* The heart-rending aftermath of the Fitzroy Lions' penultimate game - Round 21, Sunday 25th August, 1996 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. A sad day for football.
Yes very true...Ross Oakley was responsible for VFL park also and didn't give a stuff about what happened to Hawthorn, North melbourne or St.Kilda for that matter.. True cold bastard !
codeword Its a pathetic excuse and I say that as a longtime Sydney supporter. We got bailed out by the league twice in the 90’s until finally getting it right ironically in 1996. The league could’ve easily bailed Fitzroy out without leaving them to die.
he also had a 6 year long obsession with getting Port Adelaide into the AFL at Fitzroy's cost, as well as the cost of the Bears, that contributed to the rivalry the Brisbane Lions and Port have today
i was at that game as a richmond supporter i felt sick watching those pricks from the afl destroy a proud club that should still be with us fitzroy youll never be forgotten.
Although i'm a diehard tigers fan, i almost wanted fitzroy to win this game... i was sickened by what i saw, very sad day indeed. Great club song & jumper.
I just like to sing this song... Ahem.. Oh we are the boys of old Fitzroy We are the colours Red Gold and Blue. We will always fight for victory. And we'll always see it through. Win or lose, do or die. In the end, we'll always try. Fitzroy, Fitzroy. A club that we all hold dear, Premiers we will be this year.... *Cries*
I can't watch it without ever getting emotional I was there that day it was the first time I have ever seen opposition supporters singing a rival club song it was the worst game I've ever been to & I would never want to go though that day again 😢
Harry Williams Why at least you got to see their last game. Too many Melbourne clubs for a national competition. Unfortunately one had to bite the dust. It should've remained the VFL, fuck the AFL, the game is shit anyways today.
OMG.. I've never seen anything like this in footy EVER!! Just so sad... :'( :'( :'( This was before my time so i never got to see this and never understood what happened to them and why. Clearly this would not happen today. What a shame!
This from a Melbourne Boy (left in '92) now in Brisbane - Thanks for this emjoi. I never got to see this awesome footage. Its great you posted it. Am a Hawks supporter but Fitzroy were my dads team and my first game in '89. Great!
demetriou is a aggorant bugger . this was the saddest day for me . i was original a fitzroy supporter i cried so much . i have now go for the mighty brisbane lions . i miss our old club . LION FAN FOR EVER
Many of the Fitzroy players who played in this game agree that the fans of both teams were terrific, however the Richmond players treated them very poorly during the game, with extremely spiteful sledging.
If Fitzroy could hold out a few more years, perhaps just until the 2000s era, they may have survived, especially with the money that entered the game around then. Shame to see them gone, and who knows what the AFL would be like now, if they stayed around
We survived SOS and 30 years of failure Scott and now we are back with 60,000 members and in the top 8. Sad to see Fitzroy no longer there. Sad when any club goes....get aboard the Tiger Train Scott. Plenty of room for all.
As a lifelong Fitzroy supporter I was at that match with my boys, I haven't been to an AFL match since. Have lost interest in footy nowadays with its political shit matches and greed.
I’m a Rugby League man and I lost my team North Sydney Bears a foundation club for the purpose of expansion. These teams are the heart of the game. But at least Fitzroy is remembered in the back of Brisbane jersey. Sydney Swans have the logo of South Melbourne. To me that’s better than loosing your team completely
@@clevelandwilliams5922 They DID do North Sydney real dirty in the NRL, didn't they? Like, I'm seeing the history of Manly and the way North was and has been obliterated from history...sad, really.
I’m a Brisbane lions fan my self being raised in Queensland but I can’t imagine how they would of felt getting the team team that they supported for that long and getting it taken away from u especially kids, I just can’t imagine how I would feel if Brisbane get moved for example to Tasmania I would be miserable so the afl should of helped them out but at the same time they didn’t give Brisbane much help when they came into the league they gave all of the money to the other teams with afl states but Brisbane just got no help especially with the grounds they had like with the storage containers as change rooms but when I grow up I’m gonna tell my kids (if I have any) about Fitzroy and what happen and keep them going farewell Fitzroy lions
On another note, hearing the song on the TV coverage sounded so much better when it could be heard as it was echoing through the stands instead of being played directly over the coverage, like there's a charm to it, especially with the old Victorian tunes. Anyone else notice/agree with this?
