Whitten Oval set to be revived

cecil

Club Legend
Feb 28, 2010
2,090
2,686
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Probably should be noted that it seems the $150m also includes a residential development on the southern edge of the site
 

wagstaff

Norm Smith Medallist
Nov 28, 2001
5,451
4,275
The Sea of Holes
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Melbourne Stars, Arsenal
I feel sorry for the people in and around footscray on game days if this happens. I lived just down the road literally for 5 years and went past nearly every day for 10 and I can tell you, just driving around there to get to highpoint or park nearby to use the public gym was bad enough. Trying to accommodate even 1000 cars for attendees around there will be an absolute **** show.

I know the romanticism of returning to the old suburban grounds appeals to many, but in reality the difficulty with situations like above I think would make supporters turn sour who are used to the easy access of Docklands/MCG matches for a generation.
 
Where are people going to park? Or will parking fines pay for the rebuild?
4847192c019af343c6d865e24ac13eb5
 
Mar 11, 2018
10,051
17,013
AFL Club
Essendon
Reading that, it’s more about accommodating Woman’s footy for games and providing a community facility for sport and recreation activities.

Western Bulldogs say they will “push” for a once a year heritage game but why bother?

You can’t make any substantial profit on an 18k attendance, but it would be awesome for the Dogs fans and warm fuzzy nostalgic feelings would flow on the day.

Giants or GC the only opposition clubs who would be considered to play them because obviously they are owned by the AFL itself and have to do what they’re told.
 

Pykie

Cancelled
10k Posts A Star Wars Fan Pokemon is Life North Melbourne - North 2007 Player Sponsor North Melbourne - 2013 Daw, Black and Gibson Player Sponsorship
Sep 17, 2006
20,605
45,615
Lord's
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Leeds United
Rofl.

I think Arden St is much more likely considering they are building a $1b station literally beneath the football ground.
 

LightTower4

Premiership Player
Mar 3, 2004
3,216
3,015
No Fixed Address
AFL Club
Melbourne
So who’s paying for it?

That is the $64 x 2.35 million question.
To me it sounds like a typical announcement during an election to distract the masses that will never happen.
There was talk about upgrading the Western Oval in the late 1980's and nothing happened with that either.
No problem with a base for women's footy, but $150M for that and a couple of games a year?
 
Jun 23, 2008
33,485
27,225
Headed for Kirribilli House
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Norwood, Everton, Detroit Red Wings
I feel sorry for the people in and around footscray on game days if this happens. I lived just down the road literally for 5 years and went past nearly every day for 10 and I can tell you, just driving around there to get to highpoint or park nearby to use the public gym was bad enough. Trying to accommodate even 1000 cars for attendees around there will be an absolute **** show.

Yeah, that was my first thought. Would imagine it would be completely inadequate and inconvenient parking-wise, and public transport would be pushed to breaking point too.
 
AFL matches for premiership points would return to the Whitten Oval within five years under a bold $150 million redevelopment plan.
The Western Bulldogs have confirmed they will push to play “heritage” games at the kennel in coming seasons by increasing crowd capacity at their spiritual home to 18,000.
Low-drawing interstate clubs like Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney would be the most likely opponents if the AFL ticks off on the proposal.

CRYSTAL BALL: EXPERTS REVISIT PRE-SEASON TIPS
“We would love to see the occasional heritage AFL match return to the ground in time,” Dogs chief executive Ameet Bains told the Herald Sun.
[IMG='width:375px;']https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/4847192c019af343c6d865e24ac13eb5?width=1024[/IMG]
Digital images of how a Whitten Oval redevelopment would look.

“A redeveloped Whitten Oval for AFLW matches, with increased capacity and a first-class match day experience, certainly makes that a real opportunity.”
The redevelopment plan includes demolition and rebuilding of the Whitten Stand, an indoor training field, convention centre, football department, increased seating and broadcast-quality light towers at a cost of about $45 million.
The Dogs want a revamped Whitten Oval to become a central hub for the game’s growing women’s competition.
[IMG='width:375px;']https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/5e04c25556dab28cce44eb1212528c56?width=1024[/IMG]
Whitten Oval’s capacity would be increased to 18,000 under the proposed plan.

State and federal funds and the intended sale of the Bulldogs’ two poker machines venues at Footscray and Dromana will help pay for the Whitten Oval rebuild, Bains said.
“We currently have $1m funding from the State Government to conduct more detailed design,” he said.
“There is also a compelling business case outlining the significant community benefits our redevelopment will bring that will shortly be formally submitted. We expect this to lead to further State Government support.”
[IMG='width:375px;']https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/59e61d34950b6cdb159a7f6f4fa71014?width=1024[/IMG]
The Bulldogs prepare to run through the banner in Round 21, 1997.

Sports Minister Martin Pakula said last night: “We’ve made an election commitment to provide $1 million towards design work for the master plan — we look forward to seeing the plan when it’s completed and talking to the Dogs and the AFL about the Bulldogs’ ambitions.”
A town square-style piazza, public running track and large residential development on crown land at the ground’s Geelong Rd end gifted to the club last year are also detailed.
“Our masterplan reflects the club’s long-term vision of the Whitten Oval precinct as a hub for the west that attracts and connects our community to the football club and gives our club the best chance of success on and off the field,” Bains said.
[IMG='width:375px;']https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/6b2b82752b0b557f867de519888ee634?width=1024[/IMG]
Digital images of what a redeveloped Whitten Oval might look like.

