Fitzroy
"Fitzroy's on-field achievements, particularly during the early years of the VFL, were considerable. During the first decade of VFL competition the Maroons won no fewer than four flags - more than any other club - and were runners up three times. Further premierships followed in 1913 and 1916, but after World War One the side tended to struggle. Paralleling this, the VFL began to take on more and more of the characteristics of a business: payment to players was officially recognised as taking place in 1909, and professionalism gradually became more and more overt ... "
John Devaney examines the tragic tale of Fitzroy FC – world beaters at the start of the century; out of business by the end of it.
1953 Season (V/AFL) Fixture | Player Stats
Fitzroy's 1953 Fixture
| Rnd | H&A | Club | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | R | Opponent | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | Mgn | Grd | Date | SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-04-18 1 | A | Fitzroy | 5.5 | 7.10 | 10.14 | 12.16 | 88 | LOST | Essendon | 4.0 | 9.2 | 13.3 | 17.9 | 111 | -23 | WIN | 1953-04-18 Apr 18 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-05-02 2 | H | Fitzroy | 6.2 | 8.4 | 11.6 | 12.9 | 81 | WON | Richmond | 3.2 | 6.8 | 9.12 | 11.14 | 80 | 1 | BWS | 1953-05-02 May 2 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-05-09 3 | A | Fitzroy | 5.3 | 7.9 | 10.11 | 12.14 | 86 | WON | South Melbourne | 3.2 | 4.3 | 7.13 | 10.15 | 75 | 11 | LAK | 1953-05-09 May 9 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-05-16 4 | H | Fitzroy | 2.3 | 4.7 | 5.9 | 12.14 | 86 | WON | North Melbourne | 1.3 | 4.6 | 7.13 | 10.15 | 75 | 11 | BWS | 1953-05-16 May 16 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-05-23 5 | A | Fitzroy | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 6 | LOST | Footscray | 2.2 | 5.3 | 8.5 | 10.6 | 66 | -60 | WES | 1953-05-23 May 23 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-05-30 6 | A | Fitzroy | 3.1 | 7.4 | 10.6 | 12.9 | 81 | WON | Melbourne | 2.5 | 3.6 | 6.10 | 10.11 | 71 | 10 | MCG | 1953-05-30 May 30 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-06-06 7 | H | Fitzroy | 2.3 | 6.4 | 8.9 | 8.12 | 60 | WON | Hawthorn | 1.6 | 2.8 | 3.11 | 5.14 | 44 | 16 | BWS | 1953-06-06 Jun 6 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-06-13 8 | A | Fitzroy | 3.3 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 7.8 | 50 | LOST | Geelong | 5.1 | 11.6 | 14.8 | 21.10 | 136 | -86 | KAR | 1953-06-13 Jun 13 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-06-20 9 | H | Fitzroy | 2.0 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 7.12 | 54 | LOST | Carlton | 3.3 | 4.6 | 6.17 | 7.18 | 60 | -6 | BWS | 1953-06-20 Jun 20 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-06-27 10 | H | Fitzroy | 1.3 | 3.3 | 6.7 | 11.9 | 75 | WON | St. Kilda | 0.1 | 3.1 | 5.6 | 7.10 | 52 | 23 | BWS | 1953-06-27 Jun 27 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-07-04 11 | A | Fitzroy | 3.1 | 4.2 | 7.5 | 9.8 | 62 | WON | Collingwood | 2.4 | 4.9 | 6.14 | 7.19 | 61 | 1 | VIC | 1953-07-04 Jul 4 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-07-18 12 | H | Fitzroy | 2.5 | 5.11 | 6.14 | 7.20 | 62 | LOST | Essendon | 4.5 | 6.8 | 10.9 | 14.13 | 97 | -35 | BWS | 1953-07-18 Jul 18 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-07-25 13 | A | Fitzroy | 5.5 | 8.7 | 11.9 | 13.12 | 90 | WON | Richmond | 2.1 | 9.2 | 11.2 | 13.7 | 85 | 5 | PUN | 1953-07-25 Jul 25 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-08-01 14 | H | Fitzroy | 2.2 | 5.9 | 7.10 | 12.18 | 90 | WON | South Melbourne | 3.7 | 3.9 | 5.15 | 7.19 | 61 | 29 | BWS | 1953-08-01 Aug 1 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-08-08 15 | A | Fitzroy | 1.2 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 7.9 | 51 | LOST | North Melbourne | 4.4 | 8.9 | 10.16 | 17.19 | 121 | -70 | ARD | 1953-08-08 Aug 8 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-08-15 16 | H | Fitzroy | 3.1 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 7.11 | 53 | LOST | Footscray | 4.2 | 8.6 | 11.10 | 14.14 | 98 | -45 | BWS | 1953-08-15 Aug 15 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-08-22 17 | H | Fitzroy | 2.4 | 2.7 | 6.10 | 6.13 | 49 | LOST | Melbourne | 3.3 | 5.8 | 6.8 | 9.10 | 64 | -15 | BWS | 1953-08-22 Aug 22 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1953-08-29 18 | A | Fitzroy | 5.2 | 10.4 | 13.4 | 13.6 | 84 | WON | Hawthorn | 2.1 | 4.6 | 7.7 | 9.10 | 64 | 20 | GLE | 1953-08-29 Aug 29 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
1953 Player Stats
| Player | GP | K | Avg | H | Avg | D | Avg | M | Avg | HO | Avg | T | Avg | FF | FA | G | Avg | B | TS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson, Fred | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ashman, George | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Bench, Arnie | 15 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Broderick, Neville | 18 | 2 | 0.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Carroll, Noel | 9 | 1 | 0.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Coates, George | 18 | 13 | 0.7 | ||||||||||||||||
| Cusack, Jim | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Darrigan, Kevin | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Davey, Colin | 6 | 2 | 0.3 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ford, John | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Furness, Don | 14 | 2 | 0.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Gaffney, Jack | 17 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Gale, Alan | 17 | 3 | 0.2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Gervasoni, Jack | 16 | 13 | 0.8 | ||||||||||||||||
| Goodger, Eddie | 16 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Harding, John | 6 | 4 | 0.7 | ||||||||||||||||
| Hart, Don | 10 | 6 | 0.6 | ||||||||||||||||
| Henderson, Bob | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Hickey, Joe | 13 | 40 | 3.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Johnstone, Norm | 18 | 15 | 0.8 | ||||||||||||||||
| Knight, Graham | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| MacGregor, Jack | 16 | 6 | 0.4 | ||||||||||||||||
| Magee, Tom | 9 | 1 | 0.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Meehan, Tom | 17 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Murphy, Joe | 8 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ongarello, Tony | 7 | 13 | 1.9 | ||||||||||||||||
| Renwick, Reg | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ross, Ken | 18 | 5 | 0.3 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ruthven, Allan | 18 | 27 | 1.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| Simpson, Ron | 8 | 4 | 0.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| Spooner, Graham | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Stephen, Bill | 11 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Streader, Jack | 8 | 7 | 0.9 | ||||||||||||||||
| Trickey, Ernie | 3 | 2 | 0.7 | ||||||||||||||||
| Wanhope, Charlie | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Webb, Keith | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| Williams, Vin | 10 | 0 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||||||
| Wright, Kevin | 10 | 0 | 0.0 |