The old suburban VFL/AFL grounds

Grumblez

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Mar 19, 2015
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I still don't understand why Princes Park isn't used for low-drawing games. By the looks of it the capacity would still be about 20k. Why not upgrade it a bit and give Melbourne the long-awaited 3rd stadium it needs???

I don't get y they didn't keep Waverley , with some money to upgrade the stands it would have been a great venue
 

Rusty Brookes

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I went to Glenferrie Oval for the first time in a long time for a family day and happy to report that the council have actually done a bit of work on the old girl. Some nice benches on the Glenferrie Rd end, easier access through the awesome tunnel underneath the train tracks and the ground was in much better nick than last time I was there. Perhaps councils are realising old VFL grounds are amazing assets.
 
I don't get y they didn't keep Waverley , with some money to upgrade the stands it would have been a great venue

Lack of direct public transport is, and always has been, its main issue. You need to catch a train, jump on a bus and then walk another km just to get there!

Whereas Princes Park is right in the city with the tram line right across the road from it and just mins from the CBD.
 

Riccardo11

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Jul 24, 2013
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Was at Ikkkkkkon (Princes) Park yesterday and, having only been there once before for an AFL game, was concerned at the state of the facilities. The stands are in various states of neglect/disrepair, especially the 100 old wooden stand, the paint is peeling, the seats are weather beaten and it looks like little to no upkeep is being done on anything except the new training facility which replaced the Heatley Stand/Social Club area.

If it is to be returned to it's place as an AFL venue, most of the stands need to be demolished rather than refurbished and the training facility would need to be either removed or remodeled to allow for spectator access (no way a stadium could be used unless it was fully seated.

I was disappointed, actually, the Blues have given part of the ground a face lift, but are allowing the rest to decay badly. It's pretty sad.
 

bombersfan4000

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Lack of direct public transport is, and always has been, its main issue. You need to catch a train, jump on a bus and then walk another km just to get there!

Whereas Princes Park is right in the city with the tram line right across the road from it and just mins from the CBD.
people still use to whinge about the lack of public transport at Princess park as well
 

bombersfan4000

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Was at Ikkkkkkon (Princes) Park yesterday and, having only been there once before for an AFL game, was concerned at the state of the facilities. The stands are in various states of neglect/disrepair, especially the 100 old wooden stand, the paint is peeling, the seats are weather beaten and it looks like little to no upkeep is being done on anything except the new training facility which replaced the Heatley Stand/Social Club area.

If it is to be returned to it's place as an AFL venue, most of the stands need to be demolished rather than refurbished and the training facility would need to be either removed or remodeled to allow for spectator access (no way a stadium could be used unless it was fully seated.

I was disappointed, actually, the Blues have given part of the ground a face lift, but are allowing the rest to decay badly. It's pretty sad.
the AFL was more interest in centralising the the game to be played in state of the art facilities like Docklands & MCG, optus oval was totaly forgotton about.

its been rather stupid how the AFL and even the Blues have neglected the oval. they had that legends stand built at one end of the ground, then built their new training facility down the other end behind the goals. the chances of it ever being used again is slim, but hopefully im wrong.
 
the AFL was more interest in centralising the the game to be played in state of the art facilities like Docklands & MCG, optus oval was totaly forgotton about.

its been rather stupid how the AFL and even the Blues have neglected the oval. they had that legends stand built at one end of the ground, then built their new training facility down the other end behind the goals. the chances of it ever being used again is slim, but hopefully im wrong.
And the Legends Stand is terrible.
 

blueboy25

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the AFL was more interest in centralising the the game to be played in state of the art facilities like Docklands & MCG, optus oval was totaly forgotton about.

its been rather stupid how the AFL and even the Blues have neglected the oval. they had that legends stand built at one end of the ground, then built their new training facility down the other end behind the goals. the chances of it ever being used again is slim, but hopefully im wrong.
Not sure how much more Carlton could have done without the AFL or even the state governments help but they were too busy pumping money into Kardinia Park. It's not exactly cheap to upkeep a ground that size.
 
