finance a complete Fitzroy uniform for the team. From all reports they are very excited about their new Fitzroy jumpers and made a good start to the season with one win and one loss. The next home game is on the 22nd May and then the 5th June. They would love to have your support if you can get to their games.

Club jumpers are selling very well with the most surprising order coming from Georgia USA. And as we write this item another order has just come in from a member of the San Diego Lions Football Club in the USA. So the website is starting to work. In addition to the FFC jumpers that we sell, we are putting an order together for the Fitzroy jumper used in the fifties and sixties. You have the choice of either the blue or white FFC logo. If you are interested in getting one of these traditional FFC jumpers give Bill Atherton a ring on 9580 9389, fax 9587 0730 or email bill@fitzroyfc.com.au and we will send an order form to you.

We have just received some FFC bumper stickers and one will be sent to each financial member. If you want to get more, they are $3 each including postage. A Fitzroy supporter is also making Fitzroy scarves and baby booties. These are made to order and cost $25 for the scarves and $15 for the baby booties. She also makes beanies and indoor slippers.

One of the pleasant surprises last February was a faxed order from Mike Powers, President of the Atlanta Kookaburras. Have a look at their website on www.atlantafooty.com. Their coach is Lou Fullagar who is from Melbourne.

Lou coached in the VCFL and has a level 2 coaching accreditation with the AFL. Whilst Lou is an Aussie the team is 50% American and 50% Aussie.

Mike and seven members of the team have actually joined up as members so we have our first resident US members. You can contact Mike on mpowers@qualcomm.com I am sure that he would love to hear from you and if you are going to the States bring a footy because they are a very scarce commodity over there.

The season kicked off on the 23rd March with a great win over Nth Carolina. (55 to 34.) Next game was on the 20th April against Louisville when the boys nailed another win 21.11.137 to 7.3.45. The next game is on May 18 against Tri Cities. Looks like the fixture is on a four week cycle. Now that's different! Sounds like the women had something to do with that idea.

CLUB MEMBER SUZANNE MADELEY HAS OFERRED TO ORGANIZE A FASHION PARADE

But before we go ahead and organise a venue, do we have sufficient support?

If you would like to come and support this fund raiser, could you please let Bill Atherton know. Once we have 30 goers we will proceed with organising the night.

Ring Bill on 9580 9389 or 9580 6624 Ahrs