Favorite Fitzroy player, but you don't know why?

[FitzroyRamone]

Just interested to know who you Roys would list as your favorite Fitzroy player, but outside of the usual reasons (skill, larrikin, etc), a player you liked for the sake of, well, liking. Mine was Brett Stephens, a very underrated defender that always gave his all. Rossy Lyon is another one that comes to mind.

 

[NoelMugavin]

Stepho was great...i also quite liked ex Kangaroo Michael Reeves who was injured a lot but I thought had the heart of a lion, Glenn Coleman, Lee Murnane, Chris Smith, Les Parish, okay I guess I could go on and name every player of the era I grew up with.

Great subject matter FRamone - the Roys certainly did have many great lesser known players that stuck with the club and grew in the hearts of many of us.

 

[Fat Pizza]

I always had reasons for liking Fitzroy players, but some of my reasons were a bit obscure. A couple of unusual choices were Gerry McCarthy & John Duckworth.

In McCarthy's 1st game for the Roys, I heard a kid ask his Dad, "Is this Uncle Gerry's new club?" After that, my Dad & I always referred to him as Uncle Gerry.

I liked Duckworth because my mate's Mum said he was dirty (& she barracked for Richmond, so she should know about dirty players). I also liked him, because he won the World Of Sport Superkick. They had numbers written on the oval to record the players' scores. Ducky kicked the ball so far, it went way past the scoring range.

A couple of other players I liked, because I thought they were good players, even though their careers didn't amount to much, were Daryl Cox & Rod Lewis.

 

[Stegelator]

Zanotti

 

[NoelMugavin]

wild man zanotts rocks...anyone know where hes at at the moment?

certainly a fave and made an impact at fitzroy..

 

[Mr Ripper]

He was managing the BARFL in the UK at one stage. Must admit I wasn't too rapt when we drafted Zanotts, but by geez he gave us tremendous value.

 

[Mr Ripper]

Little Bradley Gotch.

 

[adey115]

I'm with Ripper. LBG was a little terrier (I'd go as far as saying a Ferret Rip) skirting the packs and snapping at heels, great left foot kick. Another 10 cms in height and 5kg in weight and we would have been up there with the better players because he had all the skills. Ripped apart the Pies at Vic Park one day. Can still see him occasionally snapping Vs Carlton at Prinnie Park on the credits for the Winners on Foxtel.

Rod Lewis - one of his last acts as a Roy was in a game out at Waverley. Injured his leg on the "V" on the members wing. Trainers came out to help him. As the play went passed he pushed them aside to hobble after an opponent, even though his leg was stuffed. Remember it well and thought now thats courage. I don't recall him actually playing for us again.

Big fan of Sera as well. Always the punch out of the pack at CHB. Similar style to Graeme Hinchen.

Was also a big fan of Ronnie Alexander as he always looked after the little fellas. Flea would get thumped 5 times a quarter because he was so skilled and gutsy, and Ronnie would always be a few seconds behind clipping the bloke who hit him around the ears and remonstrating.

 

[Paul D]

Les Parish - great skills on both sides of the body.

 

[Mobbs]

Wayne Lamb
Paul Mullarvey
Anthony Mellington
Jamie Elliott
Alastair Lynch (before he was famous)
Dean Harding
Marty Warry

 

[Mobbs]

Duane Rowe
Tom Kavanagh
Jeff Bruce

and my favourite non-Fitzroy player was also a 'dunno whyer'; Peter Dean of Carlton.

 

[NoelMugavin]

owned two footy duffle coats as a kid..leon 38 harris on the back of one...and
brad 45 gotch on the back of the other..

 

[Tim the Toolman]

Speaking of Saviour (Zanott's) and The Moose (Stephens), I've still got their Player Sponsor shots in my office! Actually got Gotchy out in my last game of cricket this Summer. He plays in the VTCA South D1 Sunday one-dayers with his two boys. One son wicket keeps and the other bowls zooters! Bit of talent but the boys are taller than the ol'man. My fav's: Renato Serafini, Doc, TK (Kavanagh), Ashley Matthews, Matty Dundas (NARA), Simon Hawking and Johnno when he was playing reserves.

Last I saw heard from Saviour he was going to build a house on a big tree stump in the forests in WA. That was his ultimate dream...

 

[captain boyd]

mick conlan
matt rendell

 

[Levo]

Originally posted by Mr Ripper
He was managing the BARFL in the UK at one stage. Must admit I wasn't too rapt when we drafted Zanotts, but by geez he gave us tremendous value.

Zannots didnt run the BARFL, he started the Gryphons, with a bloke named Donald Eastwood, he only stayed one year the Gryphons are still going.
Mark came back to OZ after the death (cot death) of his daughter in 1999.
But another Fitzroy guy was the manager and his surmame escapes me Matt from the Seymour area (who went to the states to manage the East Coast League, hes back in the UK now).

Another connection is that Jimmy Freakes Grandson actually is behind the money side of the BARFL ALONG.

 

[Levo]

Couple of Favs Mark Scott good drinking partner when injured, and Bill Lokan (oh and his missus Sally)

 

[BT]

I followed the ex-Dees players at Fitzroy pretty closely. Kavanagh, Lamb & Stretch in particular. I didn't know much about Marcus Seecamp before he left Fitzroy but I though he was great for us. The day he snotted that Carlton bloke at Optus right in front of the Dees cheer squad the highlight .

I had a lot of time for a lot of Royboys in the 80's & 90's. Whieldon (Obvious I know) & the late great Les Parish (long before he played for us) were great value.

McMahon, great hair deserves a mention, but it'd have to be Lee Murnane, stange name, wierd lookin but damn good!

 

[MaroonBoy]

Jimmy Wynd - G & D
Brett Stephens - Limited skills but always gave 100%
Ross Lyon - Enigmatic but one of the best baulks in the League
Scotty Clayton- Ahh, definitely one of the best taggers of the late 80's.
Al Lynch - I predict he could do something big one day. Maybe a 300 gamer. Great fullback, could be used up forward one day to great effect. Needs to work on his kicking though. Mmmm, keep an eye on him...

 

[philthy]

couldnt go past matty dundas or jeff hogg!

 

[Horace]

I just about identify with all of the people named for all of the reasons on this thread.

Zanotti was definitely a favourite as he always seemed to wear his heart on his sleeve.

James Manson was another, I think he was once quoted as saying if only he could win Tattslotto, he would give the proceeds to the club to save it. That was once my best option of saving us too. Bought many a ticket, but never brought home the bacon.

Paul Abbott was another, I always thought that when he fired we looked a bit better, but unfortunately he never seemed to be able to put a full game together.

 

[cjwalkley]

Grant Lawrie was always a big favourite, and also Chris Smith and Chris Hansen (...but I think that's because we shared the same first name.)

Michael Poynton was another I really liked, but not sure why?

 

[Ari]

Bernie Quinlan. (sp?)

 

[Hollypig]

Big strong fearless Scotty Bamford.
Go Banger.

Still cutting them up for the mighty Roosters.

 

[secabeca]

Originally posted by Stegelator
Zanotti

Ditto Mark Zanotti - He injected some real good hair 'style' into the team....and that band they had was great, too.

Darren Wheildon - How funny was that shot of him with the teddy-bears in that Fitzroy calendar??!!!

Marty Warry - Cos he played a few games with my home team (Boort FNHC)

Alistair Lynch - Cos I had a crush on him in Grade One.....(my sister liked Darren Wheildon!!!)

 

[The Scarecrow]

Richard Osbourne, and Paul Roos, was a big fan of Roosy when he played for the Lions.