THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE FITZROY FOOTBALL CLUB AND SOCIAL CLUB

IT’S FINALS TIME

SEPTEMBER ACTION

TRACEY POWER LEADS THE FITZROY BOMBERS TO THEIR FIRST PREMIERSHIP

FITZROY JUNIORS MISS OUT ON TWO FLAGS

FITZROY REDS TWOS IN FIGHT FOR THEIR FLAG

THE AFL LIONS LOOK THE GOODS FOR BACK TO BACK FLAGS

FITZROY REDS

While the Reds Senior team has not made the finals this year, they have secured their position in Section D2, having been promoted to the higher grade after last year’s premiership success. With the loss of over twelve experienced players from last year’s premiership side, things looked very bleak early on in the season with drubbings from Yarra Valley in the opening game at home and then Oakleigh away. But they quickly regrouped and notched up their first win for the season in Round three at home against Parkside.

With over ten new faces to the team and an early run of injuries, it took awhile for this “new” team to adapt to the higher grade. Old nemesis, Bentleigh was coping better in D2 and they beat us at home and away. They made the finals but were bundled out by Latrobe Uni last Saturday. We were able to notch up wins against Old Carey and Kew at home and went to the mid season break in June with three wins and six loses and held down eighth spot on the ladder. The boys regrouped and won five of their nine games in the run home to the finals. Losses to Bentleigh, and Latrobe at home were to prove costly in whatever chance we had of making the finals, but good wins over Kew and Peninsular to finish the year off, gives great hope for a return to premiership success in the 2003 season.

We have unearthed some great future players in Chris Meighen (Fitzroy Juniors) and Ben Atherton (Mentone U.19s) and together with new boys Matt Camilleri, Joe Tornese, Marcus Sinfield, Matt Cairns, Chris Quinn, Craig Andrews, and Brett Pollard, the team looks set for success next year. Old stagers Santo, Dacca, Todd Clarke, Steve Drury, Benji Lee, Mushy,Vinnie Cahill, Paul Crowe, Dennis Timms and Toby Mitchell all had good seasons and were their ever reliable selves. Big improvers when they got their chance for a run in the ones were Joffa Virtue and Horror. (Jason Horridge.) Hopefully they will all be back again next year, when we hope to continue our move up the VAFA grades.

In the meantime, the Reserves went on their merry way each week and were undefeated until the final home and away game when they went down to Peninsular Old Boys. They repeated their late season loss of form last Saturday when they went down to Yarra Valley in the Second Semi Final at the old Waverley VFA ground. (11.12.78 to 8.7.55). They face Peninsular O.B. next Saturday in the Preliminary Final at the same ground. (11.30 am Melways map 71 C 5) If the Reds win, they will have a second crack at the flag they missed out on last year at the Cheltenham ground against Sth. Melbourne. If they lose, the season will be all over for the Fitzroy Reds, so let’s hope we win and have a crack at another flag.

The Fitzroy Juniors have just completed another highly successful year under hard working new President Steve Turner and his equally hard working committee led by Joan Eddy. (Steve and Joan are FFC club members and supported our Haydn Bunton Ball along with the Fitzroy Reds committee.) Fielding twelve under age teams each Sunday is no easy job, and Steve and Joan with the support of the other mums and dads, have done a marvellous job. Now they can put their feet up and enjoy the summer break before it all starts again. From the Fitzroy Football Club’s point of view, it has been very enjoyable working with Steve and Joan and helping to support the Junior FFC club.

The success of the Club was highlighted with two grand final appearances last Sunday for the U.17 Colts and the Under 13s. Sadly, the football gods were not smiling last weekend when the competition leaders all year, went down in an upset loss to Macleod. The under 13s who were also on top of their division, went missing when Doncaster ran over the top of them. With the Reds Reserves crash landing at Glen Waverley on Saturday and the AFL Lions flat tyre in Adelaide on Sunday, yes the weekend of 31st August and 1st September definitely was not a good Fitzroy one. On a happier note, the Fitzroy Colts U.17 team played Beverley Hills, resplendent in their Brisbane Lions jumpers, in the second semi final. I am happy to report that the Fitzroy jumper of the Colts from Brunswick Street, had a resounding win. ( FFC has a full set of Fitzroy VFL jumpers. Why don’t we challenge the Brisbane Lions supporters to a “House Match” at Brunswick Street in the off season? Could be a marvellous fund raiser for the Reds and Juniors and Fitzroy would at least be fielding a team of it’s own! Any takers?

