VAFA Premier B – Fitzroy v Old Carey: Fitzroy…Stereofini; Fitzroy…Stereofairest (and best)…the club we hold so dear.

 


FITZROY.. Stereofini ; FITZROY.. Stereofairest (and best).. the club we hold so dear..

 

After speaking to the players pre game, special guest, Laurie Serafini, was about to address the assembled luncheon gathering when who should stride down the hallway past the dining tables, without prior announcement , or breaking stride and join him at the lectern ? None other than his beloved older brother Renato of course!

 

With Renato firing the questions and Laurie, with circumloquaciousness, answering them a wonderful performance of to and fro ensued and revealed a Philadelphian bond between these ‘ boyhood Blues barracking brothers’ .

 

In his rolling, rambling Roys reminisce Laurie focused on the numbers. He told us Renato’ s first number with Fitzroy was #47,his own first number #37 their joint shared second number being #10 the difference between their originals. He spoke of the great Roy numbers #1 worn by Kevin Murray and Paul Roos and number #29 worn by Garry Wilson .It was brought to his attention with prescience by a fellow I know well that these were the very same numbers that the present football team in current configuration was hoping would be relied upon this day to stave off relegation. More on these numbers later.

 

Laurie related his journey from teenage first game full forward kicking 4 goals (only to end with a career total of 9 goals). He was moved thereafter to the wing where first up he played on Keith Greig then Geoff Raines followed by Robbie Flower and finally Michael Turner. Luckily at that time Harvey Merrigan was expressing dissatisfaction with playing at fullback and a less than willing Laurie found himself slotted in that position which he made his own against the likes of Garry Ablett Snr, Tony Lockett, Stephen Silvagni, Jason Dunstall et alia. He lamented that he played at fullback, starved of action, in the still VFL record scoring Fitzroy team that booted 36.22.238 in R17 at Waverley Park in 1979. Fortunately Fitzroy stalwart supporter David Leydon mentioned that their opponent that day Melbourne booted 6.12.48 which meant Laurie could add the ‘ no doubt’  12 accurate ‘ coast to coast kickouts’  to his stats  and claim as a result 18 of the goals scored! He spoke of Renato’s Fitzroy reserve team premiership in 1974 and his own night premiership in 1979. He concluded with the excellent advice to always include your wife in the leadership team at home and in his role as health and wellness ambassador for blokes and ladies to keep up health checks so as to obtain early diagnosis and avoid the consequences of the stoic “she’ll be right” approach.

 

On the field it came to pass with the recuperated ‘ Roo’  Rory #1  kick starting our day with the first goal our # 37 wily Willy wolf, whose brothers are like sons to my above mentioned prescient friend, the second goal ,the President’s son #10 Tom Cheshire winning the ‘ 1%ters award ’ and Julian Turner # 47 continuing his rich vein of excellent form.

 

Number #29 Nathan Ligris could make Gumby, Butta Fingas and Mr Sitter all stack up serviceable non clanger stats such is the precision of his ball delivery; one word of advice to this future Captain- don’t aim at the point posts when shooting at goal you’ve hit them at least 4 times this year; hit the guys ‘ waving not drowning’ between the goals! With 7 ft Gator, ‘Bonsai Mountain Ash’ Maloney, Cailean ‘see’ Moore and ‘Leaping Bambino’ Nino Lazzaro and a 1st quarter that showcased their true ability the Roys are now a good chance to avoid the jump. Let us start with putting Scotch on the rocks this Saturday.

 

Finally a big shout out to our Women’s senior team who sadly but brave heartedly finished their finals campaign last Sunday and especially to our medal winning Tasha Ross-Harris.

 

With apologies to David Bowie Tasha could fill the refrain to the tune ‘Sorrow’   as follows:

With your flaming red hair and your eyes of green you’re the greatest ruckwoman we have ever seen… Rosso…Rosso 

 

and with Rory the 2016 fairest and best in men’s Premier B Fitzroy have another first, for at least six weeks, both men and women competition reigning champions. Well done to them and all on the Board and coaches, support staff and especially Sharon Torney for making us feel, in their reflected glory, like heroes even if only for a day.

 

By George! 111

 

Comments

  1. Top stuff

Leave a Comment

*