Waverley Park (VFL Park)

[Air_Chester]

what was the justification of making it 160k? yeah, would look nice on GF day, but for most random games during the home and away season, it would look so empty, like melbourne v freo at the mcg today only worse... its still melbourne, with a small population compared to other major cities in the world

100 k would have been more realistic to complement the MCG, perhaps alternating the GF between the venues each year

It's like at pro wrestling events where they run a 15,000 seat stadium and only get 6,500 through the doors. They tarp off the hard camera side and move everyone on camera, but more pointedly for this discussion, they move everyone to level one and tarp off the upper levels. Looks full on camera (if you aren't really looking for signs it is otherwise), even though it is nowhere near so.

If Richmond played Freo there in a 160,000 seat stadium, they would just lay everyone out on level one, perhaps level two behind the goals. Would be fine.

As it was, the original design was flawed, and the existence of the MCG meant it never was able to be altered to a design that would have been legitimately viable.

I miss Waverley, not gunna lie. It was always a retro looking place and a sad reminder of what they could have done.

 

[clarkoscluster]

Dear Arads - let me update your comment - I was walking the dog around Waverley Park on the morning of Wednesday 25 January 2012 and saw your mob and Richmond playing a practice match. Sorry, I haven't got the scores as Mirvac removed the scoreboard some years ago. I can however report that as per the February 2000 practice match, the Tiges were still struggling.

Let me rephrase - that match in 2000 was the last AFL 'sanctioned' match. The practice match on 25/01 was just a last minute scratch match arranged by Clarkson & Hardwick.

 

[Pessimistic]

in 1997, there were a few thousand seats available in the MCC reserve.

They decided to give out a number for the general public to ring for the seats. they had one of thes multiplexed answering systems so they measured 100k enquries.

Allegedly. So the 'market' for a GF ticket would be at least 200k.

Would people accept the distance away from play for a 200k stadium ? prehaps they would

Although when the technology comes about for a holgraphic live play in another stadium - that may satisfy the desire.

One advantage is holographic replays of 3d plays would be better than 2d replays

 

[Pessimistic]

Let me rephrase - that match in 2000 was the last AFL 'sanctioned' match. The practice match on 25/01 was just a last minute scratch match arranged by Clarkson & Hardwick.

Due to mirvac requirements - that was probably officially a 'joint training drill" therefore not advertised

 

[Luigi742]

in 1997, there were a few thousand seats available in the MCC reserve.

They decided to give out a number for the general public to ring for the seats. they had one of thes multiplexed answering systems so they measured 100k enquries.

Allegedly. So the 'market' for a GF ticket would be at least 200k.

Would people accept the distance away from play for a 200k stadium ? prehaps they would

Although when the technology comes about for a holgraphic live play in another stadium - that may satisfy the desire.

One advantage is holographic replays of 3d plays would be better than 2d replays

For a grand final? Definitely. Just being there is enough.

 

[Pessimistic]

For a grand final? Definitely. Just being there is enough.

I agree. was right at the back in 08 was wonderful

Tried the top deck at waveleyy during a game - me and a thousand pidgeons

game was very watchable. Could also see cape liptrap and the sea from up there !

Footy is a very BIG game and not at all subtle like soccer or cricket. I reckon it would hold a 200,000 crowd

 

[Luigi742]

I agree. was right at the back in 08 was wonderful

Tried the top deck at waveleyy during a game - me and a thousand pidgeons

game was very watchable. Could also see cape liptrap and the sea from up there !

Footy is a very BIG game and not at all subtle like soccer or cricket. I reckon it would hold a 200,000 crowd

exactly, one of things I like about watching footy isn't as many bad angles to watch from like in rugby and soccer. Waverly would have been a great 200,000 seater grand final venue, with hawthorn and st. kilda playing there in the home and away season. It's unbelievable that melbourne teams can develop proper "home-field adavantages" when you have 9 teams playing in two stadiums.

 

[Pessimistic]

Melbourne Olympic Stadium at Princes Park

Construction started on this stadium,before Melbourne nearly lost the 1956 and they transferred to MCG at the last moment.

Video from 1952 of the announcement and design

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/news-in-flashes-new-olympic-stadium-in-melbourne

Still no lights I see !

 

[tandino]

It's no surprise to me that there exists at least some nostalgia for Waverley Park.

I think a league-owned and operated stadium proved to be a visionary, forward thinking move by the game's powerbrokers, and it was a shame that the VFL were railroaded by the State Government. It would have been interesting to see that place live up to it's full potential.

