Fremantle v Fitzroy 1996 - Fitzroy's Demise & Auld Lang Syne

* 100 years of VFL / AFL Football history comes to an end as the Fitzroy Lions lose their final game to the Fremantle Dockers by 86 points.
* Round 22, Sunday 1st September, 1996 at Subiaco Oval in Perth, Western Australia.
* Fitzroy great Bernie Quinlan recalls the merger / relocation possibilities considered by the club as early as Season 1986.

[@extraverse]

Watch this and the last win every few months. Not even a Fitzroy fan, just can't believe the way they were treated by the AFL. I can totally empathise with any Royboy who never followed the league after their exit.

[@AlonsoRules]

there were too many teams in Melbourne

[@roys96]

Being one of the 1000 there It was like my best friend had died I actually gave an interview after the game when a radio station rang me in the restaurant in Perth but tears got in the way.RIP

[@emjoi666]

I wish I had an answer for you. Unfortunately my copy of this game doesn't include the after-match ceremony. The footage of the singer is taken from the Fitzroy documentary video, "At Their Best - 1986 Season Highlights", and no introduction is given. Can anyone else identify the mystery singer?

[@Mhjeffrey027running]

THE FINAL 21 ROYS: Simon ATKINS, Scott BAMFORD, John BARKER, Brad BOYD (C), Nick CARTER, Brett CHANDLER, Shane CLAYTON, Matthew DENT, Peter DOYLE, Simon HAWKING, Jeff HOGG, Chris JOHNSON, John McCARTHY, Jarrod MOLLOY, Danny MORTON, Stephen PAXMAN, Martin PIKE, Matthew PRIMUS, John ROMBOTIS, Rowan WARFE, Marty WARRY

[@emjoi666]

Thank goodness for Google. Sarah Macliver sang Auld Lang Syne on that sad day.

[@carltonblues]

Heartbreaking. I am a Carlton fan but never wanted this to happen. Thanks for posting this.

[@sliat1981]

Be careful. Carlton are heading in the same direction

[@Mhjeffrey027running]

Further to that, - Bamford wound up at Geelong in a trade - Barker went to Hawthorn in the Brad Scott deal - Carter went to Melbourne - Molloy went to Collingwood in the Mal Michael Deal - Clayton went to North and played in the 1999 flag alongside Pike who went to Brisbane 2 years later - Dent finished at Hawthorn - Rombotis spent a year at Richmond after Port

[@ParisAvenue2005]

Sad day for football. Im a Brisbane Lions supporter/member but i wasnt a Fitzroy supporter at the time. i think it was disgraceful what the AFL did to that club, they hunted that club for a decade and eventually got their kill. Ripped the heart out of so many Fitzroy supporters. i think its good that alot of old Fitzroy supporters now support the Brisbane Lions but i can totally understand the supporters that stopped going to AFL games after 1996. It exposed the AFL for what it is:

[@turn567]

This was the worst day in my history of following AFL. Was not a roys fan but I still can't believe the AFL let this happen and I never want to see this happen again

[@mattyking2994]

Before my time and only researching this now. I have never seen a group of players so overcome with emotion as i've seen here! I'm a Cats supporter, but even i can't stop crying right now!! :'( What a shame that the AFL didn't help them out like they do to struggling teams today. A proud club of early success and they just let them fizzle out and die... :'( SHAME AFL SHAME!!! :'(

[@Tattersalls1766]

In fact, all the other AFL clubs vetoed the proposed merger with Fitzroy and Nth Melbourne (which would have preserved the Fitzroy name) because they feared that the combined team would be too strong. Brisbane made an offer that looked less likely to cause that concern (ie retained fewer of the better Fitzroy players) and hence that offer was accepted by the other teams. Fitzroy were in a position whereby they had no option but to accept the Brisbane offer.

[@bingles36]

The lion went North, but Fitzroy went home to Brunswick street to become the reds.

[@TBoneTony]

Simon Atkins is one player who I remember watching playing for Fitzroy in the clubs final years, the one with the long hair. He was a good player.

