Ralph Rogerson, recruited for the 1964 season, was honoured with the Fitzroy captaincy (1965–66) and his very own Mobil Oil footy card.

By Gabrielle Murphy 

Following President Joan Eddy’s appearance on ABC Radio’s 774 program last week, a Bulldog supporter contacted us with a heartfelt apology he’s been waiting over four decades to deliver.

Footscray’s Edward James Whitten, widely known by his moniker Mr Football, is one of those players we either loved or loved to hate.

But as time went by, any tribal animosity footy supporters may have held partially evaporated when Teddy addressed his big V players and fronted the media in 1995. And disappeared completely the day he performed a lap of honour at the MCG leaning on his son for support.

According to encyclopedist and one of the foremost authorities on Aussie football,  UK-based John Devaney, the young Ted Whitten debuted in 1951, lining up against Richmond’s renowned hard man Don ‘Mopsy’ Fraser.

In return for the new recruit’s offer of a handshake, Mopsy delivered a sharp kick to the ankles. But the pain was nothing to what Teddy later experienced at the hands of Mopsy after he marked and goaled early in the first term.

Suffice to say it landed Teddy in hospital overnight.

In his heyday Teddy Whitten was also a tough customer, but Devaney reckons he was nothing if not a quick learner, soon realising that rather than be intimidated, the best way to achieve success was to intimidate. And says that if 90 per cent of this intimidation was bluster, it nevertheless could not mask the fact that Teddy Whitten was also a supremely gifted exponent of the game.

So now we come to the reason why a Bulldogs supporter saw fit to say sorry…

Recalling being at the Western Oval one Saturday afternoon in the 1960s to watch the Doggies play the Roys, our informant also caught sight of Teddy Whitten delivering Fitzroy captain Ralph Rogerson a cleverly concealed slap to the face.

Teddy was in the twilight of his playing career by then and our Doggies friend understood that more than ever, the seasoned champion needed to use cunning or force to better his opponents.

But the memory of that slap in the ruck contest has rankled from that day to this. So after hearing Joan and a raft of broken-hearted Roys supporters re-living the distress they suffered during those final AFL days in 1996, our informant decided to send a belated apology.

He says that, like Whitten back then, he’s past his better days and thought it was high time he righted old wrongs that have hung heavily on him throughout the years.

Thank you Doggies diehard. We don’t reckon such a gracious apology could possibly be coming from someone past his prime. 
And we accept your heartfelt apology whole heartedly.

Lou Richards, another all-time character of the game who
eventually got as many laughs off the field as he scored on it,
got to write the back notes for Ralph Rogerson’s footy card
with his signature tongue-in-cheek.


For those of you who haven’t yet heard Joan’s 774 appearance, listen to her do her stuff.

Brunswick Street Oval grandstand, temporarily closed.


Some of you may have noticed that the Grandstand at BSO has recently been closed off to public access, and we thank those of you who have contacted us concerned about the rough sleepers and homeless who had taken shelter in the Grandstand.
 
The grandstands at BSO (back in the day there used to be two!) have long been places where those homeless and seeking shelter in our city have sought a place to stay, particularly during the Great Depression in the 1930’s.
 
Recently, the City of Yarra needed to urgently move those sleeping in the Grandstand because of serious risk of injury to them by continuing to stay there, and potentially severe damage to the structure itself.
 
Cr Jackie Fristacky, our local Nicholls Ward Councillor has advised, “People recently rough sleeping at the back of the grandstand at WT Petersen Oval, have all been assisted into safe accommodation and other supports through Launch Housing. This assistance included helping move belongings; items left behind were those identified as not sought to take with them.”
 
Cr Fristacky emphasises that: “Securing the Grandstand on the advice of Council’s Municipal Building Surveyor and examination of the safety issues, including with the advice of Launch Housing, was critical because of tampering with power points. This meant alarming and imminent risks of electrocution to the occupiers. There were also the associated risks of the Grandstand burning as happened in the 1970s to the 2nd heritage Grandstand at the Oval. Tampering with the electrical systems necessitated Council to urgently secure the Grandstand area to prevent injury to the homeless people sleeping there, and to community members using the facilities.”
 
“I am proud of the FFC community for their concerns regarding “co-tenants” of the Grandstand” and pleased to be able to re-assure the community that residents at the Grandstand have, with the aid of Launch Housing, been transferred to alternative secure accommodation.”
 
Homelessness and rough sleeping continues to increase in many cities around the world. In 2016 the City of Melbourne’s Street Count found an increase of 74% in rough sleeping over two years. Rough sleeping, where people are sleeping in public spaces, in cars, and squatting in vacant properties, is the most visible form of homelessness.
 
Some of the main reasons people become homeless are: 

• lack of affordable housing
• domestic violence and family breakdown
• poverty
• disability, mental health, alcohol and other drug issues. 

Many people have short and one-off experiences of homelessness, but for some it stretches into years and it may take a range of supports to get them housed. Every person's story is unique. Check out what Council is doing to address rough sleeping and homeless in the City of Yarra. 
 
The current safety risks posed by Covid19 and restrictions required present even greater risks for our homeless and there has been great concern from homelessness organisations regarding lack of shelter and people sleeping rough or in overcrowded accommodation. They aren't able to self-isolate as needed.

Almost $6 million additional funding was announced in March to help protect Victorians at risk of or experiencing homelessness because of the COVID-19 virus and manage any outbreaks. In April $8.8m was announced for pop-up sites providing health care and supported accommodation for approximately 200 people sleeping rough.

Everybody’s Home is a national advocacy campaign focusing on fixing Australia’s housing system. It looks at homelessness, rental system, affordable housing, first home buyers and more. If you’re interested, head to everybodyshome.com.au for more information and how you can be involved.