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The legal stoush between the Brisbane Lions and the remnants of the Fitzroy Football Club over the new logo is a fight worth having, as far as old Roys are concerned.
Symbols and heritage may not matter as much to a new club, but tell Collingwood to change their black and white stripes and you’ll have some idea of how Fitzroy people regard the jumper.
Yes, the Lions were previously Gorillas and the red was historically maroon (should never have changed), but all the Roys of 1996 vintage have is memories and they remain priceless.
Fitzroy was a reluctant bride, of course.
Then president Dyson Hore-Lacey negotiated an agreement with North Melbourne that most supporters reluctantly endorsed. It made sense for two inner Melbourne clubs with small supporter bases to come together.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, Fitzroy’s demise coincided with a North Melbourne premiership year. The other Melbourne clubs, particularly Richmond, feared the proposed merger would create a superpower and it was vetoed.
In stepped Brisbane and the rest is history, complete with a superpower triple premiership run.
The merger agreement with the Bears included a clause to retain the Fitzroy Lion logo in perpetuity and for the new club to play at least six games a year in Melbourne.
The AFL draw for 2005 had only five Lions games in Melbourne. The Lions negotiated with Fitzroy’s continuing entity in Melbourne to play one of the Victorian matches wearing a Fitzroy jumper to offset the loss of a game.
That has since been a feature of Lions matches in Victoria and one that’s much appreciated by Fitzroy people.
According to a report on the Fairfax website (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/court-battle-over-brisbane-lions-logo-20100303-phz3.html) during a costs application in the Supreme Court, counsel for Brisbane, Rodney Garratt QC, said a historic club with a dwindling supporter base should not be allowed to control the activities of an ongoing organisation.
Their argument seems to be that the Lions is a new club, forget about the past.
They clearly don’t understand what it means to be a Fitzroy person or a Victorian supporter of the Lions.
The club is more than a football team; it is a spiritual being that pervades the lives of those who embrace it. The spirit is manifest in the jumper, the logo and the song.
From a Fitzroy perspective it’s a battle worth fighting. Can Brisbane people honestly say the same?
What do they gain by changing the historic Lion to a “Paddlepop” version?
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March 7th 2010 @ 10:56am
bever fever said | March 7th 2010 @ 10:56am | Report comment
Talking of clubs folding, there was another thread in which the Kermandie football Club ( in Tassie)was folding, as was told by Elbusto, nice of him to find out about that, anyways it seems the great one himself Wazza Capper is trying to pull the club from the brink of extinction.
Good luck Warwick, and to the ladies auxillary at Kermandie football club.
I cant remember which thread this was all posted on.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/capper-offers-to-save-123-year-old-footy-club-20100307-pq2g.html
March 7th 2010 @ 11:33am
elbusto said | March 7th 2010 @ 11:33am | Report comment
Spoke to a mate of mine from that way last week. Kermandie is gone. No hope there. Warwick Capper could not make any difference.
I think Capper is only interested in the publicity and that is not fair on the folk who sincerely want to revive it.
March 7th 2010 @ 12:57pm
Beaver fever said | March 7th 2010 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
Good mates with the coach, heard an intereview with him today on Perth radio believe it or not, Cappers presence does not hurt, thats for sure.
March 7th 2010 @ 1:38pm
elbusto said | March 7th 2010 @ 1:38pm | Report comment
Well that is better news. The Club has money. Its Cricket side folded as well I think. Its players they need.Everything else in place.
March 7th 2010 @ 5:15pm
bever fever said | March 7th 2010 @ 5:15pm | Report comment
I guess if the price of apples goes up , they can attract new farmers, families to the area, the guy on the radio was saying the area has fallen from being a popular tourist spot from 3rd to 13th in the state. ( however they judge that)
At ant rate i have never been there or heard of it, and it was amazing that it came up on a sunday morning sports show in Perth.
Warwick has already spread publicity around Australia.
March 8th 2010 @ 7:53pm
elbusto said | March 8th 2010 @ 7:53pm | Report comment
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/03/07/132041_sport-news.html
They are gone – The Competition will be 11 Clubs firsts and reserves. Somethng needed to happen a lot earlier.
October 10th 2010 @ 8:44am
EvertonAndAustralia said | October 10th 2010 @ 8:44am | Report comment
I’m a Brisbane Lions fan and from Brisbane but I thought we should’ve retained the old Lion. Bowers is a goose!