RedRoy Mail - 19 March 2021

RedRoy Mail - your update from Fitzroy Football Club.

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The Premier B Women's fixture is here!

Add these dates to your calendars!

Our Fitzroy-ACU Senior Women's 2021 campaign kicks off against Old Geelong on Saturday, April 10 at Ramsden Street Oval.

In 2021, we're thrilled to see our women's side have the opportunity to play 5 home games at our spiritual home at Brunswick Street Oval, a great result.

One away game to make sure you have locked in for 2021 is a very special event in Round. 4 on Sunday May 2.

Our Round 4, match against Melbourne University Women's Football Club will be our inaugural Pride Game celebration.

The event, made possible by a Change Our Game Community Activation Grant received in 2020, will see us and MUWFC come together to celebrate women's football and our diverse communities.

MUWFC have hosted and participated in pride matches since 2017 and Fitzroy is beyond excited we have the chance to be part of an important display of inclusivity and celebration of the LGBTIQ+ community who give so much to footy.

Our women's sides will also be wearing a specially designed Pride guernsey in this game, the first time our Club has done so. It's going to be a special day—save the date!

The U19s fixture is also here!

Lots of dates to add to your diary! See the fixture here.

This weekend's practice matches

Photo: Phyllis Quealy

This Sunday, March 21, the Roys venture out to La Trobe University FC for some intra-clubs and practice matches against Caulfield Grammarians as we prepare for our 2021 campaign. All matches will take place at La Trobe University Oval, Kingsbury Dr, Bundoora VIC 3083.

The schedule for Sunday is as follows:

9am - Fitzroy Thirds intra club
10am - U19s
11.20am - Reserves Women
12.20pm - Senior Women
1.20pm - Reserves Men
3pm - Senior Men

Supporters are welcome but please keep 1.5m distance from players and coaches at all times (no handshakes or fist bumps!) and social distance in the outer! If you feel unwell, please stay home.

Go Roys!

Reds celebrate 1980 inaugural premiership

Time to get out the little red shorts and see if they still fit!

The University Reds (the club later to become the Fitzroy Reds, and one very important half of our 2008 merger) is celebrating 41 years since its first premiership with a lunch on Saturday 10 April – the first round of the VAFA season.

The celebration of such an important milestone has been delayed by one year, like most things in 2020!
Fittingly Fitzroy takes on the Uni Blacks in Round 1 at Brunswick Street Oval and the Reds will take a walk down memory lane to a time when the Reds were almost unstoppable. Almost.

The 1980 F Section Premiers will be out in force and you can book in to join them for what promises to be a very big afternoon full of memories, laughter and some tall stories.

The real story is a pretty good one too!

The Reds finished the home and away season in 1980 atop the ladder with 16 wins and two losses. Having lost to Thomastown by one point in the second semi, they went on to exact their revenge in emphatic style with a 10-goal grand final win at the Beaurepaire Centre, Albert Park.

But they almost didn’t make it! Having been five goals down at three quarter time in the Preliminary Final against the Peninsula Old Boys, the Reds stormed home to win by one goal.

The Reserves also finished on top of the ladder after the home and away season but were defeated in the grand final.

For those who know Reds Foundation President, Peter Hille, make sure you get a front row seat to hear about his 106-goal season.

Current Fitzroy Treasurer, Michael Smale, was the Reds captain in 1980 and he, coach Andy McNair, and Hille will tell the story of the season that was.

It promises to be a great day with many of the original team lined up to attend and share their recollections.
Book in quickly for this one. All Fitzroy events will require an early RSVP this year (please see below).

Book online now!

Details:

Date: Saturday 10 April
Time: 11.45am for 12pm start at the Community rooms, Brunswick Street Oval
Price: $40 for lunch and drinks at bar prices
RSVP:
- 1980 Premiership players and team mates by Friday 26 March*
- Everyone else, book online by Thursday 1 April.

See you there in your best red outfit!

*Redders and friends - if you have a booking from 2020, please don't book again. We will count you. Just confirm your attendance by email to Michael Smale (michaelsmale58@bigpond.com)

Vale Bob Merrick

The Club is saddened by the passing of Bob Merrick last weekend.

Danny Wilson has penned this beautiful tribute.

Bob Merrick, a long time Fitzroy personality and stalwart passed away on the weekend after battling a long illness. Bob was in his early 80's and grew up in the then tough hard scrabble streets of Fitzroy alongside his great mate Fitzroy legend Kevin Murray. You had to be able to handle yourself in those days and Bobby, Kevin and their great pal on the other side of Smith Street the legendary Collingwood identity Meggsy Sherlock formed a formidable trio.

Bobby was a great supporter of the Fitzroy in their VFL, AFL and VAFA incarnations and could be regularly seen at Fitzroy VAFA luncheons at Brunswick Street sharing a bottle or two of his favourite red and a few beers with his scallywag mates and wife Marg on what President Joan has dubbed "The Naughty Table". As well as being a longstanding member of the Fitzroy coterie group the Lion Hunters, he was a member of a famous Fitzroy Football Club family. His eponymous uncle Bob Merrick holds a VFL/AFL record which will never be broken, booting 12 goals at the Brunswick Street Oval against Melbourne in 1919.

Bobby will be sadly missed and condolences are offered to his wife Marg and family.

The Toyota Good For Footy Raffle is Back!

It's back! Your chance to win some great prizes and support the mighty Roys!

In 2020, we raised a total of $5,700 which all went directly to supporting our Club. Thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket!

We've now got the 2021 raffle up and running and we'd love to see FFC on the leaderboard and smash last year's sales to keep our club strong.

BUY YOUR RAFFLE TICKETS

All you have to do is:

Jump online and be in the running to win one of 10 amazing prizes, including a brand new Toyota.
100% of the proceeds go to Fitzroy FC.
Raffle drawn at 12pm on 10 September 2021 - let's get on that leaderboard!