Job done under the lights

It felt like it was never in doubt - the Thirds ran out with purpose and voice on Saturday night for their first game under the Brunswick Street lights and got the job done against Ajax.

There was probably one moment in the third quarter when Ajax got a bit of a run on and kicked three in a row, which would have had coach Trent Coleman a little nervous, but they were soon back on track and went on to win 10.8.68 to 6.11.47.

The forwards shared the goals around with Thomas Marchesani kicking three, Tim De Natris chiming in with two and Locky Davis also kicking two. Nick Harding played a great game, alongside Marchesani, Leon Holderhead and Tom Grbac.

It was a strong and steady performance in a free-flowing game from a side which is feeling very confident, sitting comfortably up the top end of the ladder with finals just a couple of weeks away.

The Thirds don't often get the large crowd or the viewers they perhaps deserve with their entertaining style of football, but this was a great chance to show what they've got and for the rest of the club to check it out before the finals start. They didin't miss the opporutnity.

Tomorrow morning the Thirds kick off the day with a very early start out at Mentone, taking on St Bede's Mentone in the 9.20 game at Southern Road Reserve. Go Roys.

Photos by Ellie Mitsch

Atko steps up for crunch game

Fitzroy Reserves Captain, Jack Atkinson, will play his first senior game with Fitzroy as the team runs out for one of the most crucial games of the season tomorrow against Parkdale Vultures at Gerry Green Reserve.

The Ressies captain has waited a long time and gets his chance to show his on field leadership in a crunch game.

The inclusion of Carlton VFL listed player, Sunny Brazier, couldn’t come at a more opportune moment, providing a significant focal point for the forward line which has struggled in recent weeks.

Last weeks loss to Old Geelong – their best win of the season – has rendered Fitzroy last on the Premier B ladder and there is a very tough month of football ahead if the team plans to stay in B Grade.

The less said about last week’s game the better – a stark turnaround from last year’s grand final when Fitzroy dominated proceedings. Old Geelong was methodical and ruthless and went on to win 16.12.108 to 4.8.32.

Luke Baker was awarded best on ground for his four-quarter effort in numerous parts of the ground – we needed three of him – while Donovan Toohey and Sean Laidlaw also gave it everything.

As Guy Gorilla said this week ‘there were very few match highlights’. Don’t worry; we hope to have the man of ‘grunt’ back in the Red Roy next week!

After the game on Saturday Coach Luke Mahoney said the team had five weeks to prove they still wanted to stay in B grade. "The season is still in our control. Let's see how much you want this."

Luke said the effort and intensity was there but there were issues that needed to be worked on as a matter of urgency, to arrest the form slump since the bye. In particular there really needs to be an improvement in ball movement and communication.

The team took some additional words of advice this week from head of performance analysis at Collingwood, Ash Collins, who joined the boys for training during the week.

Congratulations to Rory Patterson who will play his 50th Fitzroy game when he runs out with the Ressies tomorrow at Gerry Green Reserve. The forward focal point and mobile goal kicker has had an excellent career through the junior and played his first senior game with Fitzroy at just 17. Still plenty of promise for this budding career.

Let’s get a huge red, yellow and blue contingent down to check out the new facilities at Parkdale. Fitzroy will be in the clash strip tomorrow.

Photos by Ellie Mitsch and Phyllis Quealy

Focus turns to 2020

The Roy Girls played their final games of the season last Saturday, going down to Marcellin in Seniors and Reserves.

The bottom-placed finish, means Fitzroy will be relegated from the Premier Women’s competition, after the promotion and relegation system was introduced to VAFA women’s football at the beginning of this season.

With some significant changes to personnel on and off field, the teams have faced a very challenging season but they’ve never taken a backward step.

The effort and energy captured in these photos sum up what they've brought to the contest all year without much reward for effort. These things turn! Next year you'll be stronger for the experience and we'll be right behind you.

A focus on the road toll this week, as clubs work Towards Zero

Grassroots football and netball clubs across Victoria are this week helping to draw attention to the rising road toll and the importance of road safety.

The inaugural TAC Towards Zero round will see thousands of captains don the big Zero on their backs in an effort to keep this issue front of mind for young drivers.

As part of an editorial run by the VAFA this week, TAC Acting CEO Bruce Crossett said the TAC Towards Zero Round aims to highlight the real value of reaching zero deaths on our roads and why it’s something all Victorians should be working towards.

“Grassroots football and netball clubs are the lifeblood of their communities and I’m sure you would be hard pressed to find someone involved who hasn’t been affected by road trauma.” Mr. Crossett said.

“We believe that zero is the only acceptable number of deaths on our roads, but we need everyone to play their part…this round is putting road safety at the fore and we’re asking everyone to prioritise safety to make sure that every journey is a safe one,” he said.

Striving for a zero road toll – something we can all get behind regardless of our number.
Pictured is Fitzroy Captain Julian Turner with the specially made Fitzroy Towards Zero jumper.

