Ross Oakley was a deadset criminal. How the Lions were left to die is one of the darkest chapters in the league's history.

i was at that game as a richmond supporter i felt sick watching those pricks from the afl destroy a proud club that should still be with us fitzroy youll never be forgotten.

Sad day indeed - I was there. Thanks for the memories Fitzroy Football Club 1883-1996 R.I.P.

I put money in your cans, to help try and save, being a tiger supporter. No foundation club should be treated like that

My favorite line in the theme: "Win or lose,we do or die! In defeat we'll always try!"

Although i'm a diehard tigers fan, i almost wanted fitzroy to win this game... i was sickened by what i saw, very sad day indeed. Great club song & jumper.

I just like to sing this song... Ahem.. Oh we are the boys of old Fitzroy We are the colours Red Gold and Blue. We will always fight for victory. And we'll always see it through. Win or lose, do or die. In the end, we'll always try. Fitzroy, Fitzroy. A club that we all hold dear, Premiers we will be this year.... *Cries*

I can't watch it without ever getting emotional I was there that day it was the first time I have ever seen opposition supporters singing a rival club song it was the worst game I've ever been to & I would never want to go though that day again 😢

20 years ago today 😔😢

I was on the ground when they ran for the last time. Was 5 years old but still remains one of my best memories.

Wish he’d shut up talking to Richardson and let Fitzroy enjoy the moment

5:55 best banner I've seen

Long live Fitzroy. Thanks for the memories.

I was there on that day,i am one eyed Richmond,but that was a very sad day for footy....i really love seeing Brisbane wear the old Fitzroy colours....

Sad to see the demise of Fitzroy. As a Richmond man I didn’t get any satisfaction from that match at all.

Kevin Sheedy and James Hird went out the same way. Losing to Richmond in the 2nd last game and having to travel to Perth for the last time ever!

demetriou is a aggorant bugger . this was the saddest day for me . i was original a fitzroy supporter i cried so much . i have now go for the mighty brisbane lions . i miss our old club . LION FAN FOR EVER

OMG.. I've never seen anything like this in footy EVER!! Just so sad... :'( :'( :'( This was before my time so i never got to see this and never understood what happened to them and why. Clearly this would not happen today. What a shame!

This from a Melbourne Boy (left in '92) now in Brisbane - Thanks for this emjoi. I never got to see this awesome footage. Its great you posted it. Am a Hawks supporter but Fitzroy were my dads team and my first game in '89. Great!

im crying im a doggie supporter and this is just herrendous . this is the era when the afl lost its sould rip fitzroy

Damn this hits me in the feels.

Did Ch7 really have to speak to Richo for that long? Should have cut that as soon as Fitzroy started their lap.

The sad irony is that the merged club is in a worse state now than the two separate clubs were back in 1996

We survived SOS and 30 years of failure Scott and now we are back with 60,000 members and in the top 8. Sad to see Fitzroy no longer there. Sad when any club goes....get aboard the Tiger Train Scott. Plenty of room for all.

I’m a Brisbane lions fan my self being raised in Queensland but I can’t imagine how they would of felt getting the team team that they supported for that long and getting it taken away from u especially kids, I just can’t imagine how I would feel if Brisbane get moved for example to Tasmania I would be miserable so the afl should of helped them out but at the same time they didn’t give Brisbane much help when they came into the league they gave all of the money to the other teams with afl states but Brisbane just got no help especially with the grounds they had like with the storage containers as change rooms but when I grow up I’m gonna tell my kids (if I have any) about Fitzroy and what happen and keep them going farewell Fitzroy lions

If Fitzroy could hold out a few more years, perhaps just until the 2000s era, they may have survived, especially with the money that entered the game around then. Shame to see them gone, and who knows what the AFL would be like now, if they stayed around

On another note, hearing the song on the TV coverage sounded so much better when it could be heard as it was echoing through the stands instead of being played directly over the coverage, like there's a charm to it, especially with the old Victorian tunes. Anyone else notice/agree with this?

Now we have 18 teams including GC$ and GW$.

I was there that day as a 12 yo and was lucky enough to run out with the boys. A day I’ll never forget ❤️

Many of the Fitzroy players who played in this game agree that the fans of both teams were terrific, however the Richmond players treated them very poorly during the game, with extremely spiteful sledging.

Disrespectful that they interviewed Richo straight after the siren when a 100+ year old club was dying in front of their eyes. I've never warmed to the Brisbane Lions. It was like the death of 2 clubs in 1996 and I still occasionally call them the Bears. In 30 years time it won't matter, all us 'old-timers' will be gone No one remembers University. I have the same pathetic nostalgia for the New Zealand Knights in the A-League!

