Fitzroy Stars Football Club

Last updated

Fitzroy Stars Football Club
Fitzroy Stars.png
Names
Full nameFitzroy Stars Football & Netball Club [1] [2]
Nickname(s)Stars
2024 season
After finalsNFNL: 2nd
NFNLW: 4th
Home-and-away seasonNFNL: 1st
NFNLW: 3rd
Leading goalkickerNFNL: Patrick Farrant (59) [3]
NFNLW: Nartarsha Bamblett (14)
Best and fairestNFNL: Allan Norris [4]
NFNLW: Nartarsha Bamblett [4]
Club details
Founded1973;51 years ago (1973) [5]
Colours  Red   Yellow   Black
Competition NFNL : Division 3
NFNLW : Division 2
CoachNFNL: Neville Jetta
PremiershipsVACSAL Carnival (16) [6]
  • 1986
  • 1987
  • 1993
  • 1995
  • 1997
  • 1998
  • 2001
  • 2005
  • 2006
  • 2007
  • 2023
Uniforms
Kit body fitzroy 1975.png
Kit body sleeveless.png
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks bluetop.png
Kit socks long.svg
1976−1980
Other information
Official website fitzroystars.com.au (archived)

The Fitzroy Stars Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Thornbury. [7] [8] It is the only football club in Melbourne run by Indigenous Australians. [9] [10]

Contents

As of 2024, the club men's team competes in Division 3 of the Northern Football Netball League (NFNL), while the women's team is in Division 2 of the NFNL Women's competition. [11] The club also competes in the annual VACSAL Football Netball Carnival, where it has won the George Atkinson State Championship a total of 16 times. [12] [13]

History

Early years

The Fitzroy Stars were formed in 1973 and joined C Grade in the Metropolitan Football League (MFL) the same year, playing home games at Brunswick Street Oval. [14] They were quickly promoted, and defeated Dallas Stars by 32 points in the 1974 A Grand grand final. [15] However, the MFL disbanded at the end of the season and was replaced by the Northern Metropolitan Football League (NMFL) in 1975, which the Stars entered. From 1976 until 1980, the club wore the same jumper as the Fitzroy Football Club. [16]

The NMFL disbanded after 1980, and the Stars were left without a competition to play in for several years. [a] [19] They entered the YCW Football League (YCWFL) in 1984 and were defeated in the B Grade grand final by the BYC Football Club, before winning the Division 1 premiership in 1986. [15] [20]

When the YCWFL folded in 1986, the Stars applied for entry in 36 local competitions, but received rejections from every single one. [19] As a result, club president Jock Austin formed the Melbourne North Football League (MNFL) in 1989. [19] They won the grand final that year, with further MFNL premierships in 1989, 1990 and 1992, as well as back-to-back grand final losses to Heidelberg Colts in 1993 and 1994. [15] [21] However, the MNFL disbanded following the conclusion of the 1994 season, leaving the Stars to compete solely in football carnivals. [22]

NFNL

In 2006, after 12 years playing in carnivals, the Stars launched a new bid to join the Northern Football League (NFL, later NFNL). [23] The push was led by club president Troy Austin (son of Jock) and gained the support of Kevin Sheedy in 2007, who became the number-one ticket holder. [23] [24]

Before any decision had been made on their entry, the Stars began training at W.R. Ruthven Reserve in Preston. [23] They were accepted into the NFL in 2008 and entered Division 2, where they just missed the finals series after winning 10 of their 18 games. [25] The club used Crispe Park, Bill Lawry Oval and Preston City Oval as home grounds throughout the 2008 season. [21] [26]

In 2012, Sir Douglas Nicholls Oval (where the Stars had played until the end of 1994) was rebuilt with funding provided by the Darebin City Council. [27] The Stars played their at the ground for the first time in the NFL in June 2013. [28]

The Stars reintroduced junior teams in 2018. [22] They also planned to field a women's team for the first time in 2020, before the season was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. [29] The women's team eventually entered the NFNL in 2021. [30] [31]

Neville Jetta, who played 159 games for Melbourne in the Australian Football League (AFL), was announced in October 2024 as the Stars' senior men's coach for the 2025 season. [32] He replaced former Richmond player Lionel Proctor. [33]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ A 1988 article from Tribune , the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Australia, erroneously states that the Fitzroy Stars were formed in 1978 and claims that the club was expelled from the NMFL "mainly because they were mostly Aborigines". [17] This appears to be incorrect, as Footypedia states that the NMFL in fact disbanded in 1980. [18]

