Moorabbin Oval

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Silent Alarm

sack Lyon
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Jul 9, 2010
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I have ten weeks off uni (Arts students have it tough!). Naturally, nursing hangovers, going to the football, and checking out exhibitions can't fill in every single one of those days. So I'm considering seeing a few more ovals in the next month. Reckon the first on the list might be Moorabbin.

What's it like these days?

In general, it seems like a bit of a forgotten stadium. Out there in the suburbs, I don't think I've ever heard much mention of it – even on bigfooty. What was it like, back in the day? Was it just another victim of ground rationalisation?

I remember seeing some photos of the boxing gym, quite literally, being buried in sand. How many of the stands are left? Is the grass in okay nick?

This 2009 article from the St Kilda FC website says:

"The Club recently signed an agreement with Kingston City Council that will see parts of the Moorabbin reserve opened up for the local community to use.

Demolition work is well underway on the southern end of the grandstand and terraces with the balance of works expected to be completed over the next few weeks. Repair and refurbishment work is also being completed on the GG Huggins Stand building which will remain to house the Saints Social Club, Merchandise Shop, administration offices and football department which is in the process of moving buildings. The Club has an existing lease in place at Moorabbin Reserve until 2040."

But then there's an article, from just eight-ish months ago, talking about "redeveloping Moorabbin's ailing Linton St oval into a community sports hub." So I'm guessing this never actually happened? Stands were demolished, the plans were in place, but there's been no Vic Park-like rejig of the whole place. The same piece says "But after years of disagreement, Kingston Council has resolved to back the club's bid to rejuvenate the Moorabbin Reserve." So are the football club calling the shots? Are they going to be a little more present there, and dictate the community facilities? I'm a bit confused. Mostly because I haven't heard a whole lot about it.

This article from the same time kind of confirms that, because it comes from a more St Kilda perspective. Apparently they've dropped a feasibility study – it'll be a community ground, as well as a co-host to Saints training.

So...
 
There isn't much there anymore.

The GG Huggins Stand and the Ian Drake Pavillion are still standing, although both have seen much better days.
The terracing is all grass now.
They still have the pokies out the back of the Huggins stand and the Museum is worth a look (you have to call and book).
The surface on the oval is fantastic...like a bowling green.
 

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I have seen articles about Southern Dragons maybe moving there, are the saints going to field a stand alone club in the VFA? Hang on Sandringham's home ground is going to be redeveloped, are the Zebras going to play there?
 
The Southern Football Leagues headquarters are there. It's a strange ground, Located in a side street. It was a ground that I went to a fair bit when I was a kid as it was close to home.

The Saints supporters were feral. They always had the place rocking though. If the Saints we getting close that stand would be going off.

Great memories of Moorabbin.

I'd love a VFL comp where games were played at Western Oval, Arden St, Windy Hill, Vic Park, Punt Rd Etc.
 
I used to go to Moorabbin every week back when I was at Uni to watch training. I'd love to go down and watch a VFA Saints play there, though I would be barracking against them (I've rationalized it that the AFL Saints would be a different club - similar to a Port Adelaide Magpies/Power thing in my head). I even donated a few memorabilia pieces to the museum once.
 
BERT said:
The Southern Football Leagues headquarters are there. It's a strange ground, Located in a side street. It was a ground that I went to a fair bit when I was a kid as it was close to home.

The Saints supporters were feral. They always had the place rocking though. If the Saints we getting close that stand would be going off.

Great memories of Moorabbin.

I'd love a VFL comp where games were played at Western Oval, Arden St, Windy Hill, Vic Park, Punt Rd Etc.
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You are in luck, the existing VFL plays games at Windy Hill and Vic Park, both are in use this weekend, in fact! Punt Road and Western Oval will be used next year, I hear Richmond might play a few games at Craigieburn and the Bulldogs will make use of some other Western Suburbs grounds, as the redevelopment has limited the Western Ovals use.
 

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BERT said:
The Southern Football Leagues headquarters are there. It's a strange ground, Located in a side street. It was a ground that I went to a fair bit when I was a kid as it was close to home.

The Saints supporters were feral. They always had the place rocking though. If the Saints we getting close that stand would be going off.

