AGM this Sunday: life members and directors set to be appointed
Members and friends of the Fitzroy Football Club are invited
to the annual general meeting this Sunday 2 December at 2.30pm in the Community Rooms at Brunswick Street Oval.
This will be the 134th annual general meeting of the Fitzroy
Football Club (incorporating the Fitzroy Reds).
The agenda for the meeting (click and download) includes the nomination of several new
directors and the recommendation from the Board that three
new honorary life members be appointed.
The nominated members for honorary life membership are:
Will Pickering (pictured) – for 10 years as a player
Michael Smale – combined 11 years’ service as player and
Director
Sharon Torney – 10 years as team manager of the Reserves
and Seniors, prior involvement with the Reds committee
and over nine years as football operations manager
and Director.
Robert Olney, Michael Pickering, David Leydon and David Morden
have been nominated for election to the Board.
Kevin Sharp is retiring from the Board and Kate Nolan must
retire after three years as a director, in accordance with
the articles of association of the club, and will nominate
for re-election.
Please join the club members and directors for a full report
on the football club’s performance this year; on and off field.
Afternoon tea will also be available.
The VAFA AGM and annual awards dinner will be held on Monday
night, featuring the presentation of the premiership flags
to the clubs.
Pre-season starts Monday
Fitzroy pre-season training will start with a block of three
weeks before Christmas for all teams. And our players are primed
and ready to go with the VAFA fixtures progressively being
released over this fortnight (see more details on the Premier
B men’s draw further on in the Red Roy).
The first training session will be Monday 3 December at Olney
Oval, Yarra Bend.
From then on teams will train on Mondays and Thursdays until
20 December. Thursday night sessions will be at Victoria Park
in Collingwood.
Pre-season training pre-Christmas:
Monday nights: 6.15pm arrival at Olney Oval, Yarra Bend
(Monday 3, 10 and 17 December)
Thursday nights: 6.15pm arrival at Victoria Park, Collingwood
(Thursday 6, 13 and 20 December)
After Christmas training will start again on Monday 21 January
with venues to be advised.
The pre-season training camp at Portsea has been booked in
for the weekend of 15-17 February 2019.
President wins Yarra Contribution to Sport award
Fitzroy President Joan
Eddy has been acknowledged with a City of Yarra community award
for her contribution to community football as a volunteer administrator
over the past 20 years.
The City of Yarra Community Awards 2018 were presented at
the Collingwood Town Hall on Tuesday night, just before the
new mayor was elected.
From team manager at the Fitzroy juniors, to Vice President
with the Fitzroy Reds, Joan has been the Fitzroy Football Club's
stalwart and universally respected President from 2010 to the
present day.
“It's not hard to imagine the dedication, diplomacy, tenacity
and integrity – not to mention sheer hard work – all these
roles demand and Joan exemplifies all these characteristics,
with a huge dash of humour thrown in,” the award submission
read.
In support of her award, fellow Director, Gabrielle Murphy,
wrote “Joan has demonstrated, through her own actions and demeanour
in leadership, the values of community, integrity, justice
and equity. She has overseen the exponential growth of all
the levels of community football in Fitzroy, giving of her
time from early morning to late night on game day, and donating
untold hours as President of the Board of the Fitzroy Football
Club during every week – in and out of season.
“Joan has attended and advocated at every tribunal hearing
for every FJFC and FFC player under her watch, she hosts with
aplomb every Club lunch, annual general meeting, and social
event, attends every pre-season camp and represents the Club
within the Victorian Amateur Football Association and with
the leaders of each individual club.”
Joan was presented with her award by Yarra’s new Mayor, Cr
Danae Bosler, with all her fellow Board members and son, Tom,
in attendance. News of the recognition was greeted with huge
enthusiasm on social media, with a lot of love for the Prez.
Congratulations Joan. And congratulations to Cr Bosler also
on her appointment as Mayor; we're looking forward to seeing
her again soon down at BSO.
