Almanac Footy: VAFA Round 8 – Fitzroy v Old Carey: Hard heels

 

“To me, luck was something you either earned or invented through strength of character. You had to come by it honestly; you could not trick or bluff your way into it.”
— Patrick deWitt, The Sisters Brothers

 

Fluffy clouds drift across a bright blue sky in Brunswick East. The last day of autumn lands as the day for my first footy experience of 2025. A bit after 13:00 I’m onto my bike for the short ride to the Brunswick St oval. Down Rae Street the shadows are deep, three weeks as we are from the winter solstice. A well-dressed woman in three shades of grey squats on the steps to an apartment and attends to her phone. On the footpath, two border collies walk on quick feet ahead of their humans. Heads down, quietly panting. The deciduous street trees of Barkly Street a festival of turning rust.

 

I’m into the Edinburgh Gardens, past the skate ramps and behind the grandstand, through sweeps of fallen leaves. A bloke limps by on crutches, wearing a Fitzroy scarf. He somehow carries a fold-out chair in his right hand. The early game has been won by the home side.

 

Fitzroy 15.18.108
Old Carey 8.10.58

 

For the seniors, today looms as a must-win for Fitzroy. It’s VAFA Premier B Round 8. And in the VAFA, the top two teams each season are promoted, bottom two relegated. Today we have Fitzroy (one win, ninth on the 10-team ladder) versus Old Carey (four wins, fourth on the ladder). On the far side of the ground, north faces of Freeman Street terrace houses catch full afternoon sun.

 

We’re off. No siren at the old Brunswick Street Oval today it seems; rather a comical honk; something you might expect to hear from a clown’s bicycle. Old Carey with white shorts below their black jumpers. Gold and blue V across their chests. Yellow numbers. Black socks. Fitzroy in red jumpers topped with blue. Golden insignia, yellow numbers. Blue shorts, red and blue socks.

 

And for the first 5 minutes it’s all Old Carey to the Brunswick Street end. Fitzroy can’t get it past the centre. Old Carey look to have bigger bodies. Fitzroy may need to be quick, slick and creative today. Warm sun bathes the outer side and after 10 minutes Old Carey score the first goal of the game.

 

As Fitzroy kick out from full-back, the gardens reverberate to the shouts of Old Carey’s full-back, a full oval-length away:

“One on one!”
“One on one!”
“One on one!”

 

And then:

“Centre!”
“Centre!”
“Centre!”

 

Old Carey goal and then immediately mark 30 metres out, directly in front. It’s all Old Carey. Another bald man arrives in moleskins, heroically polished elastic-sided boots and fitted overcoat. Fitzroy hit the scoreboard after 26 minutes.

 

QT
Fitzroy 1.1.7
Old Carey 4.5.29

 

A sprinking of leaves covers the ground along the southern side as I head over to the Fitzroy huddle. Both camps split into three separate groups for their break. The illusion of control is alive and well and perhaps self-fulfilling.

 

The coach says “Transition.”
And “Lift a gear.”
And “Have we got another gear in us? I reckon we have another two, three. You must go NOW. Got that? We must go now!”

 

At the resumption, Fitzroy goal in 7 seconds. And Old Carey goal within a minute. The next 10 minutes are played in Old Carey forward line – until a bold chain of handballs up the members’ side (“over the top!”) ends with a Fitzroy mark within range. The kick misses.

 

Fitzroy lock it in the forward line now. The ball is worked free at a ball-up, snapped over the shoulder for a goal. And now another after great work from the Fitzroy ruck rover. Fitzroy have worked into this. Old Carey claw one back as a dead-ringer for Magnum P.I. cruises past on his bicycle, with two tennis racquets strapped to his back.

 

HT
Fitzroy 4.3.27
Old Carey 7.6.48

 

 

A couple dressed (each) in all black and (each) wearing black sunglasses walks a small brown groodle behind the Brunswick Street goals. The dog stops to piss.

 

“Oh, you’re a Good Boy.”

