Another extract from William Westerman’s book, ‘Merger: the Fitzroy Lions and the Tragedy of 1996’. Was this day the worst of a very grim season?
Almanac Footy: Fitzroy Football Club’s season stars in the modern era – Best and Fairest votes, Brownlow Medal votes and leading goalkickers 1970-1996
January 9, 2026 by 6 Comments
Philip Mendes presents another fascinating historical look at the Fitzroy FC looking at the stars of the club from the modern era.
Almanac Footy: VAFA Round 8 – Fitzroy v Old Carey: Hard heels
June 2, 2025 by 9 Comments
ER enjoys an afternoon of local footy at the Brunswick Street Oval watching Old Carey record a win over Fitzroy FC.
Almanac Footy: ‘Who am I?’
July 30, 2024 by 1 Comment
Citrus Bob Utber is trying to track down the lady who sat next to him at a recent Footy Almanac function to follow up the information she gave Bob about her dad and the Fitzroy Football Club. [If you can assist Bob please respond in the comments section. – Ed]
Almanac Book Review: ‘Merger’ (Part 2: Background)
June 26, 2024 by 3 Comments
Callum Quirk continues his look back at the demise of the Fitzroy Football Club.
Almanac Book Review – ‘Merger’ (Part 1: Background)
June 10, 2024 by 6 Comments
In response to William Westerman’s ‘Merger’, Callum Quirk has taken a fine-toothed comb to the events of Fitzroy in 1996 and the environment in which they occurred. First up he sets the scene at a macro level, by looking at the emerging philosophical trends.
Almanac Footy: No mere legend
June 3, 2024 by 3 Comments
Shane Reid remembers two of Fitzroy Football Club’s greatest footballers, Sir Doug Nicholls, and triple Brownlow Medallist Haydn Bunton.
Almanac (Footy) History: Jack Cooper – Courageous Fitzroy footballer and Anzac soldier
April 25, 2024 by 2 Comments
At a time of remembrance for soldiers who served and gave their lives in The Great War, Roger Spaull pays tribute to Jack Cooper, champion footballer of the Fitzroy Football Club. In this moving and in-depth account of a footballer and soldier, Roger paints a picture of a man who served his club, and his country, and made the supreme sacrifice on the Menin Road, Passchendaele .
Almanac Footy: A great Football Rivalry – Fitzroy v Hawthorn 1978-1986 by Philip Mendes
January 24, 2024 by 3 Comments
Philip Mendes presents an in-depth analysis of the great footy rivalry between Fitzroy and Hawthorn between the years 1978 to 1986.
Almanac (Local) Footy: Fitzroy Thirds Fan Day – POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
July 29, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Some of the boys from old (new?) Fitzroy will be putting on a show for the fans at Ramsden Street Oval in Clifton Hill and would love to see you there!
Almanac Book Review: ‘The Fitzroy Lions and the Tragedy of 1996’ by William Westerman
May 29, 2023 by 2 Comments
In this review of William Westerman’s ‘Merger’, Jonathan Pilbrow shares how affecting and emotional he found the book’s subjects and their portrayals while offering lessons for the future and hope through community. [Couldn’t agree more – Ed]
Almanac Footy History: A tribute to Gordon Proudfoot of the Fitzroy FC
July 27, 2022 by 1 Comment
Historian Roger Spaull pays tribute to former Fitzroy FC player Gordon Proudfoot who passed away recently.
Almanac (Local) Footy: Thirds in their words
February 7, 2022 by 11 Comments
The pandemic may well have caused major disruptions to all of us but it can’t take away from us the things we value and the places where we find connection and purpose. Jarrod Landells and mates explain via the agency of the Fitzroy Thirds.
Almanac Football History – One last tilt at finals football: Fitzroy’s inconsistent 1989
December 29, 2021 by 6 Comments
In a high low (or low high) on the rollercoaster that was Fitzroy’s final decade in the VFL/AFL, 1989 resulted in some big wins, a third placing in the Coleman Medal and a Reserves Premiership – but was also marred by injury, heartbreaking losses, merger talk and missing the finals by a slim margin. Philip Mendes has all the ins and outs of the season that was.
Almanac Football: This jumper puts the ‘red’ in the Roys!
November 15, 2021 by 4 Comments
It’s an old fashioned footy mystery! Ed Carmine wants to find out more about a curious piece of footy ‘art’ that has the Twitter world mostly stumped.
Almanac (Footy) History: The 25th anniversary of the Roys’ sunset in the west
September 2, 2021 by 3 Comments
Yesterday (Sep 1) was the 25th anniversary of Fitzroy’s last game in the VFL/AFL. This extract from William Westerman’s book Merger looks back on the curtain call of an event that some consider one of the most significant in the history of the VFL/AFL: Fitzroy’s clash with Fremantle and the end of their time in the League.
Geelong’s Record Run – Round 8, 1953: Geelong v Fitzroy – Cats bewilder ‘Roys
August 11, 2021 by 6 Comments
Geelong’s dominance of the 1953 season was further established as the Cats ran roughshod over a meek Fitzroy outfit. Peter Clark’s series on Geelong’s record run of wins continues.
Almanac Book Reviews – William Westerman’s ‘Merger’ by Jamie Simmons
August 6, 2021 by 6 Comments
Jamie Simmons read William Westerman’s recent release ‘Merger’ on the events of 1996 between Fitzroy and Brisbane and here shares his thoughts.
Almanac Footy History: Starting to Rise – Fitzroy FC’s promising 1978 day and night season
July 9, 2021 by 8 Comments
Philip Mendes recounts Fitzroy FC’s 1978 home and away VFL season, a season of new beginnings and promise for the future but one ending in disappointment after losing eight games by less than two goals costing them dearly.
The Merger Trilogy: The Room Where It Happened
July 5, 2021 by 3 Comments
The ultimate fate of Fitzroy in the AFL was decided by a group of middle-aged men in suits at Punt Road Oval, as William Westerman recounts in this conclusion to his trilogy marking 25 years since the first (and hopefully only) merger in VFL/AFL history was confirmed.
Our Huckleberry Harris
It’s been a while in the making, but Shane Reid has put pen to paper (or rather pixels to screen) on one of his most admired Lions, his Huckleberry Harris Andrews [Thanks for the unexpected Tombstone reference too – Ed.]