Disrespectful that they interviewed Richo straight after the siren when a 100+ year old club was dying in front of their eyes. I've never warmed to the Brisbane Lions. It was like the death of 2 clubs in 1996 and I still occasionally call them the Bears. In 30 years time it won't matter, all us 'old-timers' will be gone No one remembers University. I have the same pathetic nostalgia for the New Zealand Knights in the A-League!
Fitzroy had their most experienced players retire, and many others also left to go elsewhere. They lose Paul Broderick, John Blakey, Richard Osborne, Paul Roos and Alastair Lynch in the space of a few years and ripped the heart out of the core of the team. If Fitzroy had several more years, they would have been a lot better. And you clearly know nothing about the game about that 'worst club ever' statement. Look up the club called, 'University'. Fitzroy won 8 premierships by 1944.
University left out of desire. The VFL was not for them, and they required players to be in university, so they weren't all about footy. It was a very unique team. Fitzroy's relocation was not due to malice or onfield performance, it was off-field financial management.
@@uraniumdeath Lost 52 in a row. But they were different, since you had to be in university to play in the club, and during the middle of the year, they were more focused on their exams than football, so of course their performance decreased. They did little training and had few supporters.
Nice info. I didn't know you strictly had to be a student to play, but thanks for that tidbit Regardless, they're still the worst team ever to play and were seemingly at a broad disadvantage
If the afl just let Fitzroy merge with north Melbourne you would of had 2 struggling Melbourne clubs turn into a big financial club... i feel sorry for all the lions fans that we lost to the game. They were only 1.5 million in debt. Look at st.kilda Has Carlton who are both over 6 million in debt and the Gold Coast and gws who can only draw 10,000 per game yet they get rid of Fitzroy a club who won 8 premierships....
This was indeed a very sad day for football, and I really do hope it doesn’t happen again. Although in saying that, if the AFL were to reintroduce a Heritage Round, Brisbane could either play a game in Melbourne, away of course, and wear the Fitzroy strip, or the Bears strip if they have a home game.
Fitzroy was almost relocated to Brisbane at the end of 1986 but the club wanted to be privately owned & stay here in Melbourne. Ross Oakley stop that moved. In 1990 Fitzroy pushed a proposal to relocate to Tasmania but he yet again blocked that move
That is why I said in my original comment a year ago that Ross Oakley was an absolute criminal. A relocated Fitzroy with the name of Brisbane Lions would've been more readily accepted by Fitzroy supporters in the same way the Sydney Swans have with old South Melbourne supporters than having a fresh team from Brisbane come in and then merge with them and dissolve their identity a decade later.
48,884 turned up to this game. Fitzroy's 1996 side would beat Carlton and Melbourne today. Shame that a club founded 113 years earlier with a desire to defeat neighbouring suburbs having to play their last game 2500km away in Perth against Fremantle, a club barely 18 months old.
Victoria says goodbye to Fitzroy? I think everybody misses Fitzroy. They had some great youngsters coming through. They had Chris Johnson, Jarrod Molloy, Brad Boyd (shame about his career), Simon Hawking, Shane Clayton etc. They had a lot of promise. By 1998 they would have started to win more games.
At 5.54 a sign is being held up "F--K the AFL" true then and now ... Long live poor Fitzroy .... Go Demons thank God we didn't merge that same year with the much respected but I dont want to marry Hawks =/
The meaning of your statement can be taken several ways. Their final match was against Fremantle, which they lost in round 22. Their final win came earlier in the season (round 7?) against Fremantle. Just thought I'd clarify that.
Well I was only 2 years old here and didnt start following the footy til 2001, but this nearly brought tears to my eyes. Even though Brisbane were originally a seperate team, I still consider them as a relocated Fitzroy in spirit. As someone else has said, fuck GWS and Gold Coast, bring back Fitzroy.
Fitzroy was a young club. Experienced players had ditched the place for security, leaving the club with a skeleton crew. Had they continued for a few more seasons, they would have had success, but they would never have any support. But the books was not my argument. It was about the talent and a shame that the full talent was never realised under the Fitzroy banner.
Also emjoi, interested to know - how much did Fitzroy's song change from Brisbane Lions song? Words sound a bit different. Can i hear the original anywhere somehow??
Fitzroy could have easily been saved. If it was possible to make the new teams in Port Adelaide and what not, why couldn't they save the club that set up the fucking comp!
