The old suburban VFL/AFL grounds

[Silent Alarm]

Yeah Western Oval is an average ground to go to these days. Never saw it in its heyday but ran through it a few times going to parties and things in Footascray mate.

The nice old looking stand, with those cool tricolour colours popping, has a natural charm but it's been ruined by the new gym building. They've attached a 2000s building right next to a 60s one and unlike the interesting contrast you get at Lake Oval, it just looks hashed together and really ugly. The terracing is there but the far side (opposite the station) has this really ugly, public primary school looking rec shed ruining the look of the ground. Unfortunately it is a hodgepodge of cheap construction and quickly dated design.

The coolest thing about it was the terracing that used to go out onto the road. That is gone now. The coolest thing about it now is the way you can still see the industrial grunge of the big sign posts in one of the pockets.

As mentioned Vic Park is still the best do up I have seen. They have kept everything they could and refurbed it well. It ticks the boxes for the community and also keeps intact its football history. Even though there's Headspace and a few other things going on in the ground, it still doesn't look like these places have invaded the Collingwoodness of the stadium. It still looks like the old Pies ground. I used to love living a suburb away and walking down for a kick there, also had plenty of great moments kicking snags there at 2am after nights on the piss and all sorts.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Austadiums still have some photos I love going back to. Western Oval's lost its charm immensely. It looked like a tighter, more completed stadium back then. These days it's very open and it is quite obvious it's nothing but a training ground. I don't know, maybe that's it, maybe I think these old grounds should retain the feel they could still be used at the highest level.

http://www.austadiums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1164

 

[footyfan1978]

Had me curious to find images of our old ground as feel so much has changed with it.
Just found this from 1982. Someone taken a personal video at end of ground with people coming on to have a kick of footy after a Carlton v North Melbourne game. Funny seeing duffle coats in crowd of people.

This was about the time I started regularly going to the football. No doubt I was at this game. Was magical times to watch your team and see the scores come through from quarter to quarter on the old big scoreboard from 4 other mathes on at same time from Windy Hill, Junction Oval, Waverley Park and MCG.
Swans would play the last game of round on the Sunday from SCG against Richmond which would be shown live on channel 7 after World of Sport and compete against channel 10 having the live VFA footy.

9 goals to Ross Ditchburn at full forward, 4 to rover Rod Ashman, 2 to centre half forward Mark Maclure, 2 to half forward Wayne Johnston, 2 to Bosustow from half forward, 2 to dynamo Wayne Harmes, 2 to pacy Alex Marcou, 1 to skillful onballer Kenny Sheldon, I to Fizpatrick as one of our two rucks and 1 to tall forward Mark Buckley. Apparently 28,000 of us there on the day. Typical crowd size at the ground in those days.

 

[FootyJunkie]

I think we played Collingwood at our own ground around season 2000. Can't remember why we were playing there but remember Collingwood getting a mother of a hiding.

I remember it being some kind of money tactic by Elliott by requesting it to be played there with confidence that the AFL would later on compensate the Blues by moving the game to the MCG which was vacant on the day. The AFL wouldn't facilitate in breaking a contract in ensuring a certain number of games being played at Princes Park and called Elliott's bluff, so the game known as the "last suburban battle" (for those rivals) went ahead at Princes Park.

 

[footyfan1978]

I remember it being some kind of money tactic by Elliott by requesting it to be played there with confidence that the AFL would later on compensate the Blues by moving the game to the MCG which was vacant on the day. The AFL wouldn't facilitate in breaking a contract in ensuring a certain number of games being played at Princes Park and called Elliott's bluff, so the game known as the "last suburban battle" (for those rivals) went ahead at Princes Park.

nah, interesting spin on it you put but it seems when looking up AFL Tables site that in 2000 was first year of Docklands ground and because Bulldogs were playing home games at Princes Park the year before, whatever the contractual arrangements of games at Princes Park around then meant with Dogs going to Docklands as tenant club then the quota to be at Princes Park meant we played a few more there. To be exact we played 9 home games at Princes Park and 2 at MCG.
So if we playing 2 teams at MCG whom is it going to be? 2 out of Essendon, Collingwood and Richmond.

From memory Collingwood were pretty ordinary around then so it would have been lowest drawing game at MCG out of those three.
Probably the council would not allow less games than 9 at Princes Park and if it got moved to MCG had to be some financial compensation.

A newspaper article around the time would help the specifics.

 

[FootyJunkie]

nah, interesting spin on it you put but it seems when looking up AFL Tables site that in 2000 was first year of Docklands ground and because Bulldogs were playing home games at Princes Park the year before, whatever the contractual arrangements of games at Princes Park around then meant with Dogs going to Docklands as tenant club then the quota to be at Princes Park meant we played a few more there. To be exact we played 9 home games at Princes Park and 2 at MCG.
So if we playing 2 teams at MCG whom is it going to be? 2 out of Essendon, Collingwood and Richmond.

