The JFFC is showing signs of lifting

We have just lived through the GFC, the Global Financial Crisis. We Fitzroy people are going through our own crisis: the JFFC. What is this you ask? The July Fitzroy Football Crisis today, showed some sign of lifting, but as Malcolm Frazier once said “life was not meant to be easy.”

Fortunately we had wins in the bank. A bit like the Howard Government paying off the Keating debt and saving 100 billion so allowing Rudd to spend up big on Pink Bats etc. Well the conversations I had out at Marcellin today while the Twos were going around had the flavour of…. well I think that the Gillard government is scoring higher in the opinion polls than our selectors are scoring with the fans that were out in Bulleen today.

“It’s bloody ridiculous.” “He hasn’t got a kick for weeks and he is still getting a game.” Why isn’t XYZ getting a game?” Rick the Click actually goes through the replay and takes stats. He has some interesting opinions based on what he has recorded. I may put them up. I have my favourites like everyone else. Nathan J should go back onto a wing. He plays well, at CHF in the twos. Michael Racovalis has been killing them in the Twos, but does not train and so has not been selected. Blind Freddie (a cricket umpire like me) appreciates we NEED a big forward in the absence of Pickers, Ablett, Speckie, Roscoe, Jimmy O and Two Dads. Beachie buggered his foot today leaving us criminally short of tall timber (Steve, “Won’t He’s” Dad may be asked for his professional opinion)

I would have played Drew Olarenshaw today. He puts his body over the ball. He can be described as “Large Framed.” His lack of leg speed would not be an issue on a wet, tough, day at the office. But let’s face it. I did not know that Racovalis cannot make training. I think the selectors know what they are doing. I mean Rudd had a bloody Rock Star as a minister overseeing that insulation scandal. Giving that Peter Garret a job was always going to end in tears, and so did today, but can we Fitzroy fans see light at the end of the tunnel When you are at a game have a chat with Tom Roper who helped write Gough Whitlam’s health policy. Not a rock star in sight when they were designing Medicare. The selectors probably know what they are doing? Gillard: well, we all have our doubts.

I watched the Seconds have another impressive win, playing a smart attractive brand of football, which makes the most of any opportunity that comes their way. They really are a side worth watching. I said hello to Tom and Anita and headed for the canteen: no snakes and bloody awful donuts. I actually didn’t finish the pink donut(picked off the icing though) They did have a redeeming feature as if you ask nicely they will serve tea in a mug, not those awful foam cups.

The Marcellin lads ran out to practise; the smell of liniment pervaded my nose; the match was ready to go but before considering the game let’s think about Saint Marcellin. No bugger it. Everyone reading knows that Marcellin was where you sent your sons when you could not afford the fees at Xavier and St Kevin’s was too far away. Let me give you a skeleton from derrinalphil. I do not go down Barkers Road. I barrack for anyone who is playing Xavier. Will Fenton, “Won’t He” owes me one. I will die a happy man if we beat Xavier once.

The first quarter was the period of the game that we lost the match. Early on, we had all the play but, unfortunately we missed shots that we should have nailed. Scott Cations, the smallest key forward ever, ran his opponent off his feet but missed several shots that he would usually get. Rick the Click thought the game was over after eight minutes as we had wasted our early chances (several out on the full) and Marcellin dominated the last twenty minutes of the quarter into the breeze.

Quarter Time Score: Marcellin 3 2 Roys 1 4

One of the Marcellin water boys was an older bloke, who just happens to be Peter Crimmins’ brother Jeff. Peter Crimmins was captain of Hawthorn in the early seventies but retired because of cancer. The cancer killed him a few days after the Hawks won the 1976 premiership. The greatest Australian Rules photo of all time has Crimmins on Grand Final night, in his dressing gown, at home, looking as sick as a dog, cradling the Premiership Cup, surrounded by his team mates. I would love a copy of it. Could someone reading this help? Young Joel Crimmins is playing in number 41 for Marcellin but he should be wearing number 5.

The ball was up their end for the first ten minutes of the second quarter and it looked like another thrashing was on our way. Then the boys dug deep and we killed them for the rest of the quarter but once again we wasted opportunities. We were wasting our 900 bucks JFFC bonus on behinds, on the pokies, so to speak.

Half Time Marcellin 5 3 Roys 3 9

There was a real buzz around the game at half time. Everyone could see that we were not going to lie down. A recovery was on the way. I was excited and started to paraphrase Churchill “if Fitzroy shall last a thousand years, this was their finest hour.”

They had the best of it for most of the second half. We kicked two late goals in the third quarter to close the gap to a goal at the final change but we rarely went forward in the last quarter. At times, in the third quarter, the only way we got a kick was when they kicked a point. Despite this, the boys played their hearts out, never gave in, and deserved the generous round of applause they received as they went into the rooms.

Now you all know I never complain about the umpiring but what about that free kick against Michael Lee in the last minute of the game? Could someone have a look at it on Dartfish and tell me if it was “there”? I can’t bring myself to do it.

We are at home next week and we NEED a win. There is no excuse for all you people. Be there early and get behind our Roys.

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