1969-1981 (Fitzroy)

 

197

 

18

 

Fitzroy Captain - 1978

Fitzroy Club Champion - 1974

Fitzroy Team of the Century

 

Harvey Merrigan was a great of Fitzroy through the 1970’s, a club champion, captain, State representative and Team of the Century selection.

 

A 190cm barrel-chested, lock-down fullback, and as reliable as they come, he played on the oppositions guns of his era… Hudson, Wade, McKenna, Templeton, Moncrieff and others… through 197 games from 1969-81.

 

Yet perhaps the one single moment for which he is his best remembered was an unlikely goal in 1979 which gave Fitzroy the highest score in AFL history. It was his 13th goal in his 187th game and came against Melbourne at Waverley.

 

Fitzroy went on to post 36-22 (238) – a score which has been bettered only once since in history - by one point by Geelong in 1992.

 

A favourite with Fitzroy fans and teammates alike through a tough era for the club, he was a fixture in the #36 jumper for a decade before recurring injury. The club was desperate to get him to 200 games. He played two games in 1980 and two in 1981 before losing the battle, but not before a career-best five goals in his second-last game for a career total of 18.