Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and a Fitzroy win on Saturday would be a beautiful thing no matter which side of the Fitzroy/Reds merger you sit!
For our current day Fitzroy Football Club (incorporating the Fitzroy Reds) a premiership on Saturday will be the first senior flag for the merged entity, which is just about to celebrate 10 years.
Winning a C grade premiership would be the most senior premiership obtained in our amateur history. Of course, the Ressies have done it before in 2012.
For the Fitzroy Reds, the last senior flag was in 2005, when the club was promoted from D1 to Premier C for the first time in its VAFA history. Co-captains that year were Vinnie Cahill and Paul Diacogiorgis.
For the original Fitzroy fans, it has been a long drought for premiership success. 1944 was the last time Fitzroy won a senior flag in the VFL, defeating Richmond by 15 points. It was also a year when both the Seniors and Reserves (or seconds) played in a grand final, with the Fitzroy Seconds defeating Collingwood, also by 15 points.
The Red Roy Mail asked former Redders and long-time Fitzroy fans alike, what it might win to mean on Saturday and its not surprising many of the answers were similar.
No pressure boys just go out and have fun and whatever will be will be.
Premier B is a beautiful thing too.
From the fans….
?We played in a flag together at Fitzroy back in.... It sounds bloody beautiful right? For me it was 2005 when we won the seniors and reserves double. The celebrations were epic. The memories and friendships Ill take to my grave. Good luck mighty Roy Boys - give 'em heaps!/em>
Jimmy OReilly, Captain of the Fitzroy Reds (2008) and Fitzroy Football Club (2009-2011), member of the 2005 Fitzroy Reds premiership team
At my age, it might very well be the last one and I very much want it. Win, lose or draw, youre still my best!/em>
Val Allpress, Life Member, first female on the board of the Melbourne University Football Club (including the Melbourne University (later Fitzroy) Reds)
So much joy for the Fitzroy Footy Community and bursting with pride in our beautiful boys.
Joan Eddy, Fitzroy Football Club President
This proves to everyone who doesnt already know: Fitzroy Lives!/em>
Jeff Richardson, Coodabeen Champions, ABC Radio
Vossy, Browny and Leigh Matthews brought the Cup home for the Lions in 2001/02/03. Fitzroy got close in my years in 1983 and 1986 against Essendon and Hawthorn…but no luck…
Id love another Flag and I started my footy in the amos. Go hard, win that first 10 minutes, ….the first 20 minutes…the first quarter. Set the tone for the day!
Laurie Serafini, Fitzroy player from 1977 to 1985 (149 senior games), three-time Victorian representative player, former Director of the Brisbane Lions.
Fitzroy gave me one of the most enjoyable years of footy Ive had. It would be incredible to see all those who have worked so hard to make the club as great as it is be rewarded with a flag./em>
Luke Ablett, Sydney Swans Premiership player 2005, Fitzroy player and grand finalist 2012.
The talented young men at Fitzroy winning the Grand Finals this weekend will create feelings of absolute delight and a desire to soak up the euphoric atmosphere that will follow./em>
Wendy Symonds, Life Member, lifetime Fitzroy fan and volunteer
I have waited all 54 years of my life for a Fitzroy Football Club premiership so a win this week would mean the world to me./em>
David Leydon, lifetime Fitzroy/Brisbane Lions fan
After the takeover by the AFL, I named the second border collie dog I had Roy Boyso I could throw him a ball and say go my Roy boy At that stage he seemed to be all we had!/em>
Colin Hobbs, former Fitzroy Board Member and Under 19s player (64 games from 1966-71)
Only need one word lionhearted/em>
Kerry Winchester, Life Member, mother of Rory Angiolella and Queen of the BSO BBQ
What is fantastic for the club is how weve rebounded in one year and were meeting the challenge head on. Knowing the Fitzroy Redsmentality, we always strived to be as good as we could be and get to B and then A. How fantastic is this? The result this year sets us up well to live the dream./em>
Grant Hammond, Inaugural Fitzroy Reds Senior Coach (1998-2000), Life Member and former Fitzroy Coaching Director
It means his first senior premiership, at a club where weve made so many new friends, and at a club which has significant family tradition; nothing beats a premiership win, nothing./em>
Marshall Toohey, father of Donovan and grandson of Jim Toohey, 1913 Fitzroy Premiership player.
Theres nothing like winning a premiership. Nothing./em>
Bruno Zorzi, Fitzroy VFL player in the late 50s, 1955 Fitzroy Thirds Premiership player.
A win would mean different things to individual Conductors. Nonetheless, as a collective witnessing a Senior premiership would be a very special moment that we'd all treasure. As Anthony recently mentioned we don't turn up on Saturday afternoons to watch us win. We turn up for we love this grand old club and cherish the jumper being played with pride. Having said that let's smash Old Geelong and win the premiership!/em>
The Fitzroy Football Club Tram Conductors (cheers squad behind the goals)
"I look forward to Joan Eddy taking over the tag of last senior Premiership President!"
Peter Hille, President of the Reds Foundation and former Fitzroy Reds President
I love our grand old club and our Roy Boys. Win or lose, they do or die, we have no doubt of that. A bit of history (if I remember correctly) - deja-vu for Rory, who captained our last Grand Final team in 2012, also at Trevor Barker Oval and saw us enter Premier B. There was a jumper clash and FFC played in their yellow jerseys. History in the making once again and Fitzroy marches on. Go Roy Boys!/em>
Suzanne Madeley, Life Member and time keeper extraordinaire