 

I’m at the base of the Kevin Murray Stand for the second half. As it begins Old Carey bomb it forward and mark 20 metres out after 10 seconds. The shot misses. At the Clifton Hill end, Fitzroy crumb the pack and run into the open goal, roosting the footy high into Edinburgh gardens (5-7). A wonderful team goal from Old Carey now as the run the ball the length of the ground (5-8).

 

Half-way through the third quarter, shadows swallow the interchange areas on the members’ side. A chain of handballs for Fitzroy ends with an accurate snap at goal (6-8). It looks a challenging surface. The turf wicket is chopped up with thick mud. In other parts of the ground dust rises with footsteps. A long, fast entry to Fitzroy ends with a mark and goal. The crowd comes to life (7-8).

 

It’s high-wire footy on the members’ wing. Fast fast fast ball movement, fast entry to the forward line and Fitzroy run on to another high-quality goal (8-8).

 

Fitzroy has the run of this. Another fast entry. Miss. From the kick out Fitzroy intercepts and hits the leading fill forward. Miss. This is a dominant period for the home side.

 

Another set shot to Fitzroy after a high entry and mark. Goal. Fitzroy hit the front after 21 minutes (9-8).

 

On 30 mins Fitzroy marks 50 metres out. The comical car horn beeps to signal the end of the quarter. The Fitzroy player takes his time, lines them up, and kicks the goal. The whole team erupts (10-8).

 

3QT
Fitzroy 10.9.69
Old Carey 8.8.56

 

Fantastic quarter from Fitzroy. Six goals to one.

 

Even so, conversation from spectators around the huddle turns to property prices, as sure as leaves turn from green to brown.
“Yeah, so I’m moving down to Torquay. I hear you’re down there.”
“Yep, Barwon Heads.”
“Oh, cool cool.”

 

There is a bounce in the home supporters coming off the field from the break. A real rhubarb-rhubarb-rhubarb of crowd murmur.

 

Within a minute though, Old Carey get the first goal of the last (10-9). And then a tough Fitzroy mark in the centre and then a 50 metre penalty. The shot at goal misses. The members’ side is alive in the late afternoon gloom and chill.
BALLLL!!
YEEESSSS!!!
GET IT TO HIM!!
GO ROYS!!

 

A Fitzroy snap from open play curls through after 6 minutes (11-9). From a roost out of the centre, a great mark is taken for Fitzroy at half forward. This leads to a scrappy ground-level snap from 30 metres after 8 minutes (12-9).

 

But now, against the run of play, Old Carey run the ball the length of the field and kick a goal from the goal square; 9 minutes gone (12-10). From the ball-up, Old Carey get the fast entry to the east, where the forward line is very open. Gaps are beginning to appear as tiredness sets in. A rapid mark and goal; 10 minutes gone (12-11).

 

And now another goal to Old Carey from a set shot from a long distance after 14 minutes (12-12). It’s Fitzroy by just 4 points with half a quarter to play.

 

Old Carey dominates field possession. Just like in the first quarter, Fitzroy is unable to get it past half back. The Old Carey goal arrives with a snap at 16 minutes. Old Carey back in front (12-13). On 18 minutes Old Carey run onto a bouncing ball and goal (12-14). The bigger bodies are running into space. Directly from the ball up, Old Carey waltz into a wide-open forward line for another (12-15). And burst down the line at 22 minutes (12-16).

 

From here, Old Carey dig in, chip it around, and wrap it up.

 

A set of hard eastern suburbs heels clicks past on dry Fitzroy asphalt.

 

FT
Fitzroy 12.15.87
Old Carey 16.9.105

 

A dramatic finish and a solid win from the big bodies of Old Carey.
Behind the interchange bench, bald men in stylish overcoats and polished boots pat one another on the back.
“What a win!”
“What a win!”
“Never in doubt.”

 

A child steps through fallen leaves to collect their bicycle. Another day is over.

 

 

 

Check out more stories from ER at substack Here.

 

More from ER on the Footy Almanac can be read Here.

 

 

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