The VFL/AFL pouring Millions into Gold Coast suns & GWS could not save a club with so much History is absolutely disgusting... *Collingwood Fan*

This was indeed a very sad day for football, and I really do hope it doesn’t happen again. Although in saying that, if the AFL were to reintroduce a Heritage Round, Brisbane could either play a game in Melbourne, away of course, and wear the Fitzroy strip, or the Bears strip if they have a home game.

As a lifelong Fitzroy supporter I was at that match with my boys, I haven't been to an AFL match since. Have lost interest in footy nowadays with its political shit matches and greed.

Request granted! Check out my other videos or search for 'Fremantle v Fitzroy 1996 - Fitzroy's Demise & Auld Lang Sine'

as a Fitzroy fan.. that;s never gonna happen you can see me run on to the MCG here

Fitzroy had their most experienced players retire, and many others also left to go elsewhere. They lose Paul Broderick, John Blakey, Richard Osborne, Paul Roos and Alastair Lynch in the space of a few years and ripped the heart out of the core of the team. If Fitzroy had several more years, they would have been a lot better. And you clearly know nothing about the game about that 'worst club ever' statement. Look up the club called, 'University'. Fitzroy won 8 premierships by 1944.

2 great institutions: Fitzroy and Richo.

Fitzroy could have easily been saved. If it was possible to make the new teams in Port Adelaide and what not, why couldn't they save the club that set up the fucking comp!

Victoria says goodbye to Fitzroy? I think everybody misses Fitzroy. They had some great youngsters coming through. They had Chris Johnson, Jarrod Molloy, Brad Boyd (shame about his career), Simon Hawking, Shane Clayton etc. They had a lot of promise. By 1998 they would have started to win more games.

@carnival111 yeah i was a fitzroy supporter there is hardly any fitzroy left in the lions, the AFL isnt the same without them.

At 5.54 a sign is being held up "F--K the AFL" true then and now ... Long live poor Fitzroy .... Go Demons thank God we didn't merge that same year with the much respected but I dont want to marry Hawks =/

48,884 turned up to this game. Fitzroy's 1996 side would beat Carlton and Melbourne today. Shame that a club founded 113 years earlier with a desire to defeat neighbouring suburbs having to play their last game 2500km away in Perth against Fremantle, a club barely 18 months old.

Well I was only 2 years old here and didnt start following the footy til 2001, but this nearly brought tears to my eyes. Even though Brisbane were originally a seperate team, I still consider them as a relocated Fitzroy in spirit. As someone else has said, fuck GWS and Gold Coast, bring back Fitzroy.

I was there on this day... Thank you Richmond, you guys aren't so bad

If the afl just let Fitzroy merge with north Melbourne you would of had 2 struggling Melbourne clubs turn into a big financial club... i feel sorry for all the lions fans that we lost to the game. They were only 1.5 million in debt. Look at st.kilda Has Carlton who are both over 6 million in debt and the Gold Coast and gws who can only draw 10,000 per game yet they get rid of Fitzroy a club who won 8 premierships....

Fitzroy was a young club. Experienced players had ditched the place for security, leaving the club with a skeleton crew. Had they continued for a few more seasons, they would have had success, but they would never have any support. But the books was not my argument. It was about the talent and a shame that the full talent was never realised under the Fitzroy banner.

My first game I went to was Geelong and Fitzroy in 1993, even though I went for Geelong, I had a place in my heart for Fitzroy. You know that song by Greg Champion? Deep in our hearts everyone goes for Fitzroy. Because Fitzroy is the most loveable team we have got.

God they copped some thrashing in 96 So sad

A relocated Fitzroy, well said - I have always thought that Fitzroy and Tasmania were far more deserving of teams than GWS and Gold Coast.

i miss fitzroy.

The meaning of your statement can be taken several ways. Their final match was against Fremantle, which they lost in round 22. Their final win came earlier in the season (round 7?) against Fremantle. Just thought I'd clarify that.

You cut more teams like this you lose more fans. We need to fight other codes ie soccer. This never should have happened and must never happen again. Ps good to see Richmond supporters show their support

it was the day a foundation club died a club whos shoulders the competition we enjoy today was built on . and im wondering how many games did blokes like kevin murray and mick conlan play for the brisbane lions the answer is zero

Long Live the Roys!

Fitzroy had the first recorded Indigenous player, Joe Johnson. Deadly.❤

I am crying

Agreed, I always wished brisbane would have just came to fitzroy, it was a sad sad day and im a tiger fan.

that was cruel of richmond. they had already won convincingly, they didn't have 2 completely humiliate them

at 4:18 u can see me in the crowd on the fence...He he so exciting

Apparently, The AFL had to make room for Port Adelaide at the Expense of Fitzroy, Financial Pressures in the Early 1990's led to the Lions Merging with the Equally Strapped Brisbane Bears at the end of 1996.

Brad Boyd had back problems. He was probably one of the highest rated youngsters to go to Brisbane from Fitzroy too. But yeah...his back gave him problems for a while and he eventually succumbed. In some sense, a football tragedy.