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References

  1. ↑ Zarucky, Rose (19 April 2022). "Anaconda aids Fitzroy Stars in 2022 season". Carlton Football Club. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  2. ↑ "The Fitzroy Stars - A Place for Community". Deadly Story. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  3. ↑ Amy, Paul (8 November 2024). "Done deal: the first 40 signings of the VFL off-season". The Daily Telegraph. CODE Sports. Archived from the original on 8 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  4. 1 2 "2024 Fitzroy Stars Best & Fairest recap!". Fitzroy Stars Football & Netball Club. 14 September 2024. Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  5. ↑ "Club overview" (PDF). nfnl.org.au. Fitzroy Stars. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  6. ↑ Clark, Jackson (12 October 2023). "Fitzroy Stars win VACSAL Statewide Football Carnival". National Indigenous Times. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  7. ↑ Hanlon, Peter (7 June 2013). "Football club denies racism problem". The Age. Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  8. ↑ Burin, Margaret (29 August 2015). "Fitzroy Stars: Koori pride revived in once-star team". ABC News. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  9. ↑ Harms, John (1 June 2015). "Footy History: Aboriginal Players at Fitzroy". The Footy Almanac. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  10. ↑ "Fitzroy Stars: Melbourne's only Aboriginal footy club - in pictures". Guardian Australia. 4 March 2016. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  11. ↑ "Fitzroy Stars (NFNL) 2024". PlayHQ. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  12. ↑ "George Atkinson State Championship History". bigfooty.com. Fitzroy Stars. 17 September 2008. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  13. ↑ "The Fitzroy Stars will compete in this weekend's VACSAL Aboriginal Senior Football & Netball Carnival in Portarlington". Facebook. Fitzroy Stars Football & Netball Club. 2 October 2024. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  14. ↑ Holding, Peter (3 October 2023). "The Battle for the Brunswick St Oval". holdingpattern.info. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  15. 1 2 3 "Fitzroy Stars Football Club (Vic)". Footypedia. Archived from the original on 30 September 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  16. ↑ "Congratulations to 2024 AFL Premiers, Brisbane Lions!". Facebook. Fitzroy Stars Football & Netball Club. 29 September 2024. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  17. ↑ Evans, Michael (31 August 1988). "An Aboriginal community's sporting life". Trove. Tribune. p. 11. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  18. ↑ "Northern Metropolitan Football League (Vic)". Footypedia. Archived from the original on 30 September 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  19. 1 2 3 Gorman, Joe (4 March 2016). "Jason Mifsud and Fitzroy Stars: a man on a mission at a club that means so much". Guardian Australia. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  20. ↑ Sunday Press (7 September 1986)
  21. 1 2 "History". GameDay. Fitzroy Stars. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  22. 1 2 Pearce, Richard (12 July 2018). "Fitzroy Stars Football Club juniors return to the field after 20-year absence". Herald Sun. Preston Leader. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  23. 1 2 3 "The Fitzroy Stars Football & Netball Club Have A Story To Tell". 3KND. 16 March 2022. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  24. ↑ "Former President Troy Austin will be on ABC Radio this morning". Facebook. Fitzroy Stars Football & Netball Club. 5 June 2021. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  25. ↑ "2008 Annual Report" (PDF). Northern Football League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  26. ↑ "A throwback for your Sunday night". Facebook. Fitzroy Stars Football & Netball Club. 29 September 2019. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  27. ↑ Beck, Maris (28 May 2012). "Fitzroy Stars enjoying their home-ground advantages". The Age. Archived from the original on 12 November 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  28. ↑ "Fitzroy Stars v Mernda". Northern Football League. 12 June 2013. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  29. ↑ "The Fitzroy Stars Football Netball Club (FSFNC)". Aboriginal Advancement League. 25 March 2020. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  30. ↑ Andrews, Daniel (30 March 2021). "New Changerooms For Women And Girls At The Fitzroy Stars". premier.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  31. ↑ Ireland, James (13 April 2021). "Kicking goals: Metro launches partnership with The Fitzroy Stars". Metro Trains. Archived from the original on 30 March 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  32. ↑ "SENIOR COACHING ANNOUNCEMENT". Facebook. Fitzroy Stars Football & Netball Club. 8 October 2024. Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  33. ↑ "We would like to sincerely thank Lionel 'Jacko' Proctor for his service as Senior Coach of our club from 2021 to 2024". Facebook. Fitzroy Stars Football & Netball Club. 14 October 2024. Archived from the original on 17 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
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