Coaching double act for Fitzroy-ACU Senior Women
In another coup for the club, Gray and Maeve Barton have made the transition from the Fitzroy Junior Football Club, where they successfully coached the Youth Girls’ 1 side to the premiership this year, and will take on coaching duties with Fitzroy-ACU’s Senior Women’s side.
Fitzroy has secured its Senior Women’s Coach for 2019, Gray
Barton, and in a rare double act, his daughter, Maeve, will
be the Senior Women’s Assistant Coach.
Gray says his eight-year coaching stint with the juniors is
one of the most satisfying and rewarding experiences of his
life.
For Maeve, who is finalising her VCE at Melbourne Girls College,
this may be one of the best fortnights of her life! She has
just started a voluntary team assistant role with North Melbourne’s
new AFLW side and will now add the Fitzroy gig.
They are in no doubt of the challenge ahead in taking on senior
coaching roles in the Premier Women’s competition at the VAFA.
“It is daunting but it is still a question of applying the
right process. A group of individuals come together and understand
their own potential and we ask ourselves the hard questions;
how far are we prepared to push as individuals to see what
is possible for the team?” Gray says.
“Whilst the premiership this year was a highlight, it’s not
what I’d regard as my greatest achievement. I enjoy seeing
individuals’ development as part of the team; coaching and
contributing to that is the rewarding part for me. I’d also
like to think I have a good understanding of game day structure
and what works well.
“First and foremost, it has to be about the players enjoying
the experience, and finding the right way as coach for that
happen.
“This will change over time, but I think at the moment in
women’s football there is still a rapid rate of improvement
possible because there is untapped potential with many players
relatively new to the game,” Gray says.
“This year with the Youth Girls side we had several very talented
footballers among a team that varied in terms of capability
and experience – we had some girls who also were very new to
footy – but the contribution of the less experienced players
was just as valuable. The key is getting an even contribution
across the team. Every player contributes to the team outcomes.”
Gray says that with Fitzroy-ACU his focus will be on quickly
gaining an appreciation of the capabilities and how the team
plays together, so he can see the strengths and how they might
be used to best advantage.
In a broader sense he’s also keen to be part of the wider
club. “I have a strong appreciation for the history of the
club and how it should see itself,” Gray says.
The Colts Whisperer set to cast his magic with the Under 19s
Riding on the back of a stunning coaching record of four Colts premierships with different squads from different levels at the Fitzroy Junior Football Club (most recently bringing home the Colts 1, 2018 flag), Monty Stuart is known to many as the Colts Whisperer.
Having his own Under 19 career cut short due to injury, just
five games in, may have been the best thing to have happened
to new Fitzroy Under 19s coach Monty Stuart.
It has meant that the former junior halfback flank ball magnet
has channelled his energies and love of football into a promising
and already successful coaching career. And he has great empathy
with his charges.
After seven years as head coach with the Fitzroy Juniors,
the man with a remarkable track record in junior coaching is
set to bring his considerable expertise to the Fitzroy Seniors
and, in the process, strengthen the relationship between the
two clubs.
Having coached the Fitzroy Junior Colts to the premiership
in 2018, with three years as Under 19 assistant coach (to Tim
Bell) and a variety of other coaching roles under his belt,
Monty can’t wait to get started.
“Seeing the success the Club has had this year, I just wanted
to get involved.
“I have a strong relationship with a lot of the kids who’ve
come from and are coming from the Juniors and that made me
want to apply.
“One of my strengths is building relationships with players
and generating that buy in to the game plan and game style.
I think I can really relate to these guys – the 17 and 18-year
olds – who I’ve been coaching for about 8 or 9 years now.”
Monty says his style is to be approachable and have an open
dialogue with people and that existing relationships with players
and parents will assist with that. “I’m also looking forward
to building on the relationship between the Junior and Senior
clubs.”
The new Under 19s coach will put an emphasis on the pre-season
because of what he’s seen as the great challenges for Colts
players stepping up into senior footy. “The length of the season
and the physicality are the big differences.
“Over the years I’ve seen it take it out of the young fellas.
It catches people out. So, it’s important we start early and
put in the pre-season effort so we can be ready to compete.