From memory Collingwood were pretty ordinary around then so it would have been lowest drawing game at MCG out of those three.
Probably the council would not allow less games than 9 at Princes Park and if it got moved to MCG had to be some financial compensation.

A newspaper article around the time would help the specifics.

Yes, you are right on the specifics. Was a scheduling quirk for that year in which Carlton had to play a "Big 4" side at Princes Park, so Collingwood ('99 wooden spoon) got the gig. Elliott was hoping it would get moved to the MCG later on and that compensation money would be presented, but it was not meant to be.

To avoid a similar situation in 2001, Carlton did not get a home against Richmond. Carlton's quota of home games at Princes Park then got reduced in later seasons anyway and played their last game there for points in 2005.

 

[FootyJunkie]

Looks good, fills the need for public open space in the inner north, still enough seating capacity to hold VFL games.

When VFL games are played there, is there any effort to block the view of the ground from the outside, or is it fairly lax?

 

[footyfan1978]

Yes, you are right on the specifics. Was a scheduling quirk for that year in which Carlton had to play a "Big 4" side at Princes Park, so Collingwood ('99 wooden spoon) got the gig. Elliott was hoping it would get moved to the MCG later on and that compensation money would be presented, but it was not meant to be.

To avoid a similar situation in 2001, Carlton did not get a home against Richmond. Carlton's quota of home games at Princes Park then got reduced in later seasons anyway and played their last game there for points in 2005.

For mine it was never quite the same from 1996 onwards after Elliott did the stupid thing of building the poorly designed Legends Stand. Really hated that stand and all it did was create debt as he tried to sell those seats as ticketed seats which that end of ground had never been before. Had a much better home atmosphere before as this great moment showed at that end against your Eagles in 1994 clash.

 

[CrazyJoeFevola]

When VFL games are played there, is there any effort to block the view of the ground from the outside, or is it fairly lax?

Unless they've changed things up since I last went to a game there, they don't bother charging entry, you can walk up from whereever, there is no fencing

 

[Teagueeee15]

I recommend anyone that is interested in pictures of the old grounds, check out the around the grounds section on the Herald Sun website. Many of the photos included are from their archives and I've never seen them before.

 

[footyfan1978]

I recommend anyone that is interested in pictures of the old grounds, check out the around the grounds section on the Herald Sun website. Many of the photos included are from their archives and I've never seen them before.

Do you have to pay to see it or is it free to the public ?

 

[NarrowMind]

Do you have to pay to see it or is it free to the public ?

The link below should work.
http://media.news.com.au/nnd/74e73ea05590f1fbea8d0a9dfd9d5ec9/#

 

[Silent Alarm]

The link below should work.
http://media.news.com.au/nnd/74e73ea05590f1fbea8d0a9dfd9d5ec9/#

I never knew Footscray played right next door to Carlton!

I reckon they might've circled the wrong 'Western Oval...' pretty sure Footscray is nowhere near Jewell Station.

Some interesting facts in there too, and some alright photos. Does anyone know why the goal posts were moved inwards for the last year at Western Oval? The Optus Oval video is good too, as much as an overrated bastard I think Koutafides was. It has some good images. I still think handing over the ball to an old player and holding it up was a weird, ill-fitting, pretty naff farewell to the ground... Nonetheless, there is something special about the geography of that ground – it is the nicest sun and twilight sun in Melbs. It just hits it perfectly, it late winter sun to a perfect tee.

The Vic Park photos are rippers. Also has a different but unique way the sun hits it. It's sad seeing all the trinkets they got rid of (the pie stand) and how cool the original ticket box was.

 

[SJ]

I never knew Footscray played right next door to Carlton!

I reckon they might've circled the wrong 'Western Oval...' pretty sure Footscray is nowhere near Jewell Station.

Some interesting facts in there too, and some alright photos. Does anyone know why the goal posts were moved inwards for the last year at Western Oval? The Optus Oval video is good too, as much as an overrated bastard I think Koutafides was. It has some good images. I still think handing over the ball to an old player and holding it up was a weird, ill-fitting, pretty naff farewell to the ground... Nonetheless, there is something special about the geography of that ground – it is the nicest sun and twilight sun in Melbs. It just hits it perfectly, it late winter sun to a perfect tee.

The Vic Park photos are rippers. Also has a different but unique way the sun hits it. It's sad seeing all the trinkets they got rid of (the pie stand) and how cool the original ticket box was.

I believe the ground was extended from the original dimensions to match the MCG area for training purposes, but the goal posts are kept at a similar position for VFL mtaches.

 

[pazza]

Does anyone know why the goal posts were moved inwards for the last year at Western Oval?

IIRC they were moved so to better reflect the dimensions of Optus Oval, where they played their home games before Docklands got built.

 

[Silent Alarm]

I believe the ground was extended from the original dimensions to match the MCG area for training purposes, but the goal posts are kept at a similar position for VFL mtaches.