[@Mhjeffrey027running]

And of the players after this game - Bamford, Barker, Boyd, Carter, Hawking, Johnson, Molloy and Clayton went to Brisbane - Primus, Morton, Paxman and Rombotis went to Port - Pike and Chandler played for North - Warfe went to Sydney - Dent was picked up by us (Doggies fan) - Atkins went to Werribee, McCarthy to Tasmania, Hogg, Warry and Doyle were not picked up. - Coach Allan McConnell worked for the AFL and is now at West Sydney.

[@mbclev]

McConnell later coached the GWS AFLW team, but he left a few years later.

[@MRB16th]

Drew Morphett was right... I'm a Tigers fan and I am saddened that Fitzroy are no longer. Long live the Roys.

[@Stpetersburgcrimes]

Bernie Quinlan nailed it right at the end. If Fitzroy had moved to Brisbane in 1986/87 it would have been better for all concerned. Maybe by 2017, the Kangaroos will regret having not moved to the Gold Coast for the same reason.

[@TasmanProductions]

Amazing that John McCarthy was interviewed by Channel 7 after both Fitzroy-Freo games in 96... John Barker provided such a graphic illustration of Fitzroy leaving... GO THE ROYS!

[@SuperGravey]

When Fitzroy left, the AFL lost a major part of history and heaps of supporters. I don't go for Fitzroy but you might as well have taken our club as no doubt the AFL will in time. Go Fitzroy and down with Brisbane.

[@AUSTALY]

tell that to the people that used to support the roys mate maybe what you say is right but most of us miss fitzroy

[@AlonsoRules]

They wanted to the expand the competition and with too many teams in Melbourne, the AFL took those that were worse off and tried to eliminate them. Fitzroy were treated like rubbish in the end, despite being a founding team. Mind you, the state of the Brisbane Lions now is far worse than Fitzroy were in 1995. We also have the Gold Coast who are getting flogged every week and have no soul.

[@SuperGravey]

Yeah do you have a second team? If not then why should you care if someone does, and the year they merged with Brisbane they were supposed to go with North Melbourne my team I follow first. They had everything ready but the AFL were to scared to make a super team so they pissed them off to Brisbane to make a super team up there. North recruited some Fitzroy members and even gave them their own style of membership within our club, to let them know we were really pissed off with the AFL as well.

[@eric829]

both the Fitzroy lions and Brisbane bears were struggling financially and on the verge of folding altogether in the 1990s. both clubs decided in 1996 to merge franchises and players into one club: the Brisbane Lions. in five years the club goes from being read its last rites to premiers of the AFL.

[@stefismad]

ironic how their last win was against freo earlier in the season

[@speedingaway]

That's is the saddest thing I have and will ever see. Fitzroy was the original, the soul of the VFL was ripped apart that day. After all they have been through, it is unbelivable that they won the last quarter. CARN THE ROYS!

[@Magpie_Mark92]

Fitzroy should of being allowed to merge with north melbourne it was the richmond president leon dathney that stopped it by saying this is a recipe for a super team if that was the case why did they let brisbane take them over when the same thing happened anyway

[@Magpie_Mark92]

I would of being happy if collingwood and fitzroy merged to keep fitzroys tradition in melbourne and back in 96 collingwood had being financially crippled because of the recession in the early 90s the team could of being collingwood fitzroy magpies the jumper could of being a pies jumper with the fitzroy emblem on the front of the stripes with red pinstriping the logo could of being a lion and magpie with a football training base could be half vic park and half Brunswick street. Home games alternate being vic park and mcg our theme song starts with collingwoods tune then ends with the fitzroy tune

[@Supermercado]

Fark that's depressing. May it never happen to another club.

[@darylchant9302]

Fitzroy still in my heart so with the power

[@danichols49]

It was sad that the VFL went national, but they really had to to survive. If you look at the way sports are operated today compared to the mid-90s, its a totally different market. Even the NRL is trying to clean up its image, such is the pressure to be professional. The salary cap is actually protection for the poorer clubs, it was lack of the cap that led to the demise of the Roys - FFC had to pay more than they could afford to compete with the likes of Carlton.

