The Future of Waverley Park

[brad sue well]

Too little uses for Waverley for too few prospective buyers. It had to be a professional sporting body, team, government or private school with the cash / funding to purchase.

If we got $15m for it, that’s a good result.

No harm in asking for the $20m but the market has watched and spoken.

Heritage listed grandstand, oval, little parking, little public transport.

I’ll miss the days of sitting in the outer in the Hawthorn members but that ship has long sailed as we have embraced the MCG, Launceston, open our new training base at Dingley and strive towards another Hawthorn flag.

Thanks for the memories, Waverley Park!

I actually submitted an assessment for VCE English which was around newspaper analysis and at least one of my analysis was on the closure of Arctic Park!

Ha, 1995 geography assignment for me. History of the ground, I interviewed a number of patrons to find out how far they travelled. I still have it. John Wood was one of them and he was super nice and I think he gave me a few dollars to buy myself a drink.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

I've noticed going through Facebook comments and the like, that nobody seems to understand this.

Social media comment streams will make it clear that the vast majority of people barely understand anything they see fit to comment on so publicly.

 

[kazzooka]

And the fact that we have spent money to make the facilities better

This is what it looked like in 2004 just 2 years before we moved in.

Mirvac wanted nothing to do with that mess, they just wanted to cram in as many shoebox townhouses as they possibly could.

 

[Whats a Battle]

This is what it looked like in 2004 just 2 years before we moved in.

Mirvac wanted nothing to do with that mess, they just wanted to cram in as many shoebox townhouses as they possibly could.

Man that's a sad sight. Heartbreaking what we lost, whilst us at Hawthorn did well out of it the 2000s era ground rationalisation has been a complete failure IMO.

Of course, part of that is due to the AFL moving from an asset owned outright to a rented asset, for seemingly no benefit to the league. Certainly no benefit to the club supporters except for maybe proximity, and even that depends on where you live.

 

[cryptor]

This is what it looked like in 2004 just 2 years before we moved in.

Mirvac wanted nothing to do with that mess, they just wanted to cram in as many shoebox townhouses as they possibly could.

That music makes it feel very eery. It’s giving Chernobyl vibes.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

Opposition supporter
"...I am outraged that Hawthorn is getting this money from the AFL for selling Waverley when they purchased it for $1 from the AFL. Not fair..."

Hawthorn supporter
"... you realise all clubs other than Hawthorn, ran away from Waverley and deserted it.

It was sold by the AFL to Mirvac for millions to build the concrete jungle at Docklands. Mirvac chose to sell the heritage listed grandstand and turf to Hawthorn because they couldnt make money from and didnt want to spend money on its maintenance.

Hawthorn in the next two decades spent millions getting it to its current commercial state.

Oh, and you do realise your club has received additional annual handouts in the miillions that dwarf this purchase bythe AFL. Hawthorn doesnt receive those same handouts..."

Opposition supporter
"...I am outraged that Hawthorn get preferential treatment..."

 

[Rushed_Behind]

Social media comment streams will make it clear that the vast majority of people barely understand anything they see fit to comment on so publicly.

So pretty much BigFooty on steroids.

 

[Whats a Battle]

Opposition suporter
"...I am outraged that Hawthorn is getting this money from the AFL for selling Waverley when they purchased it for $1 from the AFL. Not fair..."

Hawthorn supporter
"... you realise all clubs other than Hawthorn, ran away from Waverley and deserted it.

It was sold by the AFL to Mirvac for millions to build the concrete jungle at Docklands. Mirvac chose to sell the heritage listed grandstand and turf to Hawthorn because they couldnt make money from and didnt want to spend money on its maintenance.

Hawthorn in the next two decades spent millions getting it to it current commercial state.

Oh, and you do realise your club has received additional annual handouts in the miillions that dwarf this purchase bythe AFL. Hawthorn doesnt receive those same handouts..."

Opposition suporter
"...I am outraged that Hawthorn get preferential treatment..."

Could things have turned out differently if St. Kilda wanted to keep Waverley as well? Or would we all have just had to acquiesce to Wacko Jacko's every demand?

The true baffling decision is Carltank giving up Price Fixer Park. Why they would do that, just to play in rented Colonial with a ridiculous break even figure, right in the middle of their most unsuccessful era, I have no idea.

 

[phlogiston]

This is what it looked like in 2004 just 2 years before we moved in.

Mirvac wanted nothing to do with that mess, they just wanted to cram in as many shoebox townhouses as they possibly could.

Jeez, that's like an Australian version of Tarkovsky's "Stalker"

 

[MillerHawk]

Jeez, that's like an Australian version of Tarkovsky's "Stalker"

Think you could do a similar video out at Calder Park’s Thunderdome these days…

 

[Bedi]

This is what it looked like in 2004 just 2 years before we moved in.