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bombersfan4000

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Not sure how much more Carlton could have done without the AFL or even the state governments help but they were too busy pumoing money into Kardinia Park. It's not exactly cheap to upkeep a ground that size.
the government put money into Kardinia park, due to it being a regional facility. Carlton couldn't have done much more in keeping it up to date. im sure if it was still an AFL venue, the Blues would still have had the funds, with added help from the AFL to modernise it a bit.
for AFL in general the Vic government does stuff all
 

Riccardo11

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Not sure how much more Carlton could have done without the AFL or even the state governments help but they were too busy pumping money into Kardinia Park. It's not exactly cheap to upkeep a ground that size.
Then knock 3/4 of the stands down and make it a public park, as Victoria Park has become, only you have your training facilities and social club there as well. Then the council helps pay for the upkeep with the understanding that training times are the only times the ground is off limits.
 

blueboy25

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Then knock 3/4 of the stands down and make it a public park, as Victoria Park has become, only you have your training facilities and social club there as well. Then the council helps pay for the upkeep with the understanding that training times are the only times the ground is off limits.
Yeah you are right, maybe we should get the government to spend millions on a new training facility but after a few years decide we don't like it and want to move back to Moorabin or Junction Oval.
 

bombersfan4000

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Yeah you are right, maybe we should get the government to spend millions on a new training facility but after a few years decide we don't like it and want to move back to Moorabin or Junction Oval.
isn't the government or council already spending millions on Moorabbin?
 

bombersfan4000

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And the Legends Stand is terrible.
being a cats fan, SJ perhaps you could shed some light. the new stand at Kardinia park , why wasn't it built at the other end of the stadium where the hill. instead of knocking down the old stand behind the goals Wade/ Hickey stand.
 

Riccardo11

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Yeah you are right, maybe we should get the government to spend millions on a new training facility but after a few years decide we don't like it and want to move back to Moorabin or Junction Oval.
I was making a practical and fair suggestion. No need to throw your toys out of the pram.
 
being a cats fan, SJ perhaps you could shed some light. the new stand at Kardinia park , why wasn't it built at the other end of the stadium where the hill. instead of knocking down the old stand behind the goals Wade/ Hickey stand.
I don't know the answer to that, I assume it had to do with the fact that it was older.
 

bombersfan4000

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I don't know the answer to that, I assume it had to do with the fact that it was older.
maybe as oppose to the hill on the other side of the ground. as a kid growing up, that was the stand that always stood out to me the most from the old club grounds. a bit of repair work it would have awesome if they had of kept it:(
 
maybe as oppose to the hill on the other side of the ground. as a kid growing up, that was the stand that always stood out to me the most from the old club grounds. a bit of repair work it would have awesome if they had of kept it:(
It was a white elephant though. It had wooden benches and poles in front of the seats.

The Ablett Terrace (city end), whilst smaller, is newer and less restricted.
 

Teagueeee15

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the government put money into Kardinia park, due to it being a regional facility. Carlton couldn't have done much more in keeping it up to date. im sure if it was still an AFL venue, the Blues would still have had the funds, with added help from the AFL to modernise it a bit.
for AFL in general the Vic government does stuff all

I think the government put money into Kardinia because of all the marginal electorates around Geelong. The electorate that includes Princes Park at both state and federal levels are held by the Greens and is an anti-conservative area in general. No need for Labour/greens to buy votes and pointless the Liberals trying too.
 
I think the government put money into Kardinia because of all the marginal electorates around Geelong. The electorate that includes Princes Park at both state and federal levels are held by the Greens and is an anti-conservative area in general. No need for Labour/greens to buy votes and pointless the Liberals trying too.

Add to that the green voters want the place to be a park, not a footy complex
 
It was a white elephant though. It had wooden benches and poles in front of the seats.

The Ablett Terrace (city end), whilst smaller, is newer and less restricted.

I'm under the impression that the Ablett Terrace will be part of one of the next stages of redevelopment so the entire ground will look similar to the new stand?
 
Jul 4, 2012
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I'm under the impression that the Ablett Terrace will be part of one of the next stages of redevelopment so the entire ground will look similar to the new stand?
The Brownlow and Jennings stands will be the next to go to modernise the media and playing facilities and really boost capacity since currently they only hold just over 5k, it will be an extension of the Premiership stand. The Ablett Terrace and Ford Stand will be redeveloped eventually but there is no idea when.
 
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