[@dmarks270]

poor old fitzroy they will never be forgot

[@MRB16th]

Farewell Fitzroy 1883-1996 R.I.P.

[@zanky81]

the afl wanted brisbane to have national exposure. they were not worried about north/fitzroy being a super team.

[@zanky81]

They were four million dollars in debt and only about seven thousand members. The afl also wanted to include port power into the afl so fitzroy and brisbane merged together. Ten players went from fitzroy to brisbane. Players like jarryd molloy, john barker, nick carter and their skipper from 1996 brad boyd. I hope that is the sort of info you were after.

[@xBlackxOpsxIsxAwsum]

Fitzroy could of ended by a thrilling win. I am a docker supporter myself but it would be quite lovely if Fitzroy won against Fremantle on their last ever game.

[@sovietonion72]

99% wanted to go to Brisbane? Don't think so more like 99% forced to go to Brisbane.

[@MRHenHen]

He’s talking about them re locating to Brisbane at the end of 1986. Paul Roos has mentioned the same thing all the players did vote in favour of to survive the only reason it didn’t go through was at the last minute a private company wanted to own Fitzroy which would keep the club in Melbourne but the VFL rejected it at the time.

[@robertbaldie7]

I don't care how bad a club's performing, whether it be over a period of games or even a period of years, this club should have never been taken out of the league, this video makes me so sad, and i'm a Footscray supporter.

[@Mhjeffrey027running]

Actually only 8 players went to Brisbane (Brad Boyd, Jarrod Molloy, Chris Johnson, Simon Hawking, Scott Bamford, Scott Clayton, John Barker and Nick Carter)

[@zyoidburg]

what a scoop 24 goals freo in 1997 and 1 goal in 2009 in a game have to admit what a story their you go fitzroy fans have one long lasting memory that you weren't fully disgraced in the end

[@Tattersalls1766]

And Brisbane embraced the Fitzroy supporters because they knew they needed some support when playing in Melbourne. That said, I know a few people who don't seem to have a problem swapping to Brisbane. Not me though

[@sirknight1399]

Some Roys fans switched to Port Adelaide, so as not to support a team they had history of rivalry with.

[@zanky81]

You were right. My mistake.

[@MikeTeaveeJr]

I'd one day like to see the AFL go to 20 teams!

[@trainco1643]

I’d say most likely Tasmania and Northern Territory or NT/Nth QLD if that happens one day, but of course Canberra is another option.

[@quinntoohey406]

Not too far away mate

[@FeminismDebunked]

It wasn't a merger it was a takeover. They play all their matches in Brisbane they play zero in Melbourne. They train in Brisbane. Brisbane Lions have nothing to do with Fitzroy.

[@aaliyahandbeyoncefan]

i was a fitzroy supporter and now i still go for the might lions as the BRISBANE LIONS . GO THE LIONS FOR THE FINALS

[@Mhjeffrey027running]

FREO 24.13 (Hunter 4, Waterhouse 4, Mann 3, Callaghan 2, Chisholm 2, Toia 2, Burton, Clement, Gale, Jones, Mitchell, White, Wills) def FTIZ 10.11 (Warry 4, McCarthy 2, Atkins, Hawking, Pike, Primus)

[@stefismad]

Not this John McCarthy. The John McCarthy that used to play for Collingwood is the Port Adelaide player who was killed in Las Vegas this year.

[@zanky81]

It was sad that the state leagues became the afl. Meaning that the players wanted more money and thats how the merger talks had abounded. Even this last week i heard that the dogs asked their supporters (who in my opinion get ripped off with paying memberships) to fork out extra to help pay the players. The afl should dump three quarters of the salary cap, get rid of half the staff of the football departments. Only then will all clubs properly survive in this climate.

[@Relapse_au]

12 years on and it is pretty clear that the AFL made a mistake killing off Fitzroy and bringing Port into the AFL in their place.

[@Tattersalls1766]

Ha! I'm in the UK too and have been for most of the time!

