Opinion Whitten Oval as venue-what worked, what needs work.

[TempleKelvington]

Not sure where this belongs, but I still query whether training at the windiest footy ground on planet earth has a negative impact on our skill level. Can't help the guys to see the ball flying all over the place at training every day.

Wasn't an issue when we played in 3 prelims in a row. It's more a personnel thing than where we train I reckon.

 

[dergert]

I've said it before, bloody put dogs v gws at whitten oval. Could you imagine the passio, you could cut the air with a knife! 9000+ screaming fans, itd be something to tell your grandchildren.
Stop me... I'm dreaming.

 

[TempleKelvington]

Just interested, for those who attended.

What was the match day experience like. There was a crowd of about 9,500, how many more could the stadium have accommodated?

The reason I ask is because I've always felt that low drawing games against smaller interstate clubs (GWS, Gold Coast, Freo, Port) should be played at a ground like Whitten Oval rather than a half empty Etihad.

The crowd was over 12,000. It was a great atmosphere with some issues with queuing. Some more seats would be good of course, but I think the grassy hills and standing areas add to the whole experience.

I don't think it could handle a lot more with current facilities, but it would take very little effort or money to get it to a standard that could easily cater for 15,000 to 20,000. We got just 14,000 people to GWS game at docklands last year, now that game could easily be played at Whitten Oval with a little more work.

 

[TempleKelvington]

I'm just going to assume you haven't seen the ground.

We'd love to play the smaller interstate teams there like the NSW and QLD teams there but the reality is it has no car parking and essentially no stadium.

It has never had car parking, and we are not talking about crowds of 30,000 or 40,000. The experience would different to MCG or Docklands, rather a return to another era. That won't appeal to everyone but it will to enough and we would make money from 15,000 to 20,000.

 

[TempleKelvington]

Ok. Look, it's really not a good fit at all. It would be awesome to play games there but it's nowhere near capable of holding AFL matches. It is barely capable of holding VFL games. It would take years to get up to scratch to hold 10'000 people during the regular season.

Nobody wishes we could play AFL game there more than us but the ground is seriously just a patch of dirt in the middle of suburbia with a pretty good training facility attached to the side.

Put it this way - my Mum, who's in her late 60's, healthy but of average fitness for her age wouldn't go to a Whitten Oval regular game. Way to much walking and nowhere near enough seating or infrastructure.

Going to the footy needs to be an enjoyable experience and I know she'd struggle. Might even turn her off going to AFL games in general.

It would never be for a full season....perhaps 1 or maybe 2 games tops. Footy at the Whitten Oval would be enjoyable to lots of people.

 

[Eastdog]

I've said it before, bloody put dogs v gws at whitten oval. Could you imagine the passio, you could cut the air with a knife! 9000+ screaming fans, itd be something to tell your grandchildren.
Stop me... I'm dreaming.

No reason why we could not play GWS or GC at Whitten Oval in the future. This time if we played next there would get a seat in the Whitten Stand but wouldn't mind standing once again with beer in hand

 

[cammo78]

To be honest, I'm staggered that people who were clearly there on the weekend think the place is capable of hosting AFL matches, regardless of the opposition.

 

[littlenails]

With due respect mate - you've had 6 weeks to buy tickets, hardly the club's fault you waited til a few days beforehand only to find they were sold out. Those empty seats were likely people who decided to enjoy the sun instead or just not show up. Why would they lie?

As for the second ticket. Suggests a user issue to me. Not sure how this is relevant feedback to the club.

Don't diasgree on the lines, etc, as they clearly under did the catering side of things.

Thanks for your feedback and your opinion. Were you one of the guys stuck in the lines. Do you think that the space outside the ground could have been used to house refreshment stands?

There is always somebody who wants to argue about nothing. As far as I am aware no information was provided to members regarding ticket availability in the stands. I am not blaming the club for selling out. My focus was that I was told there were no seats left and yet one section of the Whitten Stand (the John Schultz section) was completely empty for a long period of time - well into the first quarter. OK, might have belonged to a bus-load of people from up the bush who were late.

Why would anybody lie to you? If they don't know the answer some people say they don't know, other people say they will find out, some people just make stuff up.

