Fitzroy Captains

[Last of the Roys]

On the Lions forum I just posted some info on Lions/Bears/Fitzroy captains that have finished their careers at other clubs.

In terms of Fitzroy's 100 seasons in the VLF / AFL this is what I found.
- the list of Fitzroy captains can be found via Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Fitzroy_Football_Club_captains

Fitzroy - had 43 captains / co-captains from 1897 to 1996 in terms of our 100 seasons in the VFL/AFL. 8 of those captains played out their careers at other VFL/AFL clubs.

1. Jim Sharp - captain 1908-1910, went to Collingwood in 1911
2. Billy Adams - captain in 1926, went to Melbourne in 1931
3. Colin Niven - captain in 1930-31, went to Melbourne in 1933
4. Jack Cashman - was apparently captain coach for all of 2 games in 1934 before resigning as he thought the Club's committee were against him, he then got a clearance to play for Carlton
5. John Murphy - captain 1973-1977 - apparently the Club didn't take kindly to him commenting publicly about players we needed to offload (although there was probably more to it than that - Fitzroy was of course getting towards the end of our longest run without a finals appearance, and Murphy was pretty much vindicated a couple of years later when the Club went out and got some better players from other teams). Because of the dispute he was forced to go to South Melbourne in 1978.
6. Matt Rendall - captain 1985-87, retired at the end of 1991 but was convinced to play one more year by the Brisbane Bears in 1992.
7. Richard Osborne - captain in 1991 - I thinked he got annoyed when the captaincy was taken off him and given back to Roos after just one year. He decided to go to Sydney in 1993.
8. Paul Roos - captain 1988-90 and 1992-94 - jumped ship to Sydney at the end of 1994 when the writing of Fitzroy's demise was well and truly on the wall. I still remember as a teenager the day Roosy quit was devastating - I tore the number 1 of the back of my jumper and cut it into pieces. It was clearest signal that Fitzroy was dying. I remember calling him 'Traitor' when Sydney played the Roys in Melbourne in 1995. But after a few years I had forgiven him - he was Fitzroy's last Messiah, but even he couldn't save us - no doubt what he did was clearly in the best interest of himself and his family. Fitzroy - for the players at least - was a shocking environment to be around at the end.

Four other Fitzroy captains went to play at WAFL / SANFL clubs. Hadyn Bunton Senior of course - he was captain in 1932 and 1936-37, winning 3 Brownlows (and I think just missing a fourth) before heading to Subiaco in 1938 and winning 3 Sandover medals to be without doubt (IMHO) the greatest footballer of all time. Not sure exactly why he left Fitzroy - probably better money / security and lack of success - Fitzroy was struggling big time during Bunton's period at the Club. Apparently Bunton played a few games for Fitzroy in 1942, and then actually played a season at Port Adelaide in 1945.

Kevin Murray was the Roys captain between 1963-64 before becoming captain-coach at East Perth in 1965-66, then coming back to captain Fitzroy from 1967-74 (the last stint included winning his Brownlow in 1969). Again not exactly sure why he left Fitzroy for a period, but it was probably similar to Bunton - Fitzroy were in the worst position in the Club's history at the time.

The other two were Ron Alexander - captain 1979-80, who went home to East Fremantle in 1982; and Jack Sexton who was captain in 1932-33 and went home to play for Norwood in 1935.

Read more at http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threa...part-ways.1108374/page-12#sLUks7RCbRZ1EX9Y.99

 

[Last of the Roys]

Feel free to correct any of the info I have posted above - I am sure there will be Roys supporters out there that no more about some of these departures then I do.

 

[Broken]

You could add Brad Boyd to that list I suppose given he went on to play 15 games for the Brisbane Lions.

 

[Last of the Roys]

You could add Brad Boyd to that list I suppose given he went on to play 15 games for the Brisbane Lions.

Yeah, that was pointed out on the Lions board as well.

Although it is a matter of opinion whether you count him as having to play for a different club or not given the merger. I personally don't see it that way, but I realise many others do. Regardless, I should have noted it.

 

[royboy 56]

Was Brian Brown ever captain ?

 

[FitzroyPete]

Welcome aboard, royboy 56.
To my knowledge, Brian Brown never captained Fitzroy's senior side, unless he filled in for one game.
However, even that would be very unlikely given the number of experienced players that were at Fitzroy during Brian's time there.

 

[killer]

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[mountain roy]

I don't think Osbourne decided to go to Sydney. From what I remember, he wanted to leave Fitzroy and be traded to Essendon, but Fitzroy resented being dictated terms by a player, so to set an example, they delisted him and he was picked by the lowly Swans in the pre-season draft.
He only lasted a year in Sydney before returning to Melbourne and playing for Collingwood and then Footscray.
I was at the game against Melbourne in 1989 at Princes Park where he kicked 6 goals in the third quarter in the come from behind win and I saw him kick a goal against St Kilda earlier in at that year at VFL park from the boundary line that defied belief.
Was captain in 1991, the year that we nearly went out of business.
Great player.