[@zanky81]

Mate the lions were in debt of over six million and with no proper plan to get out of the mess. Only geelong is the only team i know with a higher debt. If it wasn't for frank costa and his business plan to save the cats they would have been asked to leave the afl. The downside is i heard on talkback radio that it is sixty dollars to get in. That is a terrible price. Disgusting.

[@1YOTC]

Who was the singer for Auld lang syne?

[@AFLCarltonFan]

Could Be Where North Is Heading

[@PHILPOP2]

Sad day for football

[@zanky81]

The salary cap was in place when the lions went bust. It was because they had no business plan to show the afl that they were going to grow from their membership of 5000 and home crowds which were only about 10000. Looking back now the right thing should have been the north/fitzroy merger and the second south australian licence should have been a genaric one like the crows. My main point was that the afl has destroyed grass roots football. And it needs to go back to part time football.

[@y2j455]

why the hell is there a tractor on the oval

[@jamesstyles6721]

It was Ross Oakley's last Right as AFL CEO at the Time to Drop an Victorian Side from the Competition to make way for the Far More Successful SANFL Team Port Adelaide which became the Power In the AFL. The Facts of why Fitzroy Merged with the Equally Strapped Brisbane Bears is both were Running out of Opportunities to attract Revenue as well as Massive Debts, so that's Why Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy are now Joined Together as the Brisbane Lions.

[@koulascarlett8206]

So you think this is are good thing.

[@purtzy1005]

+Koula Scarlett well its better than your spelling

[@Giumelz]

i remememebr this game, i alwya though Fitzroy were going to merge with Footscray or North Melbourne, at least they should have stayed in Vic

[@roys96]

Also even sadder when I see a friend of everyones namely the late Stormi on the video, is even worse.

[@Tattersalls1766]

Brings back some sad memories. The AFL were intent on nationalising the game, and that they've done, but are things are better now with an AFL than with the old VFL? Do supporters get any more pleasure now than they did 10+ years ago when their side won? Football then was a suburban game - and had some soul. Call me bitter, but I'll never follow Brisbane, and never support the AFL.

[@AUSTALY]

So what do you want me to do cartwheels

[@y2j455]

i reckon if i was a freo fan in that game i would of felt guilty for thrashing fremantle.

[@coolknot1]

How sad this moment is. The end of a great era for Fitzroy "Lions" after all those years in the biggest league in football. Fitzroy actually my second fave. team after Western Bulldogs. And I'm only NINE!!

[@sovietonion72]

coolknot1 So you wrote this comment when you were 2 ???

[@jamesstyles6721]

I Doubt It.

[@AUSTALY]

so i guess the fans of those traditional founding clubs should be grateful the afl murdered them dont forget the competition we enjoy today was built on the back of those teams

[@danichols49]

I seriously doubt that the AFL has killed grass roots football, there are more people playing the game than ever before. Country footy is struggling because people are moving to towns, but all the leagues around Melbourne are filled every week. Fitzroy fans can still go and watch the Reds at Brunswick St oval. It isnt the same as before, but FFC was badly run - so why should the AFL penalise all the other clubs?

[@zyoidburg]

my bad i meant 96

[@darylchant9302]

Sam Newman killed Fitzroy the Thursday night complaint the fans should have not said good bye to the greatest vfl /afl team on the MCG bring back the Roy boys

[@AUSTALY]

its an emotional game figs u should know that

[@Rabman-qx1zt]

Their time was up. One minute their home was Victoria Park, then it was Princes Park then the Western Oval. They had no home, they had no training facilities, their membership was horrible, couldn't even get 10,000 people to a game. They were gypsies that were moved along in the end. Sport is a business like it or not, they had no foundation and payed the price for it. Sadly they haven't been missed and the competition is better without them. They won 3 games in their final 2 season, they had no competitive edge, they were bringing nothing to the table. The AFL did the right thing and replaced them with port which even as a crows supporter admit they are so much more viable and important to the competition than what fitzroy where. U can point to Brisbane and gold coastand their predicament at the moment but still they bring more to fans to the game than fitzroy where in their final years, they add more income to the AFL which if clubs want to survive need and they make the competition truly national.

