Patrick Bateman
Debutant
This writer on AFL.com.au used to be a Fitzroy fan (like Paul Gough).. Anyone know what side he supports now?
Fitzroy jumper a sight for sore eyes
12:36:42 PM Fri 8 August, 2003
Barry Levinson
afl.com.au
As a former diehard Fitzroy supporter, I was unable to follow the Brisbane Lions.
After the remnants of Fitzroy were shipped up to Brisbane at the end of 1996, I tried to follow the newly-formed Lions in 1997, but it just didn’t feel right.
As a footy lover, I thrive on being able to see my team play in the flesh as often as possible and as a resident of Victoria, I needed more than six or seven games a year.
I kept attending AFL matches as a neutral observer and fortunately, after several years in limbo, I was able to adopt a new Victorian club.
And while the pain and frustration my adopted team causes leaves me all too regularly wondering about my choice, I still feel better off than the thousands of Fitzroy supporters who remain in limbo, unable to form a new relationship with another team.
I felt exceptionally happy for the other thousands of Fitzroy fans who do support the Brisbane Lions, when they were able to revel in the joys of back-to-back premierships in the previous two seasons.
These supporters will gain even more pleasure on Saturday, when the Lions take to the MCG on Saturday against Collingwood, sporting a Fitzroy jumper from the 1960’s, to mark the AFL’s Heritage Round.
Perhaps the sight of the old maroon and blue jumper will allow those still in limbo the opportunity to come back to the fold.
While I am now well and truly behind my new club, I still expect to have a warm, fuzzy feeling at the MCG on Saturday.
However, I would like to see the Brisbane Lions take it a step further.
Why not make it an annual event? Play one match every year against one of Fitzroy’s traditional rivals in Melbourne, wearing the Fitzroy jumper. And to avoid alienating the original Brisbane supporters, play another game at the Gabba each year in the old Bears’ jumper.
When Brisbane and Fitzroy merged in 1996, the Lions were keen to develop a new playing strip that embraced both clubs, rather than wearing the Bears jumper at home and the Fitzroy jumper away.
Wearing the Fitzroy jumper once every season may do wonders for the Lions’ supporter base in Melbourne, which has already grown significantly since the premiership success.
Then the issue would be deciding on which jumper to wear, as the design changed on several occasions during Fitzroy’s existence, largely due to the introduction of television.
While maroon and blue are the traditional colours, I would argue that most Fitzroy people now identify with the red and blue with the gold insignia that was worn by the likes of Garry Wilson, Bernie Quinlan, Paul Roos, Gary Pert and Richard Osborne.
A poll conducted on afl.com.au suggested the same.
This week, old Fitzroy fans were asked, ‘Which old jumper should have been used for the Heritage Weekend?’
Of the four options, ‘A Fitzroy jumper post 1974 with the yellow emblem’ was the most popular, with 36 per cent of the vote.
The 1944 premiership jumper was next best with 26 per cent, while the one chosen – the 1960’s replica – came last with 19 per cent.
Heritage Weekend has been a great initiative by the AFL, part of the administration’s plan to make the game more ‘fan friendly’.
The Brisbane Lions could take this a step further and bring even more fans back to the great game of football.
Barry Levinson is s staff writer for the AFL-Telstra Network. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the AFL or the clubs..
Fitzroy jumper a sight for sore eyes
12:36:42 PM Fri 8 August, 2003
Barry Levinson
afl.com.au
As a former diehard Fitzroy supporter, I was unable to follow the Brisbane Lions.
After the remnants of Fitzroy were shipped up to Brisbane at the end of 1996, I tried to follow the newly-formed Lions in 1997, but it just didn’t feel right.
As a footy lover, I thrive on being able to see my team play in the flesh as often as possible and as a resident of Victoria, I needed more than six or seven games a year.
I kept attending AFL matches as a neutral observer and fortunately, after several years in limbo, I was able to adopt a new Victorian club.
And while the pain and frustration my adopted team causes leaves me all too regularly wondering about my choice, I still feel better off than the thousands of Fitzroy supporters who remain in limbo, unable to form a new relationship with another team.
I felt exceptionally happy for the other thousands of Fitzroy fans who do support the Brisbane Lions, when they were able to revel in the joys of back-to-back premierships in the previous two seasons.
These supporters will gain even more pleasure on Saturday, when the Lions take to the MCG on Saturday against Collingwood, sporting a Fitzroy jumper from the 1960’s, to mark the AFL’s Heritage Round.
Perhaps the sight of the old maroon and blue jumper will allow those still in limbo the opportunity to come back to the fold.
While I am now well and truly behind my new club, I still expect to have a warm, fuzzy feeling at the MCG on Saturday.
However, I would like to see the Brisbane Lions take it a step further.
Why not make it an annual event? Play one match every year against one of Fitzroy’s traditional rivals in Melbourne, wearing the Fitzroy jumper. And to avoid alienating the original Brisbane supporters, play another game at the Gabba each year in the old Bears’ jumper.
When Brisbane and Fitzroy merged in 1996, the Lions were keen to develop a new playing strip that embraced both clubs, rather than wearing the Bears jumper at home and the Fitzroy jumper away.
Wearing the Fitzroy jumper once every season may do wonders for the Lions’ supporter base in Melbourne, which has already grown significantly since the premiership success.
Then the issue would be deciding on which jumper to wear, as the design changed on several occasions during Fitzroy’s existence, largely due to the introduction of television.
While maroon and blue are the traditional colours, I would argue that most Fitzroy people now identify with the red and blue with the gold insignia that was worn by the likes of Garry Wilson, Bernie Quinlan, Paul Roos, Gary Pert and Richard Osborne.
A poll conducted on afl.com.au suggested the same.
This week, old Fitzroy fans were asked, ‘Which old jumper should have been used for the Heritage Weekend?’
Of the four options, ‘A Fitzroy jumper post 1974 with the yellow emblem’ was the most popular, with 36 per cent of the vote.
The 1944 premiership jumper was next best with 26 per cent, while the one chosen – the 1960’s replica – came last with 19 per cent.
Heritage Weekend has been a great initiative by the AFL, part of the administration’s plan to make the game more ‘fan friendly’.
The Brisbane Lions could take this a step further and bring even more fans back to the great game of football.
Barry Levinson is s staff writer for the AFL-Telstra Network. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the AFL or the clubs..