 

[tandino]

And just on the "last games" theme.

The last game under lights, I believe, was the 2000 EFL Div 1 Grand Final. The last official game was the 2000 VFL Grand Final played the day after.

 

[cartel]

It's no surprise to me that there exists at least some nostalgia for Waverley Park.

I think a league-owned and operated stadium proved to be a visionary, forward thinking move by the game's powerbrokers, and it was a shame that the VFL were railroaded by the State Government. It would have been interesting to see that place live up to it's full potential.

Actually, one of the main reasons Waverley bit the dust was that it wasn't railroaded

 

[bradrowe#32]

The last game under lights, I believe, was the 2000 EFL Div 1 Grand Final.

What was the crowd like for that game?

 

[tandino]

Actually, one of the main reasons Waverley bit the dust was that it wasn't railroaded

The pun was just too obvious to point out.

 

[tandino]

What was the crowd like for that game?

The interwebz say 20,000 (for both Div 2 and Div 1 GF's, on the same night) and 10,000 for the VFL Grand Final.

But from what I remember from reading a chapter in a book about grassroots football (the title of which slips my mind. It was written by a journalist from The Age) it was a pretty subdued affair. I guess 20k at a place like that would be subdued anyway.

 

[finders]

Interesting stat - Although the last match played for premiership points was in Round 22, 1999, the Ansett Cup continued to be played there in 2000 and the last competitive match was actually a practice match on Feb 26, 2000 - St Kilda 14.11 (95) def. Richmond 5.6 (36).

The last real game ever at Waverley Park was the VFL GF in 2000 Sandringham vs North Ballarat

Played at Waverley, where Sandringham had suffered its only 2 losses of the 2000 season, there were many who felt that the Roosters might have the edge. However, after holding their opponents to just 0.5 in the opening term while posting 4.6 themselves the Zebras never looked back, winning comfortably in the end by 31 points.

Final scores were Sandringham 15.18 (108) to North Ballarat 11.11 (77). Nick Sautner booted 6 goals for the victors who were best served by Liddell, Pitt, Maloney, Febey and Haynes

 

[West_Coast_Eagles]

Hey guys.

Does anyone have any waverly memrobelia?

Wonder where all that colored wood went. That scoreboard.
Where is the mural now? Was any part of the ground underground besides the main stand.

I would love to get a piece of seat. Anyone seen em lol, like the manwho was selling mcc carpet

 

[FootyJunkie]

The last real game ever at Waverley Park was the VFL GF in 2000 Sandringham vs North Ballarat

Played at Waverley, where Sandringham had suffered its only 2 losses of the 2000 season, there were many who felt that the Roosters might have the edge. However, after holding their opponents to just 0.5 in the opening term while posting 4.6 themselves the Zebras never looked back, winning comfortably in the end by 31 points.

Final scores were Sandringham 15.18 (108) to North Ballarat 11.11 (77). Nick Sautner booted 6 goals for the victors who were best served by Liddell, Pitt, Maloney, Febey and Haynes

Who was the bloke on the Sandringham side that said "f**ken beautiful" on ABC TV in the post game? Anyone remember?

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Hey guys.

Does anyone have any waverly memrobelia?

Wonder where all that colored wood went. That scoreboard.
Where is the mural now? Was any part of the ground underground besides the main stand.

I would love to get a piece of seat. Anyone seen em lol, like the manwho was selling mcc carpet

donated some Waverley stuff to the hawks museum, postcards and stuff

scoreboard went to the dump where it belonged (by the final game, parts were blacking out)

the mural is still there, it was what was actually heritage listed, and why the stand remained (couldn't remove the mural without it being damaged)

the entire playing surface was below the outside ground level, and as such, so we're some of the seats

the old seating was re-crafted into tables for the grandstand cafe at Waverley

 

[tandino]

Some of the seats ended up at Bob Jane Stadium. They themselves have disappeared now that stadium has been redeveloped.

 

[smasha]

Loved Arctic Park except for the dodgy transport.
I loved the hotdogs also.

A real Aussie Rules stadium it was.

Some ripper finals played on it too.

&0k at Arctic Park had an amazing atmosphere.

Originally designed to hold over 150k but they shelved it.

What was the original crowd size?

 

[mianfei]

Is it possible to make the Junction Oval seat 30,000?

