08/09/2026
Good Evening Lions and Lionesses.
Another monumental day for our Player Photo project with the unearthing of our 1,154th Player Photo.
Henry Edmund Anderson.
Henry was born on the 23rd of May 1892 and was recruited to our Fitzroy FC from the St George Presbyterians FC (in the Hamilton Church Association) and made his Maroons debut in our 7 point defeat of the Richmond FC in Round 6 (on Saturday the 31st of May) in his number 12 jumper at our Brunswick Street Oval in the 1913 VFL Season.
Henry played a further 5 Home and Away games of the remaining 12 Home and Away games for an impressive 5 wins.
Henry played his final Senior game for our Fitzroy FC 9 weeks later in our 33 point defeat of the Richmond FC in Round 15 at their Punt Road Oval on Saturday the 2nd of August.
Our Fitzroy FC captured the Minor Premiership 4 weeks later with 16 wins and 2 losses.
Henry missed, through omission or injury, our 37 point defeat of our traditional neighbouring rivals Collingwood in the 2nd Semi Final at the MCG.
Henry also missed our “Grand Final” loss to the St Kilda FC a week later by 25 points at the MCG.
VFL rules stated at the time that if the Minor Premiers were defeated in the Grand Final, they had a right to challenge the result with a re-match.
Challenge our Fitzroy FC did, defeating the plucky St Kilda outfit the following week in the Grand Final by 13 points at the MCG, as our Mighty Maroons captured our 5th VFL Premiership in the VFL Competition’s 17th year, with Henry missing this game as well.
Henry also enlisted in the AIF in World War 1.
Henry’s nickname, given to him, was “Sport”.
Henry passed away on the 30th of October 1926 at the young age of 34.
Thank you for representing our Fitzroy FC Henry and thank you for your War Service and due to your efforts we still enjoy the freedom we have today.
Rest in Peace Henry.
You are “home” now.
We have only the following 3 Player Photographs to complete are Player Pictorial Mural at our Museum at Marvel Stadium Docklands:
Henry “Harry” James - 1897 (1 game)
Arch Muirhead- 1897-1898 (16 games, 3 goals)
and
Henry Yager - 1897 (1 game)
There is conjecture that:
Henry “Harry” James may not of played his solitary game for our Fitzroy FC in Round 13 of the 1897 VFL Season in our 12 point loss to the Geelong FC at our Brunswick Street Oval
and that
Henry Yager may not of played his solitary game for our Fitzroy FC in Round 9 of the 1897 VFL Season in our 57 point defeat of the St Kilda FC at our Brunswick Street Oval.
We cannot locate these 2 men in any match reports for their solitary games but bearing in mind it was the first year of the newly formed VFL Competition in 1897.
We have various details of both Henry’s lives and football journey’s and whilst they did exist as people, proving that they played their games with our Fitzroy FC is ongoing.
We will endeavour to do more research to confirm if our 2 Henry’s represented our Fitzroy FC at VFL Senior Level in the VFL’s inaugural year.
IF THERE ARE ANY AMATUER SUPER SLEUTHS OUT THERE AND YOU CAN ASSIST US WITH PHOTOGRAPHS OF OUR REMAINING 3 PLAYERS, WE WOULD BE GREATFULLY APPRECIATIVE.
Brenden Campbell and Connors Roberts of the Fitzroy Brisbane Lions Historical Society