“I’m also going to be really supportive of ensuring young
guys get their opportunity and are ready for it, if they are
called up to the senior side.
“By having a similar but simplified game plan that will make
that transition easier.”
He coached the Fitzroy-ACU Reserves to their first grand
final in his first year of coaching with the club.
We're delighted to announce Simon Jackson is ready
to do it all again and will continue working with the
Roy Girls in 2019.
Meanwhile, Trent Coleman, who also had his team move
once step closer to a premiership with a preliminary
final appearance in 2018, will again coach the Fitzroy
Thirds in 2019.
Congratulations Jacko and Trent.
Fitzroy builds a coaching team with kick
The club is
excited to announce the appointment of former Berwick
premiership assistant coach, Michael Manley (pictured above, left),
as men’s senior assistant coach and former Preston
Bullants’ reserves assistant coach, Karl Jackson (right),
as assistant coach for 2019.
Fitzroy Premiership coach Luke Mahoney has been building
a 2019 coaching team with diverse skills and experience
to add to a successful mix as Fitzroy seeks to step
up its game in Premier B.
“I think we’re building a good coaching group with
complementary skill sets; I was looking for different
backgrounds and experience and I think we’ve achieved
that with both Michael and Karl,” Luke said.
“It’s exciting to have two new voices with different
ideas. We need to keep challenging ourselves and continue
to be better as we move up a grade.
“There was a lot of interest in the positions, which
is a great reflection on what we’ve achieved this year
and the regard for the club. It also means we can choose
the best.”
Michael played 202 Senior Games for Lalor, Thomastown
and Berwick, largely playing ruck and centre half forward.
He was captain at Thomastown from 2009 to 2013 and
Berwick vice captain in 2015 before retiring. As a
player he was involved in three premierships in 2001,
2008 and 2015.
He comes directly from a very successful year as a
senior assistant with a team that was also premier
in 2018.
Michael gives the impression of a man who just can’t
wait to get started at Fitzroy. With childhood memories
of going down to Fitzroy training at Coburg City Oval
to have a kick with Bernie Quinlan, he’s keen on the
idea of Fitzroy’s history but it was the opportunity
to continue to develop his coaching in a good quality
competition that appealed most.
“Given my role at Berwick, my strength is in the ability
to read other team’s structures and identify strengths
and weaknesses. I’m also a business analyst, so in
a way I can apply my skills to understanding other
teams’ tactics.
“I’m keen to start looking at the vision of the other
Premier B sides to understand the standard, the structure,
the style and I also want to watch the vision of our
games too, so I can see where we might improve and
see what other teams might do to try and beat us. If
we can identify some weaknesses, then we can work on
consistency across the group.”
Michael says he wants to work with our ruck team and
also has a lot of on field leadership experience which
may be valuable, as a former captain. “I’m also recently
out of the game so I think that helps in understanding
the modern football and modern style.
“It’s a blank canvas in a way; a new challenge for
me. Fitzroy is something fresh and new with a new league,
new standard, new team. I will get a lot of satisfaction
in helping the group at Fitzroy go to the next level
with their play.”
An opportunity to bring together over a decade working
in the football industry and experience coaching in
volleyball, was something new assistant coach Karl
Jackson was keen to grasp with both hands.
With a sporting background that’s included volleyball,
athletics, Rugby Union and Rugby League, the native
Queenslander, has played with two years with Ivanhoe
and one (as playing assistant coach) for the Preston
Bullants before a back injury recently put an end to
his short football career.
Karl has 15 years’ coaching experience in volleyball,
including the past eight at Scotch College.
Karl’s day job is Head of Data & Analytics at
Champion Data, where he has been for 11 years; this
has involved close contact with AFL coaches and analysts,
and construction of new algorithms/metrics to analyse
AFL teams and players.
“I got a taste of coaching in the reserves with the
Bullants but I was craving more responsibility at a
higher level. I know quite a few friends who have played
at Fitzroy and I get the impression there is a good
vibe.