Alcohol, gambling & football - what are the odds?

Dr Rebecca Jenkinson, Senior Research Fellow (Gambling, Alcohol and Other Drugs) and Manager of the Australian Gambling Research Centre, is our guest speaker at the Fitzroy IT pre-game lunch on Saturday 10 August.

Dr Jenkinson, who also holds research and lecturing positions with the Burnet Institute and Monash University, has extensive experience in public health research, most recently in the gambling, alcohol and other drugs, sexual health and infectious diseases fields, with a particular interest in young people’s behaviours. She has conducted research with AFL clubs and has recent citations about young men, sports and betting.

Dr Jenkinson has also worked on a number of research projects about young women’s health behaviours, including a study exploring how people engage with fitness posts on social media and whether ‘fitspo’ engagement is associated with negative impacts on body image.

Come along and join in with this discussion about some of the most topical issues affecting young people today.

Bookings are open now and close on Wednesday 7 August.

Photo acknowledgment: the Burnet Institute and the Invergowrie Foundation.

Capturing the highs and the lows – Phyllis sets the standard

For the avid consumer of social media and football photography, you may have noticed in recent weeks that the AFL and super star photographer Michael Willson are running a competition for amateur footy photographers called Footy Focus.

Our own VAFA-award-winning Phyllis Quealy has kept Fitzroy front and centre, with several shots of our on and off field activities making Michael’s (and the AFL’s) promotions of the competition on their social media accounts.

This week Phyllis received the good news that two of her shots are being considered for the Top 10 of the Footy Focus comp.

For the highs, the emotional shot of Jack Hart and Sunny Brazier embracing after the 2018 grand final win (above) is being considered.

And one of our favourite recent shots, despite the low of the day, was the pic of this little red, yellow and blue-clad fan peering through the fence at the Main Oval at the University of Melbourne, trying to see the action between Fitzroy and the Blacks.

The winner will be revealed by video, with Michael talking through the top 10 shots. Keep an eye out on all social media channels (you can follow Michael on Instagram for some of the best footy pics you’ll see) and also AFL 360, the AFL website etc. Use the hashtag #FootyFocus Pretty sure we’ll share the news if Phyllis makes Top 10.

It will be worth taking a look regardless. Some of the photos are magnificent.

The winner will accompany Michael Willson to the Hawthorn v Gold Coast game on August 18 to learn more about how he goes about his craft. Stay tuned. Congratulations Phyllis.

Major Raffle – you could see every finals game!

Fitzroy's annual raffle is even better in 2019.

The winner will take out the best footy prize going around: tickets for two to every game in the 2019 Toyota AFL Finals Series (including the Grand Final), again generously donated by the Brisbane Lions (GFAFL19/49).

Second prize, kindly donated by David Leydon, is a framed Fitzroy Team of the Century guernsey featuring Roy legends including Hadyn Bunton, Mick Conlan, Bernie Quinlan, Paul Roos, Allan Ruthven and Garry Wilson, and beautifully autographed by the great Kevin Murray.

And this season Student Flights Melbourne have come on board to offer a $500 travel voucher.

Tickets are only $5 each. You can purchase them at home games, from any of our players, from the Directors of the club and if you can sell tickets, please contact Helen Manoli, who can provide you with books of 10. Email her at helenmanoli4@gmail.com

New Fitzroy supporter gear selling like hotcakes

It's hard to believe there was something flying out the door faster than a Christos Tsiolkas book at the literary lunch, but sales of a our new supporter gear hit record levels on day 1 at Brunswick Street on Saturday.
Before the day was out, there were Roy fans as far as the eye could see donning the new jackets and hoodies.

The following options will also be available next week on Saturday 10 August:

adult hoodie (pictured): $60 + postage and handling
children's hoodie: $50 + postage and handling
polo: $45 + postage and handling
long sleeve t-shirt (pictured): $40 + postage and handling
jacket: $90 + postage and handling

The gear will go on sale at Brunswick Street from tomorrow.

Thank you to Will Zahgis and Rachael Telfer for their oustanding modelling work!

Postage and handling will apply to online orders only, so buying at the ground will be the best option.

Keep an eye on the website for online options.

This weekend's games

St Bede's/Mentone v Fitzroy Thirds – VAFA Thirds Division 1 – Southern Road Reserve, 9.20am, Saturday 3 August
Fitzroy Under 23s v Old Camberwell – VAFA Under 23s – Ramsden Street Oval, 11.40am, Saturday 3 August
Parkdale Vultures v Fitzroy Reserve Men – VAFA Premier B Reserves – Gerry Green Reserve, 11.40am, Saturday 3 August
Fitzroy Under 19s v Old Brighton – Holmesglen U19 Division 1 – Ramsden Street Oval, 2pm, Saturday 3 August
Parkdale Vultures v Fitzroy Senior Men – VAFA Premier B Seniors – Gerry Green Reserve, 2pm, Saturday 3 August