Great memories of Moorabbin.
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It is an unconventional ground. I visited (and threw up some photos in the Old VFL Grounds thread) and the whole place just felt so suburban – and I don't mean suburban VFL, but the home of an ammos team or something. It's probably the grass banks and the houses (not terraces) straight across the road. I still have no idea how to actually quantify why it feels like that – maybe because, unlike Vic Park or Glenferrie, it isn't boxed in? Or maybe it's because it's out in affordable suburbia, not inner suburbia?

They've done really well with the redevelopment, though. The open banks and retention of the old grandstand keeps a nice balance. The only thing I didn't really like was the pokies and how open, barren, and forgotten the big carpark was. It kind of lost its suburban feel there and just ended up having a grimey vibe.
 
St Kilda are going to have a VFL team play out of Moorabbin in 2016, after some redevelopments have been made. http://www.saints.com.au/video/2014-03-13/road-to-2018-moorabbin

I've been to Moorabbin a few times recently and the stands look very run down, but the oval itself is in great condition. The redevelopment will spruce things up a bit again.
 
sverik25 said:
St Kilda are going to have a VFL team play out of Moorabbin in 2016, after some redevelopments have been made. http://www.saints.com.au/video/2014-03-13/road-to-2018-moorabbin

I've been to Moorabbin a few times recently and the stands look very run down, but the oval itself is in great condition. The redevelopment will spruce things up a bit again.
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The oval is far too big
Reminds me of Waverley

They need to bring in the dimensions, build a few terraces, and you'd have a brilliant venue
 
I was involved in the demolition of the place.

It sux that most of the old stands had to be torn down but they were rusting away. Opponents whinge about the safety aspects
 
Pacman82 said:
I was involved in the demolition of the place.

It sux that most of the old stands had to be torn down but they were rusting away. Opponents whinge about the safety aspects
Click to expand...
Did you take anything?

There are some photos where the terraces had concourses full of sand – you couldn't access them except from the ground itself. The Huggins Stand there is probably the worst of the old suburban ovals too. But it's worth keeping for sentiment alone, and for younger blokes like me to explore.
 
Would be interesting to see if, now that there is a set time frame on St Kilda and Sandringham dealigning, if the Zebras would consent to playing a few games in 2015 at Moorabbin, in order to make sure everything is ready for the next year.

It's a ways off yet, but I'm excited about going to the ground as seeing a game for points again (though it will be as an away supporter)!
 
Riccardo11 said:
Would be interesting to see if, now that there is a set time frame on St Kilda and Sandringham dealigning, if the Zebras would consent to playing a few games in 2015 at Moorabbin, in order to make sure everything is ready for the next year.

It's a ways off yet, but I'm excited about going to the ground as seeing a game for points again (though it will be as an away supporter)!
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I know a couple of zebras board members
It is being discussed, but they don't want to be guinea pigs
 
Silent Alarm said:
Did you take anything?

There are some photos where the terraces had concourses full of sand – you couldn't access them except from the ground itself. The Huggins Stand there is probably the worst of the old suburban ovals too. But it's worth keeping for sentiment alone, and for younger blokes like me to explore.
Click to expand...
There was nothing really to take at that stage, they had emptied out each room before demolition. Waverly was good for plundering back in 2000.

Some of the seating areas at Moorabbin were law suits waiting to happen but worth restoring IMO.
 
Pacman82 said:
There was nothing really to take at that stage, they had emptied out each room before demolition. Waverly was good for plundering back in 2000.

Some of the seating areas at Moorabbin were law suits waiting to happen but worth restoring IMO.
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Alright, I have to ask about Waverley then...
 
Silent Alarm said:
Alright, I have to ask about Waverley then...
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Lol. By the time I got around to going there, the grass on the ground was up to me chest. There was an absolute maze of tunnels, corridors & rooms to explore. The joint had been basically plundered before demolition stated. I think I grabbed a big Melbourne Bitter sign from one of the private bars.

I only regret not going there the day after they closed the gate. Such an awesome ground, a real shame they've built a shitty new estate there at the expense of such a great venue.

I recommend going to Vic park for a kick and a look around if you're interested checking out old footy grounds from the suburban glory days.
 
Pacman82 said:
I only regret not going there the day after they closed the gate. Such an awesome ground, a real shame they've built a shitty new estate there at the expense of such a great venue.
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Waverley should have at least been down graded to a 35k ground, with Hawthorn playing their lower drawing games there, saving them having to play in Tassie.
 
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