Who are we?

The Victorian Lions Supporters Group (VLSG) is a group of Fitzroy fans who now support the Brisbane Lions in the AFL and the Fitzroy Football Club in the VAFA. The Group acts a voice for Fitzroy fans in regards to the Brisbane Lions.

We have been fortunate on a number of occasions to have had our representations published in the major daily newspapers, and have received various feedback on these issues from the board of the Brisbane Lions as well as the AFL, Channel 7 and various journalists in the media.

While the VLSG has had some satisfaction on a couple of concerns, certain occurrences such as the issue of the Brisbane Lions records, as related to the Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy still continue to rankle with Victorian supporters. The VLSG is committed to preserving as much of Fitzroy’s identity in the Brisbane Lions as possible, as well as arguing for a fair go for those Victorian supporters of the Brisbane Lions, particularly from the media and the AFL. The number of Lions games in Victoria, the provision of a Fitzroy Football Club director on the Brisbane Lions board and most importantly the return of the “Fitzroy Lion” to the logo and official guernsey of the Brisbane Lions are also of concern.

The VLSG will continue to lobby the appropriate authorities on these matters, until our concerns are addressed. We believe there is strength in numbers. We hope that you will join us!

We urge all VLSG members and indeed all Brisbane Lions Victorian supporters to E-mail the VLSG where they see examples of inconsistencies by the media in relation to the Brisbane Lions.

The VLSG supports Fitzroy in logo dispute.

The Victorian Lions Supporters Group has condemned the move of the Brisbane Lions to re-design their logo and their jumper without the inclusion of the “Fitzroy Lion” as stipulated in the merger deed of July 1996.

Thirteen years after the AFL forced the ailing Victorian club to merge with the Queensland team, Fitzroy Football Club will early next week will lodge an affidavit seeking a ban on Brisbane’s use of its recently launched “Paddlepop” Lion.

Bradshaw’s ‘record’.

The Victorian Lions Supporters Group is extremely disappointed that once again the media incorrectly reported Brisbane Lions records in relation to Daniel Bradshaw’s magnificent individual effort of 9 goals in the match against Melbourne.

Lions are part Victorian

President of the Victorian Lions Supporters Group (VLSG) Sharon Torney said today that she hoped the media in Victoria would not be dragged into the hype of an “interstate” grand final.

“When the Bears and Fitzroy merged at the end of the 1996 season to form the Brisbane Lions, the rich Victorian heritage of Fitzroy became part of the Brisbane Lions. Along with that heritage also came the members and supporters. This was evident by the thousands of supporters who turned out Saturday night,” said Torney.

Fitzroy back on the MCG

The Victorian Lions Supporters Group welcomes the decision made by the AFL to allow the Fitzroy Reds to play on the MCG in the curtain raiser for the Brisbane Lions vs. Collingwood Round 19 clash on Saturday August 19th.

The process of getting to the stage where a D grade Amateur side from the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) playing on the MCG has been a long one. At the end of September AFL Football Operations Manager explained that “we may be asking all our clubs to wear their original guernseys and strips as was done in the 1997 Centenary Year. If that was the case, you might see Brisbane wearing the Fitzroy jumper in that round,”

While the idea of Brisbane wearing Fitzroy jumpers in the seniors is, at the time of writing still on hold, the Fitzroy Reds, who do wear the old Fitzroy jumper approached Collingwood FC, the Brisbane Lions and AFL to seek permission to play a curtain raiser match before the Collingwood v Brisbane Lions match round 19, Saturday 9 August at the MCG. All entities have given their approval to that curtain-raiser taking place. The VAFA board last night (5th May) approved the match taking place at the MCG in that particular round.

The Reds play in a Fitzroy jumper and would be playing against West Brunswick who play in a Collingwood jumper. As Round 19 has been designated by the AFL as a foundation round asking all clubs to wear jumpers from a past era, the Reds match would give Collingwood and Lions fans an opportunity to see the return of a curtain raiser match as in the tradition of watching the Reserves.

The Victorian Lions Supporters Group was asked to throw their support behind the venture and after several discussions with the VLSG Executive, several letters from the VLSG were sent off to all three entities, as well as the VAFA board, supporting the idea and urging its implementation.

The VLSG made several important points in its’ letters of support. The Executive Commitee believed that it was a fantastic opportunity, especially for the Lions fans, to see the FFC jumper once again on the MCG, whether or not the Brisbane Lions themselves wear a Fitzroy jumper for that same match. It is also an opportunity to for the VAFA and the Fitzroy Reds to become known to thousands of football followers who might not otherwise know that the competition or the club even existed. Most importantly this is yet another example of the Brisbane Lions re-inforcing the links with the Fitzroy Football Club and the traditions and heritage for which the old club represents.

The VLSG now is anticipating a decision by the Brisbane Lions whether or not to wear the Fitzroy jumper in Round 19.

Protest over TV coverage

VLSG President Sharon Torney said the VLSG found it extremely puzzling that in Round one of the Wizard Cup saw the Adelaide v Port Adelaide match broadcast free to air in place of the Brisbane Lions v Sydney Swans match at Stadium Australia which appeared only on Pay TV.

“Why did Channel 10 broadcast a game between two South Australian clubs instead of a game between two clubs that have very strong supporter bases in all three eastern mainland states?”

“Not only that, but the Brisbane Lions vs. Geelong match also did not find it’s way to free to air TV in the eastern states. Channel 9 showed live the Melbourne v Kangaroos match Saturday at 6:30pm followed by their cricket World Cup obligations, which meant the Lions match was not shown free to air. What stopped Channel 10 broadcasting live the Brisbane Lions v Geelong game out of Cairns at 8:30 instead of it being on Foxtel?”

The VLSG has yet again reminded the AFL and the TV Consortium that Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans are exceptions to the general state of the non-Victorian clubs. They both have a very strong supporter base in two states. Interest in this match amongst the many former Fitzroy and South Melbourne supporters would have been extremely high. Added to this interest of course is that the Brisbane Lions are the current reigning premiers.

Given all these reasons and not least the promises made to former Fitzroy supporters, at the time of the merger in 1996, that they could see their team most weekends on free-to-air TV, the VLSG asks yet again why the club, especially as dual premiers, doesn’t get a little more support from the electronic media.

The VLSG President also stated that the VLSG is committed to following this, and other issues concerning the Victorian members of the Brisbane Lions. “The recording of the Fitzroy and Brisbane Lions records by various bodies is becoming a real issue again and we have received quite a few messages indicating people’s displeasure with what is going on. Rest assured we are tackling this issue, as well as the TV one.”

Torney reiterated that it was important that people who are concerned about these and other issues concerning Fitzroy and the Brisbane Lions, to throw their support behind the VLSG and join as a 2003 member. “As well as being part of a strengthening voice for Victorian supporters the VLSG this year is looking at increasing the number of social get togethers. For example members can vote for the Best Young Player in each Victorian match, and can also receive some great prizes via the player sponsorship, we take out each year.