How could the perimeter become bigger but the space between the fence and goal line also become bigger? You know, considering they didn't/couldn't move the stands?

IIRC they were moved so to better reflect the dimensions of Optus Oval, where they played their home games before Docklands got built.

This sounds more likely.

 

[Garlic muncher]

Yeah Western Oval is an average ground to go to these days. Never saw it in its heyday but ran through it a few times going to parties and things in Footascray mate.

The nice old looking stand, with those cool tricolour colours popping, has a natural charm but it's been ruined by the new gym building. They've attached a 2000s building right next to a 60s one and unlike the interesting contrast you get at Lake Oval, it just looks hashed together and really ugly. The terracing is there but the far side (opposite the station) has this really ugly, public primary school looking rec shed ruining the look of the ground. Unfortunately it is a hodgepodge of cheap construction and quickly dated design.

The coolest thing about it was the terracing that used to go out onto the road. That is gone now. The coolest thing about it now is the way you can still see the industrial grunge of the big sign posts in one of the pockets.

As mentioned Vic Park is still the best do up I have seen. They have kept everything they could and refurbed it well. It ticks the boxes for the community and also keeps intact its football history. Even though there's Headspace and a few other things going on in the ground, it still doesn't look like these places have invaded the Collingwoodness of the stadium. It still looks like the old Pies ground. I used to love living a suburb away and walking down for a kick there, also had plenty of great moments kicking snags there at 2am after nights on the piss and all sorts.

Went down to Vic Park about a month ago when in Melbourne, worked out well as a mate who now lives in the NT was interested in the vinyl ( old records) shops that lead down from Smith St down Johnson St to the ground, the old grungy pubs, and old Victorian houses with back alleys etc all make that part of Melbourne really interesting.

Local kids game going on at Vic park looked about under 16's, Fitzroy V someone, watched that for awhile, wandered over to the Yarra for a beer, another at the Punters Palace when we walked back up to get the tram back to the city, hope Collingwood never loses this type of feel, but did notice plenty of eateries down near the Yarra Hotel that were not there several years earlier when i was last there.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Yeah love Collingwood/Abbotsford, so filthy and grungey but it's not scummy. I guess that's why people pay a million bucks for a terrace there.

 

[PerfectFooty]

North will host game at Arden st during the 2017 preseason

 

[CrazyJoeFevola]

North will host game at Arden st during the 2017 preseason

Pretty costly affair you'd reckon? Temporary fencing, amenities for the sake of squeezing 5000 in?

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

North will host game at Arden st during the 2017 preseason

It is fantastic news and gives a lot of the older north fans something to look forward to. Kudos to the afl and the club.

 

[Teagueeee15]

I would love to go. Having been there a few times and posted pics in this thread it would be interesting to see how they go about things, as I've seen articles hinting at temporary seating. The hill at the city end has quite a number of trees that would rule out temporary stands at that end you would think and would obstruct views if you had a large number of people standing there. I couldn't see them getting away with chopping them down as the Greens have a strong following in the inner suburbs. The outer is really close to the road (as they must have widened the oval at some point) making it difficult to erect temporary seating and at the other end, the hill behind the goals is pretty uneven and has poor sight lines if used as standing room.

 

[Silent Alarm]

You don't have to be a greeny or nimby to realise cutting down trees for a one-off scratchie is dumb, though.

Honestly this is a cool idea, and it is the future of the pre-season comp, but Arden Street will be an interesting case. There really aren't big patches of grass where you could put a big stack of seats. I went to a game down in Albany about ten years ago and they turfed the idea of temporary seating very quickly – everyone just stood around and they managed about 6,000 to 10,000 in there. Once Arden Street has amenities and fences put in, I'm really struggling to see how any kind of seating could be put in.

And that's not a bad thing. Plenty of people will be happy to stand around. Fans and neutrals just like the romance of playing at these old grounds more than anything.

 

[MFV94]

Theres a chunk of space between the clubs facilities and the hill at the fogarty st end to put up a temp stand. I imagine most of the the ground will be standing to get the extra numbers in.

 

[Teagueeee15]

Theres a chunk of space between the clubs facilities and the hill at the fogarty st end to put up a temp stand. I imagine most of the the ground will be standing to get the extra numbers in.

I agree that the Fogarty Street end would have the room to fit some temporary seating and they will have to put that in place. There are also some good viewing spots in front the new admin space.

It is however going to be awful if you are stuck in the standing room in the outer, because the ground actually slopes downhill after the fence, so unless you are up against the fence you ain't going to see anything. I also think the standing at the city end would be problematic because of the shallow incline, flat spots and trees meaning that if you are more than three people deep, you will have to bring a milk crate, otherwise you will only have a good view of the back of someone's head.

Despite this, I'm already looking forward to it. Hopefully the AFL schedules an interstate team so that the crowd isn't to chockers. Knowing the AFL they will probably schedule someone like Hawthorn there.