Why do you assume it is a user issue for the second ticket. You think that I have never bought tickets on line before. I could only buy a package deal that included 2 tickets. It is relevant feedback because it is false and misleading advertising to offer a pensioner ticket at $6 and then have him pay $28.50.

When I lived in Perth and went to watch the Bulldogs at the Subiaco ground I cannot remember paying less than $40 for a ticket, that included going with the WA Supporters Group. I have often paid well over $100 a ticket having to buy them on Ebay. For such great entertainment I think that the ticket prices here are cheap. What do you think about the ticket prices?

 

[MYOB]

The fact that you are on this website suggests you have access to the internet. So to say the club did not give any information about seats in the stand is ridiculous.

The club sent out many emails, it was on the website, twitter and facebook advising that you could buy a seat in the stand. It also advised that those tickets sold out at least a week before the game. I suppose Ticketmaster was lying about the grandstand seats being sold out when many people on here went to purchase one and couldn't.

As for your 2 ticket purchase, I agree with cammo78. For you to think they would make you buy 2 tickets is ridiculous. No one else seems to have had that problem. As for your Subiaco experience, I don't understand what that has to do with this.

 

[littlenails]

The fact that you are on this website suggests you have access to the internet. So to say the club did not give any information about seats in the stand is ridiculous.

The club sent out many emails, it was on the website, twitter and facebook advising that you could buy a seat in the stand. It also advised that those tickets sold out at least a week before the game. I suppose Ticketmaster was lying about the grandstand seats being sold out when many people on here went to purchase one and couldn't.

As for your 2 ticket purchase, I agree with cammo78. For you to think they would make you buy 2 tickets is ridiculous. No one else seems to have had that problem. As for your Subiaco experience, I don't understand what that has to do with this.

Thanks for your reply, it is great to see people sticking up for the club. I can't remember getting an email from the club regarding seats in the stand, if so, I stand corrected.

About the ticket sellers I think you are supposing too much as you just don't know and like cammo78 are just making things up. When I related my Subiaco experience I expected you to link the relatively high cost of ticket I paid there with the cheaper price ($28.50) that I ended up paying here and therefore concluding that I am not too phased about the extra that I had to pay.

Regarding the 2 ticket purchase I already pointed out that I met somebody else with the same problem. It is ridiculous, I agree, but to paraphrase a popular slang phrase 'ridiculous happens'.

Did you notice that the flag flying in the distance was a bulldog flag with the new logo. At one stage of the game it seemed to be flying at half mast. Would this have been for Dave/Luke Darcy's mother who just passed away? I didn't hear any announcement about it.

I like your moniker - MYOB. Mind your own business, we used to say MYOB to each other a lot as kids, a long time before the MYOB accounting software came out.

 

[Butane]

It has never had car parking, and we are not talking about crowds of 30,000 or 40,000. The experience would different to MCG or Docklands, rather a return to another era. That won't appeal to everyone but it will to enough and we would make money from 15,000 to 20,000.

It would never be for a full season....perhaps 1 or maybe 2 games tops. Footy at the Whitten Oval would be enjoyable to lots of people.

How awesome would it be to play there! We'd get a legit home advantage, our own ticket sales and a patch of grass to call our own again. It would be fantastic but it's not even close to to remotely possible in the next 3-5 years. We'll be playing at Kardinia Park or Princes Park before Whitten oval.

It never had a carpark and that's a big reason why we had to move and that was 20 years ago - and that was a different era! It's also a reason that Princes Park isn't seen as a viable option but even then I think they have the area to build a makeshift one unlike the Whitten oval. The local council had a big problem with the Whitten Oval all those years ago too and if anything, things have gotten worse with the lack of infrastructure and built up community around the ground.

I still look at Mum as a good example of why the Whitten Oval can't be an AFL venue. Late 60's, in good health, can get to all games at Etihad but no way would enjoy the comfort levels at Whitten Oval. She might trial it once but I guarantee you she just wouldn't go next time. This is not what the Bulldogs and AFL want.

To be honest, I'm staggered that people who were clearly there on the weekend think the place is capable of hosting AFL matches, regardless of the opposition.

Me either. It's a wish and I'd love for the club to start building a plan towards that so that one day in the future we can return home but it's years off.

We were lucky to get VFL games there last year. In fact, I think they even had to make special considerations to even allow that.