I imagine it would be. The Junction Oval had held 46,000 for a match in 1950, and with the available land near it room for seating is not scarce.

When one considers the AFL's stated goals at the time Waverley was closed and which are outlined in the 1999 Yearbook (pity I have to work from a public computer due to repairs to my hard drive) it would have been a better bet to re-develop the Junction Oval than to build Docklands, for the simple reason that open roof stadiums produce a more even competition than closed roof ones due to a larger talent pool since height is not so valuable when wet weather occurs. Redevelopment of the Junction Oval (or the Lake Oval) was never considered and would have involved logistical difficulties since Melbourne use it as a training ground, but who knows how much better a competition it would have provided.

 

[Pessimistic]

Along with Football Park and maybe carrara as the only stadiums uncompromisingly designed for AFL footy

Also, when waverley was closed for docklands, the stated aim of the AFL was for games to be scheduled according to expected attendance across three stadiums in melbourne.

Princes park was to be the third

 

[Luigi742]

Along with Football Park and maybe carrara as the only stadiums uncompromisingly designed for AFL footy

Also, when waverley was closed for docklands, the stated aim of the AFL was for games to be scheduled according to expected attendance across three stadiums in melbourne.

Princes park was to be the third

Subiaco Oval?

 

[mianfei]

Subiaco Oval?

Subiaco Oval most definitely was the first stadium designed uncompromisingly for Australian Rules football, way back in the 1900s when Australian Rules had little or no competition in Western Australia even from summer sports (hardly surprisingly with that state's mostly awful summer climate). It was built to drain well at a time when Perth's climate was about thirty percent wetter than it is now, and its sand base coped with seasons like 1945 that had 200 percent the rainfall and 1000 percent the runoff observed since the national competition began.

Also, when waverley was closed for docklands, the stated aim of the AFL was for games to be scheduled according to expected attendance across three stadiums in melbourne.

Princes park was to be the third

Actually, the AFL planned to close Princes Park in 2006 as early as 1998 or 1999. There is a major discussion of it in the Herald Sun when describing the sixth round of 1999. It's surprising that the AFL did what it wanted according to perfect schedule - well, a year sooner than it intended. There was a contract to use Princes Park for a another year after it closed in 2005, but sponsorship problems made the closure sooner.

 

[wizardwaffle]

Hey guys.

Does anyone have any waverly memrobelia?

Wonder where all that colored wood went. That scoreboard.
Where is the mural now? Was any part of the ground underground besides the main stand.

I would love to get a piece of seat. Anyone seen em lol, like the manwho was selling mcc carpet

donated some Waverley stuff to the hawks museum, postcards and stuff

scoreboard went to the dump where it belonged (by the final game, parts were blacking out)

the mural is still there, it was what was actually heritage listed, and why the stand remained (couldn't remove the mural without it being damaged)

the entire playing surface was below the outside ground level, and as such, so we're some of the seats

the old seating was re-crafted into tables for the grandstand cafe at Waverley

The mural was taken down during the redevelopment of the Sir Kenneth Luke Stand. Four bays of the stand were to be kept because they were seen as historically significant by the National Trust. Mirvac kept eight bays of the sixteen bays of the stand.

The mural was suggested to be moved to were the VFL or AFL Victoria setup there home. This saw Victoria Park and Visy Park/Optus Oval/Princes Park arguing to be the new home for the mural. Mirvac, as the new owner of the ground, kept the mural and had it taken down, repaired and reinstalled. It has become the center piece of the Waverley Park development.

Some of those seats were brought by a wood recycling group named Blueprint. They produced furniture and flooring from the wooden seats. They also sold off the metal numbers the marked the seats, of which I have four.

The ground surface was nine metres lower than the outside ground level, as it still is. The grass was left to grow by the AFL once games were not played there. So probably some of the grass had to be replaced when the ground was redeveloped.

It would have been hard to keep the old video scoreboard. However the houses that were build around the ground were built to look like the stands they replaced. They could have build the houses in that area to look like the scoreboard. Even installing the old blue football in a V on top of the houses. They could have tried to keep the other scoreboard. It was the former main scorboard and it moved from one end of the ground to the other, by in a smaller form. It would be great for football reunions held at the ground to see an actual scoreboard that was used at the ground in its AFL time show scores that they showed when the event happened. For example at a 1991 Hawthorn premiership reunion, to see the scoreboard say once again Hawthorn 20 19 139 W C Eagles 13 8 86.