why aren't Fitzroy's premierships considered part of Brisbane Lions history?

[JPetro83]

Fitzroy only have themselves to blame for losing everything. they should have relocated in 1987 to QLD

 

[Roylion]

Fitzroy only have themselves to blame for losing everything.

If Fitzroy had had half the help that other Melbourne based clubs have had they’d still be in the AFL

they should have relocated in 1987 to QLD

Fitzroy's preference was to remain in Melbourne, so their supporters could actually watch their team, instead of just five-six games a year. Hence they favored a merger where their name and colors coud have been retained somehow. That's why they pursued a merger with a Melbourne club where that might have been achieved.

 

[pz5151]

If Fitzroy had had half the help that other Melbourne based clubs have had they’d still be in the AFL


Fitzroy's preference was to remain in Melbourne, so their supporters could actually watch their team, instead of just five-six games a year. Hence they favored a merger where their name and colors coud have been retained somehow. That's why they pursued a merger with a Melbourne club where that might have been achieved.

Why did the merger with Melbourne not work out? In 1994? wasn’t there talk of the Melbourne lions? I know the main details of the 89 dogs one and the 1996 one with North but it seems that since Melbourne members were willing to vote their club into a merger with the Hawks, being the dominant club in a Fitzroy merger would’ve been better for them.

 

[Roylion]

Why did the merger with Melbourne not work out?

A Melbourne-Fitzroy merger was very close in 1986 and a lesser extent in 1994. It was called off both times by Melbourne on the verge of a public announcement - especially in 1986 where it was 24 hours from being put to the members of both clubs. In 1994 according to Dyson Hore-Lacy, Fitzroy had an in principle agreement with Melbourne to merge in August 1994, which was taken to the AFL, leaked to the press (most likely by Hawthorn) and scuttled soon after.

In 1986 Melbourne pulled out when Fitzroy chairman Leon Wiegard asked for slightly more time to raise more money for Fitzroy in a planned gala event at Festival Hall. Melbourne also realised that many of Fitzroy's top players were due to come out of contract at the end of the year and may not have been playing for the new Melbourne Lions club.

The official name was going to be the "Melbourne-Fitzroy Football Club" (trading as the 'Melbourne Lions') with 6 Fitzroy directord and 6 Melbourne directors on the new 12 man board. Joint chairpersons - one from Melbourne and one from Fitzroy. The guernsey was going to be the Melbourne jumper with the Fitzroy lion logo added to the front. Very like the current Brisbane Lions jumper.

Ian Ridley, the chairman of Melbourne in 1996 made it clear that one of the reasons that Melbourne sought a merger with Hawthorn instead of Fitzroy between 1994-1996 was because of the player concessions on offer and that Hawthorn had more assets to contribute to any merger with Melbourne.

 

[rapidfire7]

The Brisbane Lions effectively 'took over' the Fitzroy Lions identity....It stands to reason then, that they ought also to have adopted their history!

Same Guernsey, same club insignia, same Identity ....Just a different City is all!

It does seem like a bit of a rough deal that Brisbane is expected to embrace/take on Fitzroy's history as their own (even going as far as wearing their colours for games which they play in Victoria), yet are not allowed include their Premierships.

I'd be totally OK with it, even though it would put them ahead of Geelong. They should have insisted on it in the merger talks at the time. However, if they kick up enough fuss now, it may be enough for a relook at the issue.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

It does seem like a bit of a rough deal that Brisbane is expected to embrace/take on Fitzroy's history as their own (even going as far as wearing their colours for games which they play in Victoria), yet are not allowed include their Premierships.

They got additional money and priority access to players on Fitzroy's list for the 1997 season, and an increase to their ongoing Melbourne-based supporter base. I don't think they're losing any sleep over it.

 

[The King!]

Could the AFL just bring Fitzroy back if they wanted .

They are still in the lower league. We are about to have 19 teams, make it 20 and the Lions can just be the Bears again

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Could the AFL just bring Fitzroy back if they wanted .

They are still in the lower league. We are about to have 19 teams, make it 20 and the Lions can just be the Bears again

The AFL basically invites consortiums to apply for a license when it comes to admitting new clubs.

So they could ask Fitzroy to apply for a new AFL license.

I doubt there's any desire to on the AFL's behalf.

 

[Freomaniac]

I really cant see why they would include them. In the nrl the wests tigers dont incl balmain or the magpies prems.
Stgeorge illawarra do but that was a takeover of the steelers.

West tigers have to have John Hopoate as Part of their club history.... unfortunately, lol

 

[terrybull]

The AFL basically invites consortiums to apply for a license when it comes to admitting new clubs.

So they could ask Fitzroy to apply for a new AFL license.

I doubt there's any desire to on the AFL's behalf.

20th AFL team
Canberra-Fitzroy Lions formed 1883, 8 Premierships.

 

[Roylion]

The AFL basically invites consortiums to apply for a license when it comes to admitting new clubs.

So they could ask Fitzroy to apply for a new AFL license.

I doubt there's any desire to on the AFL's behalf.

Or Fitzroy's really. They're back, as they started in 1883, as an amateur club representing the suburb of Fitzroy in Victorian football.

 

[Freomaniac]

I'm curious about something.

Was the anniversary of the 1944 premiership celebrated last year? Did Brisbane acknowledge it?

I posted the same question on the Fitzroy board and never got a response.

Woodville- west Torrens flags.... 1993, 2006, 2011, 2020, 2021.

Woodville : 0 flags

west torrens flags: 1924, 1933, 1945, 1953

 

[LifestyleSaints]

Or Fitzroy's really. They're back, as they started in 1883, as an amateur club representing the suburb of Fitzroy in Victorian football.

Wrong. Fitzroy Lions and Brisbane Bears merged to form the new entity Brisbane Lions. This means that Fitzroy Lions and Brisbane Bears ceased to exist post merger.