 

[footyfan000001]

Absolutely miles off standard to play an AFL game. Even if its against GWS. Would need at least another stand on the opposite wing so the venue can hold at least 15-20,000 people. And the facilities would need massive work too - eg bars, toilets, food stores, function room etc. Would need at least 4-5 years of work on it. If we did get it done - it would be HUGE for the club financially.

 

[ivan rassmussen]

Agree, it is a pipe dream to ever have an AFL match at the ground again. Unless the AFL, council and state govt stumped up significant cash. It needs more undercover areas, and in this era, significantly more seating. The facilities need to be expanded. And from memory the Whitten Stand had been raised as a major issue by the MFB, due to its safety in terms of access and exit in case of fire. I'm not sure these have been fully addressed, anyone know?

I'd love nothing more than to watch footy there again, but can't see it happening, tbh.

On a side note, I believe I was standing near VD, Nathan and some others at the start of the game. Not sure if anyone in the vicinity of the Geelong (not Cross!) Rd goals noticed, but good to see Matty Croft and his (twin?) boys standing half-way up the hill behind the goals, obviously still a passionate supporter. Murph gave him a wave at the end when they came up to the cheer squad. How far are his boys off being drafted?!

 

[cammo78]

Agree, it is a pipe dream to ever have an AFL match at the ground again. Unless the AFL, council and state govt stumped up significant cash. It needs more undercover areas, and in this era, significantly more seating. The facilities need to be expanded. And from memory the Whitten Stand had been raised as a major issue by the MFB, due to its safety in terms of access and exit in case of fire. I'm not sure these have been fully addressed, anyone know?

I'd love nothing more than to watch footy there again, but can't see it happening, tbh.

On a side note, I believe I was standing near VD, Nathan and some others at the start of the game. Not sure if anyone in the vicinity of the Geelong (not Cross!) Rd goals noticed, but good to see Matty Croft and his (twin?) boys standing half-way up the hill behind the goals, obviously still a passionate supporter. Murph gave him a wave at the end when they came up to the cheer squad. How far are his boys off being drafted?!

Sounds like life replicating work, Ivan...I was also in pretty much that spot.

 

[ivan rassmussen]

Sounds like life replicating work, Ivan...I was also in pretty much that spot.

Are you stalking me cammo78?!

 

[TempleKelvington]

It never had a carpark and that's a big reason why we had to move and that was 20 years ago - and that was a different era! It's also a reason that Princes Park isn't seen as a viable option but even then I think they have the area to build a makeshift one unlike the Whitten oval. The local council had a big problem with the Whitten Oval all those years ago too and if anything, things have gotten worse with the lack of infrastructure and built up community around the ground.

I still look at Mum as a good example of why the Whitten Oval can't be an AFL venue. Late 60's, in good health, can get to all games at Etihad but no way would enjoy the comfort levels at Whitten Oval. She might trial it once but I guarantee you she just wouldn't go next time. This is not what the Bulldogs and AFL want.

Princess park does not have a train station 100m from the ground. I think that is probably more of an issue than parking although in it's case it lacks both. Whitten Oval is well serviced by trains.

I understand what you are saying about your Mum, but there are still seats at the ground and if they ever did anything about playing an AFL game there I'm sure there would be more. So your mum should still be seated in comfort. The rest of us who don't mind a beer on the hill will enjoy that opportunity.

So of course it won't suit everyone but for those games where we draw small crowds it would be a great option to have this kind of experience once a year. Facilities are going to be improved anyway for Footscray, future NABs and night cinema and a much better score board will soon be in place. It's not inconceivable that with very little extra money or effort that the ground could host an AFL match against GWS/GC catering for 16,000 or so. We'd have a clean stadium financially and would make a buck.

My ideal is 1 NAB and 1 main season game at WO per year, 2 games in Ballarat and the 8 games at Docklands. I suspect we'd play any of GWS, GC, Port, WCE and Freo in these matches.

 

[TMoney22]

Sorry but missing a quarter of footy for a drink is a disgrace.

Everything else was pretty good and still enjoyed the day

 

[fabulousphil]

How awesome would it be to play there! We'd get a legit home advantage, our own ticket sales and a patch of grass to call our own again. It would be fantastic but it's not even close to to remotely possible in the next 3-5 years. We'll be playing at Kardinia Park or Princes Park before Whitten oval.