My first game I went to was Geelong and Fitzroy in 1993, even though I went for Geelong, I had a place in my heart for Fitzroy. You know that song by Greg Champion? Deep in our hearts everyone goes for Fitzroy. Because Fitzroy is the most loveable team we have got.
it was the day a foundation club died a club whos shoulders the competition we enjoy today was built on . and im wondering how many games did blokes like kevin murray and mick conlan play for the brisbane lions the answer is zero
You cut more teams like this you lose more fans. We need to fight other codes ie soccer. This never should have happened and must never happen again. Ps good to see Richmond supporters show their support
5th Line FFC: Win Or Lose we do or die BLFC: All for one and one for all 6th Line FFC: In defeat we always try BLFC: We will answer to the call 7th Line FFC: Fitzroy, Fitzroy, The Club we hold so dear BLFC: Go Lions, Brisbane Lions, We'll kick the winning score 8th Line FFC: Premiers, We'll be this year BLFC: You'll hear the mighty roar
Apparently, The AFL had to make room for Port Adelaide at the Expense of Fitzroy, Financial Pressures in the Early 1990's led to the Lions Merging with the Equally Strapped Brisbane Bears at the end of 1996.
Brad Boyd had back problems. He was probably one of the highest rated youngsters to go to Brisbane from Fitzroy too. But yeah...his back gave him problems for a while and he eventually succumbed. In some sense, a football tragedy.
Port adelaide are not in debt.1 They and the crows have a poor stadium deal and that the money they earn goes back to funding the sanfl. The afl only gave them one million dollars of the five million dollars. Also the six million dollars that fitzroy had would be easily 12 million in todays money. I am a brisbane lions fan. I wish that it would go back to state based comps. And i wish that fitzroy were back in the vfl.
@17mintz Found myself thinking that. There used to be a vid up, but for some stupid copyright law, the vid can only be viewed inside the US. Fancy that, a freaking AFL video and *we* can't watch it!
Corrections... *From old Fitzroy We WEAR the colours Maroon and Blue Win or lose WE do or die A club we hold so dear Premiers we'll be this year A good song though.
Wouldn't make gold coast the 1 Qld team, they have no supporters/members, Brisbane and gold coast should merge and re establish Fitzroy, the Brisbane lions premiership team was mostly Fitzroy players anyway
@@alexthemaltesefalcon5418 You had me until you said that GC forms with Brisbane to go to... Melbourne? That would leave QLD without an AFL team. They still deserve a team.
@@bearmarco1944 you are very likely correct, Aslong as they don't beat the cats, 😋 Would love to see Fitzroy back tho, I'm a traditionalist and Fitzroy didn't deserve to die like they did
151 points to think 11 years later richmond were pumped similar like that yet whose still playing footy. For those who left fitzroy and never watch footy again i hope you read this and be ashamed at yourselves for being degenerates and not supporting the game in general for those who stayed on you should be proud for those who support other teams now well you done well.
Sportsdelivered have it on DVD if you're willing to part with $35. www.sportsdelivered.com/dvd/1996-round-21-richmond-def-fitzroy/13095.html Thanks for watching!
I don't understand why the AFL has to merge clubs & then create brand new clubs, why couldn't have relegated Fitzroy to the VFL & promote a new team in Brisbane from their state league? Lol it makes our game look unorganized
University, I remember them. Didn't they lose there players to the war? Not really sure what happened, but brisbane will always be known as the Bears to me. There wil be more clubs lost in the future, just who it will be that's the question?
Its hard to go from supporting one Vic side to another Vic side. If Richmond were to die I'd end up as a luke ward supporter of someone like Port or the Lions.
no but you still give it a go but if the afl had a heart your game against freo should of been played in melbourne but if you ask me the afl should have done more to protect one of the vfls foundation members
It wouldn't have taken too much to interview a Fitzroy player. Oh, the commentators sounded genuine. Of course, Richardson is going to say everything's good. Fitzroy haven't been allowed to play their last game in Melbourne. The AFL/VFL couldn't wait to see the back of Fitzroy. All the other clubs were getting handouts. Fitzroy got nothing. Thanks for nothing, Ross Oakley
1st Line FFC: We are the Boys from Old Fitzroy BLFC: We are the Pride of Brisbane town 2nd Line FFC: We wear the colours Maroon and Blue BLFC: We wear Maroon, Blue and Gold 4th Line FFC: And We'll Always See it Through BLFC: Like Fitzroy and Bears of Old
