A weekend of community sport in Melbourne’s northern suburbs began not with a whistle but with silence, as teams gathered to pay tribute to fallen footballer Nathan Fitzgerald.
Saturday marked one week since the 27-year-old sustained serious head injuries in a reserves match in the Northern Football Netball League, leading to his death two days later.
Fitzgerald was not far from the minds of his teammates today at Epping Recreation Reserve, with a football guernsey bearing his number painted on the ground above the words ‘Forever Fitzy’.
In front of a crowd of about 1,000 people, Epping Football Netball Club president Luke De Vincentis led a memorial ceremony before a scheduled seniors game.
Teammates of Nathan Fitzgerald linked arm-in-arm at the memorial ceremony. (ABC News: Sacha Payne)
Mr De Vincentis paid tribute to the club’s medical team for their work immediately following the incident, and welcomed the Fitzgerald family out to the centre of the field to applause from the gathered crowd.
Nathan’s father Gary spoke to the gathered crowd, and shared his appreciation for the support following his son’s death.
“We haven’t been blind to the fact that so many people have been impacted by the event and the tragic death of Nathan last week,” he said.
“Because we know as much as we suffer, that everyone that’s here today is suffering as well.”
Hundreds gathered along the sidelines and in the stands to pay tribute before the game. (ABC News: Sacha Payne)
The Epping Football Netball Club reserves team, who Fitzgerald played alongside for the past six years, collectively decided to sit-out their planned match this weekend out of respect for their teammate.
Mr De Vincentis said the team unanimously voted against playing.
“[It’s] far too raw still, a lot of them are still trying to deal with the trauma of what they saw first-hand,”
he said.
Other games in the league continued as scheduled, with umpires and players donning black armbands to show their respects.
Across the league, players and umpires wore black armbands during their games. (ABC News: Sacha Payne)
The effects of the tragic death rippled to the highest level of the game with AFL players also taping black around their arms.
The AFL also confirmed a minute’s silence will be held before Sunday’s match between Melbourne and Fitzgerald’s favourite team, Richmond.
The Epping reserves team will form a guard of honour as Richmond run through the banner for the match.
Melbourne council boosts safety following tragedy
The death of Nathan Fitzgerald sent shock-waves across the wider football community in Victoria, prompting a Melbourne council at the other end of the city to review its sporting reserves.
Mornington Peninsula Shire launched a precautionary review of all of the 46 Shire-managed sporting reserves with synthetic cricket wicket covers ahead of the weekend’s matches.
The death of Nathan Fitzgerald remains front of mind in the football community. (ABC News: Sacha Payne)
Following the review, additional rubber crumb was added to all senior grounds in use over the weekend.
Mayor Stephen Batty said the tragic incident in Epping had influenced the decision.
“While this incident did not occur on the Peninsula, it was important to proactively review our own sporting fields ahead of this weekend’s games,” Cr Batty said.
“The safety of players and everyone who uses our sporting facilities is always our highest priority.”
WorkSafe confirmed this week inspectors are making inquiries following Fitzgerald’s death to determine what further action may be required.