 

[The King!]

Wrong. Fitzroy Lions and Brisbane Bears merged to form the new entity Brisbane Lions. This means that Fitzroy Lions and Brisbane Bears ceased to exist post merger.

Poor Roylion must get sick of explaining this

 

[The King!]

The AFL basically invites consortiums to apply for a license when it comes to admitting new clubs.

So they could ask Fitzroy to apply for a new AFL license.

I doubt there's any desire to on the AFL's behalf.

I know there's no reality it ever happens. Just the footy fan in me would love to see it

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Woodville- west Torrens flags.... 1993, 2006, 2011, 2020, 2021.

Woodville : 0 flags

west torrens flags: 1924, 1933, 1945, 1953

The legal nature of WWT's merger was different to the legal nature of Brisbane Bears taking on Fitzroy's branding and some of its players, and by extension, its supporters.

It's almost as if two things that are called the same thing for marketing purposes can be different.

 

[LifestyleSaints]

Poor Roylion must get sick of explaining this

He can explain it all hew likes but unfortunately nearly 30 years down the track he is still deluding himself. The simple fact is that Fitzroy and the Bears stopped existing post merger.

 

[Roylion]

Wrong.

Yeah ok.

I’m not wrong. You are.

Do a search on here where I’ve explained it on many occasions and you’ll see why you’re wrong.

Fitzroy Lions and Brisbane Bears merged to form the new entity Brisbane Lions.

No they did not. I’ve explained this ad nauseum. Do a search.

This means that Fitzroy Lions and Brisbane Bears ceased to exist post merger.

Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions are the same club in the same way as Footscray and the Western Bulldogs are the same club.

Fitzroy, formerly in the VFL / AFL, now competes in the VAFA. 140 years old last year.

 

[Viceregal]

He can explain it all hew likes but unfortunately nearly 30 years down the track he is still deluding himself. The simple fact is that Fitzroy and the Bears stopped existing post merger.

How does changing from AFL to another Aussie Rules competition in the same state count as stopping existing? Guessing neither the VFL or VAFA etc are real ... shame for all those players and fans involved...

 

[Roylion]

Poor Roylion must get sick of explaining this

It’s either ignorance or trolling. Initially for the most part I assume it’s the former.

Sorry to say Roylion but you are just trying to rewrite history.

No I’m not. Ask the Supreme Court of Victoria who confimed that Fitzroy and Brisbane Bears / Brisbane Lions both exist in their own right in 2010, when Fitzroy took the Brisbane Lions to court.

I know it is terrible to lose your team but to still be trying to convince people 30 years later that Fitzroy exist is very sad.

Yeah…whatever.

That’s they still exist in their own right is the reality as much you want to deny it.

 

[Saab NLAW]

What are they called now, Coburg-Fitzroy or Fitzroy Reds? It's hard to keep track

Sure, they're operating under the same ACN so there's an argument that it's the same club however in terms of playing in the VFL/AFL Fitzroy ceased to exist. That's just a plain hard fact that cannot be disputed.

To compare this current VAFA team to what Fitzroy was in the past is a bit embarrassing.

 

[Roylion]

What are they called now, Coburg-Fitzroy or Fitzroy Reds? It's hard to keep track

Keep up will you? Your lack of knowledge doesn't fill me with confidence that you know anything about what you're posting here.

Coburg-Fitzroy was nearly 25 years ago. Fitzroy have been in the VAFA for 15 years.

Sure, they're operating under the same ACN so there's an argument that it's the same club

They are the same club. Have had the same directors and shareholders both before and after they were in the AFL. Have had paid up ordinary members since December 1997. Have been re-accumulating assets since that time.

however in terms of playing in the VFL/AFL Fitzroy ceased to exist.

As an AFL club. No kidding. They no longer have a licence to compete in the AFL. Who's disputing that?

That's just a plain hard fact that cannot be disputed.

Fitzroy's VFL /AFL records ended in 1996.

To compare this current VAFA team to what Fitzroy was in the past is a bit embarrassing.

Any club that leaves one competition does not cease to exist when it joins another competition, even if it is not the same standard. Current Victorian AFL clubs existed before 1897 and 1925.

 

[Colonial]

West tigers have to have John Hopoate as Part of their club history.... unfortunately, lol

There is a lot of unfortunatelys in our history.

 

[Saab NLAW]

Keep up will you? Your lack of knowledge doesn't fill me with confidence that you know anything about what you're posting here.

Coburg-Fitzroy was nearly 25 years ago. Fitzroy have been in the VAFA for 15 years.


They are the same club. Have had the same directors and shareholders both before and after they were in the AFL. Have had paid up ordinary members since December 1997. Have been re-accumulating assets since that time.


As an AFL club. No kidding. They no longer have a licence to compete in the AFL. Who's disputing that?


Fitzroy's VFL /AFL records ended in 1996.


Any club that leaves one competition does not cease to exist when it joins another competition, even if it is not the same standard. Current Victorian AFL clubs existed before 1897 and 1925.

Not many people care about some lower-level comp that the Fitzroy name has been barely surviving in to give an ever-dwindling number of fans something to reminisce about. It may be the same ACN (I'm not disputing that) but it certainly isn't the same club as the one which competed in the VFL/AFL. There's a subtle difference here that you're either refusing to understand or just too pig headed to acknowledge.

Regardless, the VAFA is the most it can hope for now, hopefully it can continue to survive in its current form, however it's not looking good in the long term.

 

[PhatBoy]

Sorry to say Roylion but you are just trying to rewrite history. I know it is terrible to lose your team but to still be trying to convince people 30 years later that Fitzroy exist is very sad.

So wait a minute. Your team’s premiership never happened because it was in the VFL