 During the winter , they played for the Fitzroy Baseball Club , often competing in matches played as curtain raisers to the elite Australian rules football competition , the Victorian Football League . Saturday night entertainment for the family typically consisted of dinner after the day 's cricket for Fitzroy , and Plant , Liddicut and other club personnel were often invited . Under the influence of Plant and Liddicut , the boys were taught to adopt an aggressive approach , using fast feet movement to attack spin bowling in particular . In 1942 – 43 , Neil broke into Fitzroy 's First XI , joining his older brothers Merv , Mick , and Ray . During that season , the family held down the first four batting positions for Fitzroy ; Merv and Mick opened the batting and Ray and Neil came in after them . The four brothers entered the Victorian team in the 1940s ; Merv in 1940 – 41 , Neil in 1946 – 47 , and Ray and Mick in successive seasons thereafter . 
