The Fitzroy Stars Football Club acknowledge that the Northern Football League matches are played on the traditional homelands of the Wurundjeri, Traditional Owners of the land in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne.

 The Fitzroy Stars welcome their players, supporters and sponsors back to Victoria Park for our first home game of our new agreement with the City of Yarra.  The STARS have secured a three year deal to play all our home games at historical oval for the next three years.

 Welcome also to our new Senior Coach Christian Gaylard and his Assistant Coach Brad Nordhausen.  Alan Brown will look after the Reserves after two years as Senior Coach.  Alan is looking forward to investing in the future of the club by developing young players.  Alan will require the support of the more experienced players to develop the Young Guns of the future.

 Last week the STARS headed out to Lower Plenty full of confidence and looking forward to a tough clash at an oval that our boys have struggled to master over the past two years.  A couple of dubious decisions meant that we were always playing catch up football and we fought back to get with in a goal in the third quarter.  The Bears to their credit answered our challenge and finished the game full of running winning the game by 49 points.  The Reserves were jumped early but a spirited second quarter proved that they are capable of playing good football.

 STARS Membership for 2010 remains at $60.  There are also a range of sponsorships available including a $250 player sponsorship – Get in early and sponsor your favourite player.  Get onboard and support the club in 2010.

 The Koori community are enjoying the STARS training back at our spiritual home.  The Sir Doug Nicholls Oval has provided the opportunity for the footballers and netballers to come together and create a great family atmosphere on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.  Good luck to the STARS netballers in their second year in the NFL.

 Any community members interested in participating in light exercise and/or health checks are invited to join a walking program and other fun activities at the club.

 Congratulations to Alf Bamblett, the new President of the Fitzroy Stars and Lisa Briggs who has also joined the Fitzroy Stars Board.  Bindi James has joined the club in a part time role and we thank her for her work in recent weeks.  Thank you also to all the volunteers who have ensured that we are prepared for another big year.

 For further details about the club please contact Bindi James on (03) 9389 3211 or 0406 531 581.  The STARS email address is fitzroystarsfc@bigpond.com and our website is www.fitzroystars.com

 Thank you to South MoranG and Hurstbridge for your hosting the STARS in our practice matches in the pre season.  Good luck to both clubs for season 2010.

 Keep Watchin’ the STARS – Star Gazer.

GO STARS!

Supporting Gaylard as playing assistant coach is Brad Nordhausen who will also play a key forward position on field.  Nordhausen comes to the Stars after playing careers at Aberfeldie and Keilor Park where he was leading goalkicker at both clubs.  Nordhausen also played in country South Australia where he was a two-time century goalkicker with Clare Football Club (147 goals and 116 goals) and being the Northern Territory Football League leading goalkicker in 2004/05 with the Wanderers FC.  Nordhausen has also played in the SANFL with Woodville-West Torrens FC and Central Districts FC.

The club can also announce that former senior coach, Alan Brown has been appointed as Reserves Coach for the 2010 season.  Brown is well known to the club and NFL for his two seasons as Fitzroy Stars Senior coach and the club is extremely pleased Brown has agreed to play a key role developing the up and coming players of the club.

The club also wishes to confirm that Pre Season Training has commenced on Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Thursday’s at the Aborigines Advancement Leagues, 2 Watt St, Thornbury (near Thornbury train station.) beginning at 5.30pm each night.

In Division 1 the STARS trailed at the half time break in all 4 games on Saturday, with Coomealla, Cummeragunja and Warma & Warma again in the Semi Final all coming out fired up to give the 4 consequtive carnival champions a red hot go! To the STARS credit we never put our heads down and fought back winning all games in a come from behind fashion. On the Sunday in the Grand Final it was the STARS Vs West Vic Eels, a replay of the 2008 grand final which saw the West Vic Eels lead all day until the STARS came from behind and steal it by 2 pointd in the last 30 seconds of the game, this years final didnt have as much of a dramatic finish but the STARS continue to make history winning their 5th consequtive carnival and ensuring that this era of the STARS wont be forgotten in a hurry and continue to intimidate the opposition teams! The STARS will be back in 2010 ready for any challengers who wish to try and come in the way of a 6th consequtive championship!

- The STAR Gazer -

As you would know that Onemda, VAHS, the Fitzroy Stars and other partners have produced a film about the great work of our Community is doing.

To view the film, grab a cuppa and click on the below link to watch the 30 minute film.
Sharing Our Stories and Building on Our Strengths

http://www.onemda.unimelb.edu.au/multimedia/index.html
Further to the film Ngarra Murray has produced a report that is also associated with the film.
Ngarra’s report can be found here:

http://www.onemda.unimelb.edu.au/publications/reports.html

Feel free to share the film and report with others.

Paul Stewart

Research & Community Development Officer
Onemda – VicHealth Koori health Unit
Centre for Health and Society
The Melbourne School of Population Health
The University of Melbourne

The FSFC had a much better preparation for this season and have picked up some handy recruits that should guide us into the finals series.  Alan Brown has stayed on as head coach and David Nelson has taken up the job for the reserves.

After the completion of the first 13 rounds in Division 2 the division will split into 2 divisions, creating a 3rd Division in the NFL.  Division 3 will consist of the bottom 6 teams after the initial 13 rounds and the remaining 8 teams will stay in Division 2 and the final 5 rounds will be completed before the top 4 teams advance to the finals.

The Fitzroy Stars aim to become a Division 1 team in the NFL to give our players the opportunity to compete in a higher level of the game.

In 2009 the Fitzroy Stars have also entered 2 netball teams in the NFL.  All games are played on Friday nights at the Bundoora RMIT Netball Centre (with maybe 1 or 2 games on a Saturday morning).  Glen Peters is the Coach of the Fitzroy Stars 1 and Kristy Davis coaches Fitzroy Stars 2.

For more information on the 2009 fixture (Dates, Ground Locations etc.) or visit www.nfl.org.au

To become a member of the Fitzroy Stars, contact Irene Morris on 0400 126 167 or Lisa Rose Thorpe on 0439 662 963 or email fitzroystarsfc@bigpond.com alternatively come down to training during the week and organise a membership.

2009 MEMBERSHIP INC.
Entry to all Fitzroy Stars Home & Away games
Half price entry to FS Social functions – exc Presentation
Discount off merchandise
Cost: $60.00

In September 2008, Message Stick aired a profile on the Stars.

They were called the Fitzroy Stars – besides being a great team (winning five premierships in 15 years), they were a hub in the Melbourne Koori community. Some came to play in order to develop their cultural identity, like the boys from government homes and adopted families. Some came to play as a way of staying on the straight and narrow. Some were great, many were brilliant.
This is their story, told through their eyes with heart and integrity.

If you missed seeing it you can watch it at http://www.abc.net.au/tv/messagestick/stories/s2371154.htm

Advice: This website may contain images and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have passed away

June 7th, 2009

Alan Brown is the STARS Seniors Coach.  Former VFL/AFL players Alan Thorpe and Lelly Bamblett are the Assistant Coaches in the Seniors.

David Nelson is the STARS Reserves Coach.  David is assisted by Shane.

Alan Brown is a former players and coach of the Fitzroy Stars Football Club that has enjoyed great success at the club over the past 30 years.

David Nelson has also worn the STARS jumper with great distinction over the years.

Alan Thorpe and Lelly Bamblett have worn the STARS jumper with pride and passion at Victorian Aboriginal Football Carnivals.