“The thing I will bring is the lessons we can learn
from thinking about football analytically.
“As a coach I think the relationships are the most
important thing; you want to have conversations rather
than tell people what to do. I focus on personal development
and tactics. At the end of the day if players aren’t
developing individually then the team is not developing
either.”
Tough test to start
Fitzroy will
go straight into season 2019 with a stern test, facing
Old Scotch away in Round 1.
The VAFA Premier B draw has been released and there
will be no need to wait to see how we stack up against
the best sides.
Round 2 will be greatly anticipated as Fitzroy hosts
University Blacks at home for the unfurling of the
Premiership flag.
It will be round 7 before the Premier C grand final
rematch against Old Geelong at Como Park.
The season features three breaks – Easter, Queen’s
birthday and a two-week break at the start of July.
The VAFA is progressively releasing the fixtures and
the Premier Women’s draw is expected next week. Keep
an eye out on Facebook and Twitter.
Our club ‘plays a role’ in the fun Not Bad Thanks basketball story
Graeme Willingham,
a founder of Fitzroy VicKick, a founder and coach of
Fitzroy juniors and father of FFC life member, Richard,
has just launched his first book. Not Bad Thanks is about a 38-year-old grass-roots basketball club
of the same name which, off the court, mimics the social
traditions of Aussie Rules football clubs.
Graeme and Richard play in the team but are identified
only by their club nicknames.
The story of the theatrical and comical Not Bad Thanks
(NBT) parallels that of our club, in terms of commitment,
combat and camaraderie. It also refers to Brunswick
Street Oval when a band of NBT Players turned out to
support two NBT teammates, both playing their 150th
game. One game was won by a Jack Beech goal after the
siren; in the other, a goal was kicked so hard by one
of the NBT Players – into a 90kmp head-wind – it ‘almost
derailed a passing tram’.
Not Bad Thanks plays in the Victorian Business
Houses Basketball Association, an open age competition.
NBT, as the club is registered, currently plays in
B Grade, with a 11-member squad, ranging in age from
25 to 73 years.
Australian basketball legend, Lindsay Gaze, launched
the book. He believes it is the first book to delve
into the culture of grass-roots basketball in Australia.
Publisher Michael Wilkinson says Willingham mixes
fact with fiction in a writing style that celebrates
the offbeat and endearing odyssey of a dedicated but
wacky group of sporting mates.
The book has already won endorsements, like:
It’s fantastic. Graeme’s done a great job with this.
– Gerard Whateley, SEN1116.
Love the book, not only because it’s well written, but also because it’s about things we don’t normally read about … all of us just actually having fun in a local sporting club.
– Rafael Epstein, ABC Melbourne.
A must read for all sportspeople, professional to Weekend Warriors – Chris Anstey.
Not Bad Thanks, by Graeme Willingham can be
found at www.notbadthanks.com or in bookstores.
Capturing the moment
A number of opportunities
to capture the premiership moments forever are now available.
Fitzroy’s Company Secretary Bill Atherton has developed a
Weg-like poster for fans who want to have a picture of the
Fitzroy senior side with the Premier C premiership trophy,
as captured by Phyllis Queally. The poster is available via
the Fitzroy website for $15 (plus $5 postage and handling).What a great Christmas
present this would make!
Meanwhile the VAFA and their official photographers, Local
Legends, have every premiership team captured – including our
Reserves – for posters in a number of different sizes, starting
from $60 and up for larger sizes or framed versions.
You can find details of how to purchase here.
Important dates
Sunday 2 December: Fitzroy FC (Incorporating
the Fitzroy Reds) AGM
Monday 3 December: Pre-Christmas pre-season
training block starts (Mondays and Thursdays)
Thursday 20 December: final pre-Christmas
training session
Monday 21 January: 2019 pre-season training
starts
15-17 February: pre-season training camp
at Portsea
16 March: pre-season game v St Bernard’s
(men’s squad)
23 March: pre-season game v Uni Blacks
(men’s squad)
30 March: pre-season game v Marcellin
(men’s and women’s squads)