Mirvac wanted nothing to do with that mess, they just wanted to cram in as many shoebox townhouses as they possibly could.

how's the dudes smoking bongs in the car at 0:30

 

[Manila_Hawk]

Apart from winning the 1991 premiership at Waverley Park .... Which was very enjoyable...

All Hawthorn fans should remember this game at Waverley Park in 1999 against the Sainters.



So....cold....OMG. What a comeback.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

Apart from winning the 1991 premiership at Waverley Park .... Which was very enjoyable...

All Hawthorn fans should remember this game at Waverley Park in 1999 against the Sainters.



So....cold....OMG. What a comeback.

Oh I remember it alright.

My wife is impressed when I proudly state 19 June 1999 It was our wedding day

I was cursing at the church with the half time scores and in disbelief at the reception that night when I learnt the Hawks had got up. Pity I couldn’t be at the game itself

 

[Hawkk]

Man that's a sad sight. Heartbreaking what we lost, whilst us at Hawthorn did well out of it the 2000s era ground rationalisation has been a complete failure IMO.

Of course, part of that is due to the AFL moving from an asset owned outright to a rented asset, for seemingly no benefit to the league. Certainly no benefit to the club supporters except for maybe proximity, and even that depends on where you live.

The AFL ended up buying Marvel from MSL for a song and it’s now amongst the seven most profitable stadiums in the world. I’m all for bagging the AFL where it’s due but selling Waverley Park and buying into Docklands was just good business.

 

[Yardie]

Oh I remember it alright.

My wife is impressed when I proudly state 19 June 1999 It was our wedding day

I was cursing at the church with the half time scores and in disbelief at the reception that night when I learnt the Hawks had got up. Pity I couldn’t be at the game itself

I was working in Darwin at the time. Heard the scores early and thought we are stuffed. Got in the ute to go home and we were in front and holding on. Remember sitting in the ute parked in the driveway listening to the last five mins.

And how good a mark (and player) was Nick Holland at his peak.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

I was working in Darwin at the time. Heard the scores early and thought we are stuffed. Got in the ute to go home and we were in front and holding on. Remember sitting in the ute parked in the driveway listening to the last five mins.

And how good a mark (and player) was Nick Holland at his peak.

Agreed. The big fish, how bloody good was he. And Harford kicked some nice goals in those highlights.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

https://archive.md/hKyDu

Former Hawthorn president Ian Dicker reveals his $1 Waverley investment that turned into a windfall​

 

[Ned Ryerson]

https://archive.md/hKyDu

Former Hawthorn president Ian Dicker reveals his $1 Waverley investment that turned into a windfall​

I may have missed it being done already - but I hope a significant piece of the KCC is being named in Ian Dicker's name. We owe so bloody much to him.

 

[HawthornHawk]

The last game at Waverley against the Swans stands out in my memory. I remember it being really hard to find a seat, climbing the rail that divided the undercover seated area from the open area to be able to watch the action.

 

[Mopar Jason]

Apart from winning the 1991 premiership at Waverley Park .... Which was very enjoyable...

All Hawthorn fans should remember this game at Waverley Park in 1999 against the Sainters.



So....cold....OMG. What a comeback.

I was at the game and couldn't believe what I had witnessed by full time. I was sure we were going to get belted at half time. Witnessed many St.Kilda fans totally devastated after the match.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Jeez, that's like an Australian version of Tarkovsky's "Stalker"

Great fillum

 

[Yardie]

I may have missed it being done already - but I hope a significant piece of the KCC is being named in Ian Dicker's name. We owe so bloody much to him.

Pretty much saved our ass!

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

I may have missed it being done already - but I hope a significant piece of the KCC is being named in Ian Dicker's name. We owe so bloody much to him.

Mr Dicker is a very humble person but perhaps the club could name the theatre or some other internal arrangement of the KCC in his honour

That KCC driveway entry should also be used for statues of all HFC legends, leading up to the legendary Kennedy statue at the roundabout

 

[Flamin Joe]

Has the road going into the KCC been named yet? Ian Dicker Drive has a nice ring to it imo.

He paved the road to making it possible so it's kind of fitting.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Ha, 1995 geography assignment for me. History of the ground, I interviewed a number of patrons to find out how far they travelled. I still have it. John Wood was one of them and he was super nice and I think he gave me a few dollars to buy myself a drink.

I think you could have done a whole assignment just in peoples experiences trying to drive out of the Waverley Park car park!

I still remember the mud and my old man getting the car bogged one rainy day