PLAYERS kept their eyes up, there were tears among supporters, and in the centre was a dignified Roosters’ coach Gerard FitzGerald signing off one last time.
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North Ballarat Roosters and rival Coburg formed a guard of honour for FitzGerald to leave the field. Fittingly first with a quick handshake from Coburg captain Nick Carnell, who retired in a decorated Victorian Football League career last week.
Roosters sang the club song as a team – FitzGerald remained firm linked to his players, turning down a chance to move into the centre, because this was about his team. They secured a 42-point win against Coburg to finish the season ninth with eight wins and 10 losses. It polished off a remarkable turn-around in the second half of the season for the Roosters, who had a string of thumpings early on.
Then FitzGerald spoke. Roosters premiership players were behind him. Long-time club servants by his side.
“I thank the football club for giving a country footy coach, a bit of an unknown lad, an opportunity way back in 1996 to join a high quality footy club that in itself said it's time for the club to take a challenge, to leave the local competition and have a go in the VFL. And I've always admired the footy club for that because it had the courage to go to the next step, to see a challenge and embrace it,” FitzGerald said.
He spoke about respect for the game, opportunities its brings. He spoke about relationships, about partnerships with North Melbourne, Ballarat and in the wider region.
And he spoke about history. How the club has evolved in the VFL, the people who built the club’s foundations, and the club’s achievements.
”For a long time, people said 'I don't know whether a country footy club can be the best club in the VFL. Well we were and we were three times. We did it because we were able to form relationships and the relationship with North Melbourne's a beauty,” FitzGerald said.
“We respect our history and we're great with our history. The footy club's got a history to take on the challenge and have a go at it.”
Then, he thanked his players for having the courage and maturity for a measured approach in turning their season around – most evident in the high-quality brand of football they have served up.
“I thank you all for your support which has been considerable since the second half of the year, I have really appreciated the support,” FitzGerald said.
“What I said to my boys in the team meeting, is you know what would make me happiest of all, is to see you play well, see you win, to see our football club do well and to see people proud of our footy club and proud of our city.”
FitzGerald coached out the season after the North Ballarat board chose to not renew his contract at the season’s end. The Roosters are still in the process of appointing a coach to lead the club into a new standalone era in 2016.
Roosters chief executive officer Mark Patterson said the club would properly acknowledge FitzGerald in the Roosters’ best and fairest dinner on September 25.