It never had a carpark and that's a big reason why we had to move and that was 20 years ago - and that was a different era! It's also a reason that Princes Park isn't seen as a viable option but even then I think they have the area to build a makeshift one unlike the Whitten oval. The local council had a big problem with the Whitten Oval all those years ago too and if anything, things have gotten worse with the lack of infrastructure and built up community around the ground.

I still look at Mum as a good example of why the Whitten Oval can't be an AFL venue. Late 60's, in good health, can get to all games at Etihad but no way would enjoy the comfort levels at Whitten Oval. She might trial it once but I guarantee you she just wouldn't go next time. This is not what the Bulldogs and AFL want.

just read a story on fox sport about the Bulldogs possibly upgrading and playing at Whitten Oval, IMO a great idea.

Just on supporters going to different grounds, i go to most of West Perths home games at Joondalup ( northern suburbs) but when they play down at Leederville ( close to the city and traditional home ground) i don't go.

What tends to happen is that each ground tends to have it's own set of fans, i recognise plenty of familiar faces at Joondalup but hardly any at Leederville, i would imagine that the same scenario may happen at Etihad and Whitten.

 

[Morris Major]

I grew up in Hawthorn and have lived in that area all my life, I've never had the opportunity to be surrounded by Doggies support. NAB game was a good start, absolutely loved it.

If we ever get a chance to play proper H&A games there it would be amazing.

 

[Eastdog]

I grew up in Hawthorn and have lived in that area all my life, I've never had the opportunity to be surrounded by Doggies support. NAB game was a good start, absolutely loved it.

If we ever get a chance to play proper H&A games there it would be amazing.

Where abouts do you sit at the footy at Etihad? Always a decent number on the Belgrave train line. It was fantastic going to our spiritual home the Whitten Oval.

 

[SonOfScray]

I grew up in Hawthorn and have lived in that area all my life, I've never had the opportunity to be surrounded by Doggies support. NAB game was a good start, absolutely loved it.

If we ever get a chance to play proper H&A games there it would be amazing.

Great point. One of the big value adds of bring football back to Whitten Oval has been the opportunity to create a tangible sense of tribalism and strength in our numbers. People want to feel part of something. It is easily achieved at VUWO because the environment demands it.

 

[Eastdog]

Great point. One of the big value adds of bring football back to Whitten Oval has been the opportunity to create a tangible sense of tribalism and strength in our numbers. People want to feel part of something. It is easily achieved at VUWO because the environment demands it.

Agree SOS. Its our real home turf and no matter how close or far we live from it - its a special place for all Dogs fans. Etihad even though I sit in a pro Bulldogs area on Level 1 it annoys me when fans from the opposition come in there.

 

[charcoalchicken]

What exactly would it take to be able to start playing AFL games here again?

I know we would need a new stand all around the oval but what else, a good car park too, cost wise how much do you think it would be?

I'm sure it would be worth doing as were getting screwed at Etihad and to have our own home ground again would be great for the fans and a club as a whole and would be able to start raking in the moolah again.

 

[DognBones]

What exactly would it take to be able to start playing AFL games here again?

I know we would need a new stand all around the oval but what else, a good car park too, cost wise how much do you think it would be?

I'm sure it would be worth doing as were getting screwed at Etihad and to have our own home ground again would be great for the fans and a club as a whole and would be able to start raking in the moolah again.

Be patient! Etihad is a great stadium and by far the best from a spectator's point of view. It is also due for a major upgrade and the financial disadvantages will be sorted by the AFL pending some support from the State Government. Read the hyperlink for the report.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-04-29/ambitious-plan-underway-to-upgrade-etihad-stadium

 

[dogwatch]

We have put our new-stadium-development eggs into the Ballarat Eureka basket.

There's no way anyone (private investors, state government, AFL) would look at doing VUWO as well, and that's before we even consider the costs and complexities which are many.

The main thing we need to ensure is that any new plans for Etihad result in a fair and equal renegotiation of the WB stadium deal. We don't want to hear them say "oh, sorry, the new investment in the docklands complex means we have to continue screwing the smaller clubs for another 20 years".