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Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Brisbane Lions win goes viral after French woman hears her anthem and calls Bill Stephen's team song stolen
Brisbane Lions win goes viral after French woman hears her anthem and calls Bill Stephen's team song stolen (Image Via X) A French traveller, known on TikTok as @bonjourmelbourne, was stunned during a Brisbane Lions match at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Thursday night. As the Brisbane Lions sang their theme song after defeating Carlton by 37 points, she suddenly recognised the tune. With her jaw dropping, she asked: 'Can someone explain why the French anthem is the Brisbane Lions theme song?' This unexpected realisation sparked surprise and curiosity across social media and among footy fans. Bill Stephen and the 1952 inspiration at Fitzroy On an end-of-season trip to Perth in 1952, former Fitzroy player Bill Stephen and his teammates were riding a train when they watched the film Casablanca. In one scene, German soldiers sing their anthem in a restaurant, but are eventually drowned out by the French singing La Marseillaise. Bill Stephen, struck by the moment, decided Fitzroy needed a unifying song. — lionsdi (@lionsdi) He then used the tune of La Marseillaise to create a team song. He wrote the first line, 'We are the boys from Fitzroy, my lads,' and invited other players to contribute lines. They reportedly sang it around 30,000 times by the time they returned to Melbourne. Though the French Embassy expressed concern, its officials accepted the song as a tribute. The tune became the enduring anthem of Fitzroy. Also Read: AFL Loses A Gem: 40-Year-Old Troy Selwood, A Former Brisbane Lions Midfielder Josh Dunkley, Noah Answerth and modern context in Melbourne At Marvel Stadium on Thursday, the Brisbane Lions, now playing under the merged identity of Fitzroy and Brisbane Bears since 1997, celebrated their 15.13 (103) to 9.12 (66) victory over the Carlton Blues. Key players included Josh Dunkley (28 disposals, 13 tackles), awarded the inaugural Robert Walls Medal; Lachie Neale (31 disposals); Dayne Zorko (28); Will Ashcroft (28); and Charlie Cameron, who scored three goals. The only downside was a suspected season‑ending Achilles injury to defender Noah Answerth, substituted before halftime. Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan praised the team's pressure tactics: 'We got 35 forward-half turnovers, 20 tackles inside‑50… All that was on the back of pressure and good tackling.' After the win, the stadium resonated with 'The Pride of Brisbane Town', its melody unmistakably French which left the French visitor in awe and many football fans amused. This amazing connection between French national pride and Australian football spanned decades from Bill Stephen's 1952 matchday inspiration to the modern roar of Brisbane Lions players and fans. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
French woman shocked after realising AFL team copied her national anthem
A French traveller visiting Australia was left astonished after attending an AFL match at Marvel Stadium, where she discovered that the Brisbane Lions Football Club's team song sounded very familiar. TikTok user @bonjourmelbourne witnessed Brisbane's impressive 37-point win over Carlton on Thursday night and says her 'jaw dropped' when she heard the club's team song echoing around the ground. 'Can someone please explain why the French anthem is the Brisbane Lions theme song,' she posted. Some footy fans were also confused by the bizarre revelation, but diehard Lions fans set her straight in the comments section. The club's team song, 'The Pride of Brisbane Town', is indeed sung to the tune of La Marseillaise, the French national anthem. The Lions adopted the tune in 1997, but it originates from Fitzroy, who merged with the Brisbane Bears to form the club. The song was written by former player Bill Stephen while on an end-of-season trip to Perth in 1952. 'We really didn't have a song that united us at Fitzroy, and I had just been to the pictures to see Casablanca and was impressed by the scene in the restaurant,' Stephen explained. 'The Germans were belting out their Nazi song, and some bloke started singing this French song. Gradually all the French joined in and overwhelmed the Germans with their voice. I was very impressed with the song, La Marseillaise. 'As we were in a carriage on our way to the West having a booze-up, I told the boys that we needed a good song and gave them the tune to La Marseillaise. 'Anyway, I wanted all the boys to help make up the song. I started them off with the first line, which was, 'We are the boys from Fitzroy my lads,' then I went to all the others and each gave me a different line. 'We must have sung it 30,000 times by the time we got home a fortnight later. That song kept Fitzroy people alive during our bad days. People used to sing it, and sing it, and sing it.' The Lions showed no mercy against the Blues last week, romping to a 15.13 (103) to 9.12 (66) victory at Marvel Stadium. Brisbane's Josh Dunkley (28 disposals, 13 tackles) was awarded the inaugural Robert Walls Medal, struck in honour of the dual-club great, who died in May. The only sore point for the Lions (12-4-1) was Noah Answerth's suspected season-ending achilles injury, which led to the defender's substitution before halftime. Lachie Neale (31 disposals), Dayne Zorko (28) and Will Ashcroft (28) were all influential and Charlie Cameron (three majors) led a group of 11 Brisbane goal-kickers. 'Our pressure was good tonight,' Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said. 'We got 35 forward-half turnovers, which is a large number, 20 tackles inside-50, seven goals eight from forward-half turnovers. 'All that was on the back of pressure and good tackling, so it was a very good effort in that regard.'