[@gopies1456]

Rabman 1996 Fitzroy should of merged with north. The north Fitzroy kangaroos would of made two small clubs into a strong club. Now look at north Melbourne then next Melbourne club in danger of moving out the competition. Fitzroy were not a big club but were bigger then gold coast and gws.

[@gopies1456]

Rabman 1996 very hard to Fitzroy supporters to turn up in the last few years when they were crap. In 1993 Fitzroy actually had more members then Richmond btw. Unfortunately the afl lost 200,000 Fitzroy fans in 1996!!! That’s how many people followed the Roy boys In 1996 according to their president

[@RS-rj5sh]

Were broke, couldn't win a game, had stuff all supporters (200k that is BS), so what was the AFL supposed to do, keep on subsidising them forever just to keep a handful of fans happy. It was tough but their time was up.

[@zanky81]

south melbourne was in the vfl. not the afl.

[@sam47511]

If Ross Lyon was coaching us Fremantle 24 . 13 . 157 Fitzroy 5. 12 42

[@JackLiddelowJackMM]

That'd be about right. Lol

[@damod15]

why did fitzory fold

[@aleco1991]

Do a south sydney nrl and bring back the roys!!!

[@beng7788]

fitzroy should return to fix the qld footy problem brisbane moves to fiztroy and then north melbourne moves to tasmania

[@zyoidburg]

fitzroy may be no more but were they really dead fancy years on they win not one but three flags and to think they could have been north melbourne who won the flag that year well you be the judge people i think they made the right decision if i remember they won i think 1 game that year

[@ParisAvenue2005]

...a cold, money-making business & Fitzroy FC werent profitable to them anymore and to hell with their 100+ years of history. Go Lions!!

[@roys96]

Ditto We moved to the UK so now we don't have to follow the AFL

[@ParisAvenue2005]

A. im not your pal. B. im not getting involved in a rediculous war of words on youtube. Peace out and go the (Brisbane) Lions!

[@The_Feral_Koala]

when are you victorians going to realise that you are not the only state with football history???? fitzroy folded because lack of supporters. pure and simple..as always you insult the rest of australia...

[@sliat1981]

How many former Fitzroy fan now follow wogball?

[@pooley89]

"rediculous"... and you had a go at one of my typos you're just opting out because you cant take the heat PAL

[@AUSTALY]

the vfl was where you made it not the wafl and by the way west coast are struggling now that victorian judd has gone home

[@pooley89]

typo matey dont turn the attention form your comment to that i agree the move was shit but you have to understand all AFL clubs and the league itself are not for profit organisations, they dont have shareholders, they only pay wages it wasn't about making money it came down to the fact that fitzroy didnt have the resources or supporter base if i was in charge I would have more to keep the fitzroy name alive but to say its a cold money making business youre wrong pal

[@anthonyanlezark3319]

I see this happening to Melbourne in the next 10 years sadly.

[@y2j455]

that game should of been played at the MCG for fitzroy.

[@pooley89]

its sad and wrong but that comment is ignorent...

[@patav2]

Its the way Melbourne are going if they dont improve.

[@Mkskes15]

Not the same player.

[@The_Feral_Koala]

you never began this league. SA had their league, we had the wafl..and we were getting big crowds also...you victorians think you are so much better..well here is a news flash for you..it is WA that keeps the rest of australia afloat.. how many west australians play for victorian teams i wonder....and don't be so rude..

[@AUSTALY]

You say Fitzroy was badly run i say the AFL raped the club and wanted Brisbane to succeed

[@joshuatreebje]

did john mcarthy play again?

[@Igloo3471]

Not in the AFL, no. McCarthy ended up Captain/Coach of North Hobart in the TFL the following year, ironically the final game of that season he coached there was just like this one with the two sides looking likely to merge/fold. North stayed on in the TFL while their opponent Hobart left the TFL after six decades and went to the local leagues.

[@Ashurkhan]

lol he is a tool. Absolute tool. Ok mate now rate that to the amount of VICTORIANS that are playing for all teams? Of course interstate teams (some) have favourtism from the AFL but seriously i think all that sun that you get over there has gone straight to your head!