Some ten boys in the Colts team had played together since their U.10 days. Now a lot of the boys go onto under 19 football, hopefully with the new Fitzroy Reds under 19 team next year. Congratulations to Milos Zika who was voted as Best & Fairest in the Yarra Junior Football League for 2002. Jarrod Chilcott was the next highest Fitzroy player who was voted equal fifth.

Another Fitzroy team supported by the Club is the FITZROY BOMBERS. This is the football team for socially disadvantaged run by St.Mary’s House of Welcome at 165 Brunswick Street Fitzroy. The team competes in the mid week REC LINK competition. It was great to see the story in last Thursday’s Herald Sun about the premiership success of the Fitzroy Bombers. Tracey Power is the star of the team and she was photographed in her new FFC jumper that we supplied to the team with funding from the QUIT programme. Tracey has a very simple philosophy about her on field success.” I love playing because I get to bash up the guys.” Tracey might be the Reds secret weapon for the 2003 season!

At the Club’s recent Board Meeting, the Club Secretary suggested that we should invite our members to select the ALL FITZROY TEAM for 2002. Only eleven members of our 1996 team are still playing at the AFL level, but we have many of our 95/96 list still playing the game in suburban, country and VAFA competitions, both in Victoria and interstate. There is not a week goes by when we don’t get a request from a Fitzroy supporter for help to find a former Royboy. Here is a list of the AFL Fitzroy players and some Fitzroy players who we know are still playing:

Chris Johnson - Brisbane Lions
Jeff Hogg - St.Kilda City
Alastair Lynch - Brisbane Lions
Frank Bizzotto - “ “
Martin Pike - Brisbane Lions
Darren Kappler - Murrumbeena
Jarrod Molloy - Collingwood
Nigel Credlin - Old Camberwell
John Barker - Hawthorn
Doc Wheildon - Leongatha
Shane Clayton - Nth.Melbourne
Nick Mitchell - St.Bernards
John Blakey - Nth.Melbourne
Brad Davis - Diamond Valley
Daniel Ward - Melbourne
Brett Chandler
Stephen Paxman - Port Adelaide
Michael Conlan - Coaching Uni Blues
Matthew Primus - Port Adelaide
Leigh Carlson - Coaching Old Trinity
Rowan Wharfe - Sydney Swans
David Parkin - Hawthorn Match Comm

There are plenty more, but that’s for you to find out.

Enclosed please find an entry form for you to select the 2002 ALL FITZROY TEAM. The Rules are simple:
1. The player must have been a registered Fitzroy player as at the 28th June 1996.
2. The player must be still playing football at any level.
3. The name of his current club must be stated.
4. The coach must be still involved at the coaching or assistant coaching level.
5. The entry fee is $10.
6. Entries close on the 30th September 2002.
7. The FFC Match Committee will decide on the winner. (Messrs McMahon, Hobbs & Pettinella.)
8. The prize for the winner will be a copy of “Fitzroy – for the love of the jumper” by Chris Donald.

Enclosed please find an order form for current Club merchandise. We are now making the traditional Fitzroy jumper as used in the fifties and sixties. You have the choice of BLUE or WHITE FFC logo. The pre ‘75 jumpers are made to your order, so please state the chest size that you want.

We apologise about the FFC bumper stickers not being weather proof. They should last longer in the summer! If you want a replacement let us know and we’ll send one out.

Also enclosed is an order form for Chris Donald’s new book “FITZROY – For the love of the jumper”. It profiles one hundred of our best known players and is a must for every Fitzroy family.

The Atlanta Kookaburras are having a great season.To catch up on their progress have a look at their website on www.atlantafooty.com. They had their ruckman B.J.Gamaro selected to play in the US World Cup team that was played here last month. From all reports BJ had a great time here.

The season kicked off on the 23rd March and they have played against Nth Carolina, Louisville, Tri-Cities, and Nashville. They play in the Nashville Australian Festival on the 21st September and wind up with the National Championships in Kansas City on Oct.18-20. They are always desperate for gear, so we have sent them a Sherrin match footy. No doubt BJ took some gear home!