@SydneyFCPete Money man. Those two areas are a bloody gold mine for the AFL if they can get people involved in games.

Also emjoi, interested to know - how much did Fitzroy's song change from Brisbane Lions song? Words sound a bit different. Can i hear the original anywhere somehow??

RIP!

This wont ever happen again.

5th Line FFC: Win Or Lose we do or die BLFC: All for one and one for all 6th Line FFC: In defeat we always try BLFC: We will answer to the call 7th Line FFC: Fitzroy, Fitzroy, The Club we hold so dear BLFC: Go Lions, Brisbane Lions, We'll kick the winning score 8th Line FFC: Premiers, We'll be this year BLFC: You'll hear the mighty roar

Interesting to see Richmond win a match.

Port adelaide are not in debt.1 They and the crows have a poor stadium deal and that the money they earn goes back to funding the sanfl. The afl only gave them one million dollars of the five million dollars. Also the six million dollars that fitzroy had would be easily 12 million in todays money. I am a brisbane lions fan. I wish that it would go back to state based comps. And i wish that fitzroy were back in the vfl.

This is the only time I can think of that the losing team’s song was played after the game

Does anyone know were i can download the whole game?

Could you put up video of Fitzroy's last game ever (Round 22 1996 vs Fremantle) please?

injustice thats exactly it. i still call bulldogs footscray even though they arent and fitzroy were treated so shit.

Yeah, I wasn't 100% sure...hence the question mark next to the 7.

Make Gold Coast the one Queensland team (1 in a rugby state is enough) and bring Fitzroy back!

Corrections... *From old Fitzroy We WEAR the colours Maroon and Blue Win or lose WE do or die A club we hold so dear Premiers we'll be this year A good song though.

@17mintz Found myself thinking that. There used to be a vid up, but for some stupid copyright law, the vid can only be viewed inside the US. Fancy that, a freaking AFL video and *we* can't watch it!

University, I remember them. Didn't they lose there players to the war? Not really sure what happened, but brisbane will always be known as the Bears to me. There wil be more clubs lost in the future, just who it will be that's the question?

no but you still give it a go but if the afl had a heart your game against freo should of been played in melbourne but if you ask me the afl should have done more to protect one of the vfls foundation members

Does anybody know where can I get this entire game to watch?

Whish that they were still here.

Farewell Fitzroy

Is there any possibility of Fitzroy reentering the league?

I don't understand why the AFL has to merge clubs & then create brand new clubs, why couldn't have relegated Fitzroy to the VFL & promote a new team in Brisbane from their state league? Lol it makes our game look unorganized

Then you look at who they were playing. :( Richmond finished 9th that year after they finished 3rd the year before.

151 points to think 11 years later richmond were pumped similar like that yet whose still playing footy. For those who left fitzroy and never watch footy again i hope you read this and be ashamed at yourselves for being degenerates and not supporting the game in general for those who stayed on you should be proud for those who support other teams now well you done well.

Disgrace that they let this happen

It wouldn't have taken too much to interview a Fitzroy player. Oh, the commentators sounded genuine. Of course, Richardson is going to say everything's good. Fitzroy haven't been allowed to play their last game in Melbourne. The AFL/VFL couldn't wait to see the back of Fitzroy. All the other clubs were getting handouts. Fitzroy got nothing. Thanks for nothing, Ross Oakley

Its hard to go from supporting one Vic side to another Vic side. If Richmond were to die I'd end up as a luke ward supporter of someone like Port or the Lions.

dam we had a good side then, now we are on the rebuild :)

If it wasn't for Fitzroy the lions would not have 3 grandfinals

4.35 Simon Atkins was shocked

would be sik if they where still in the comp.

If only Michael Bowers would watch this...

1st Line FFC: We are the Boys from Old Fitzroy BLFC: We are the Pride of Brisbane town 2nd Line FFC: We wear the colours Maroon and Blue BLFC: We wear Maroon, Blue and Gold 4th Line FFC: And We'll Always See it Through BLFC: Like Fitzroy and Bears of Old

Richmond should of play in more finals matches!

Big shame that the club couldn't do a 'South Sydney" and get back in...

RICH 28.19 (Richardson 7, B.Gale 6, Rogers 4, Powell 3, Naish 2, Bowden, Broderick, Campbell, M.Gale, Merenda, Sullivan) def FITZ 5.6 (Warry 3, Barker, Boyd)

@uraniumdeath round 8 mate. haha sorry just thought id corect it.

Its sad when footy teams are "franchises" and not clubs anymore.. Long gone is "SPORT" - welcome big business.. GIve it 5-10 yrs, will be like soccer with $10,000,000 transfer fees and wages and clubs burning up faster than a paddle pop stick hitting the suns surface.