“Our immediate focus is to improve the experience of watching football at the venue to ensure the Whitten Oval remains one of the key AFL priority venues for AFLW matches.
“It will also involve a slightly reoriented playing surface and broadcast lighting quality, something the AFL has committed to investing in, given it sees the ground as a model venue for AFLW matches, especially at night.”
Where does the $150M come from?
 
AFL matches for premiership points would return to the Whitten Oval within five years under a bold $150 million redevelopment plan.
The Western Bulldogs have confirmed they will push to play “heritage” games at the kennel in coming seasons by increasing crowd capacity at their spiritual home to 18,000.
Low-drawing interstate clubs like Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney would be the most likely opponents if the AFL ticks off on the proposal.

CRYSTAL BALL: EXPERTS REVISIT PRE-SEASON TIPS
“We would love to see the occasional heritage AFL match return to the ground in time,” Dogs chief executive Ameet Bains told the Herald Sun.
[IMG='width:375px;']https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/4847192c019af343c6d865e24ac13eb5?width=1024[/IMG]
Digital images of how a Whitten Oval redevelopment would look.

“A redeveloped Whitten Oval for AFLW matches, with increased capacity and a first-class match day experience, certainly makes that a real opportunity.”
The redevelopment plan includes demolition and rebuilding of the Whitten Stand, an indoor training field, convention centre, football department, increased seating and broadcast-quality light towers at a cost of about $45 million.
The Dogs want a revamped Whitten Oval to become a central hub for the game’s growing women’s competition.
[IMG='width:375px;']https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/5e04c25556dab28cce44eb1212528c56?width=1024[/IMG]
Whitten Oval’s capacity would be increased to 18,000 under the proposed plan.

State and federal funds and the intended sale of the Bulldogs’ two poker machines venues at Footscray and Dromana will help pay for the Whitten Oval rebuild, Bains said.
“We currently have $1m funding from the State Government to conduct more detailed design,” he said.
“There is also a compelling business case outlining the significant community benefits our redevelopment will bring that will shortly be formally submitted. We expect this to lead to further State Government support.”
[IMG='width:375px;']https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/59e61d34950b6cdb159a7f6f4fa71014?width=1024[/IMG]
The Bulldogs prepare to run through the banner in Round 21, 1997.

Sports Minister Martin Pakula said last night: “We’ve made an election commitment to provide $1 million towards design work for the master plan — we look forward to seeing the plan when it’s completed and talking to the Dogs and the AFL about the Bulldogs’ ambitions.”
A town square-style piazza, public running track and large residential development on crown land at the ground’s Geelong Rd end gifted to the club last year are also detailed.
“Our masterplan reflects the club’s long-term vision of the Whitten Oval precinct as a hub for the west that attracts and connects our community to the football club and gives our club the best chance of success on and off the field,” Bains said.
[IMG='width:375px;']https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/6b2b82752b0b557f867de519888ee634?width=1024[/IMG]
Digital images of what a redeveloped Whitten Oval might look like.

“Our immediate focus is to improve the experience of watching football at the venue to ensure the Whitten Oval remains one of the key AFL priority venues for AFLW matches.
“It will also involve a slightly reoriented playing surface and broadcast lighting quality, something the AFL has committed to investing in, given it sees the ground as a model venue for AFLW matches, especially at night.”
Forget Whitten Oval. Can someone post Dermott Brereton’s All Australian team? There is reference to it in the article
 
Against teams that came in 20 years after the ground stopped being used :think:

My thought as well.

“We would love to see the occasional heritage AFL match return to the ground in time,” Dogs chief executive Ameet Bains told the Herald Sun.

Low-drawing interstate clubs like Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney would be the most likely opponents if the AFL ticks off on the proposal.

Maybe the Suns or Giants will wear their throwback heritage jumpers for the game. :D
 
Apr 12, 2012
45,990
41,669
AFL Club
GWS
My thought as well.

“We would love to see the occasional heritage AFL match return to the ground in time,” Dogs chief executive Ameet Bains told the Herald Sun.

Low-drawing interstate clubs like Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney would be the most likely opponents if the AFL ticks off on the proposal.

Maybe the Suns or Giants will wear their throwback heritage jumpers for the game. :D

5246822ff288439fc17cb0dd47fe7839.jpg


Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
 

Pessimistic

Cancelled
30k Posts 10k Posts HBF's Milk Crate - 70k Posts TheBrownDog
Sep 13, 2000
86,852
42,951
Melbourne cricket ground. Australia
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Horks
Doesnt AFL just seem like a spoilt child here? big money spent on geelong, ballarat and Marvel stadium but we want more for a stadium is just 7km from marvel?

Yet glen iris, the center of greater melbourne population is 10km from the MCG. wouldnt the better plan to be for a 'boutique' stadium to be somewhere sercing this populace, who would be far more footy minded then the west?
(somewhere east, maybe the new outer rail loop?)
That is even if one is needed. with the AFL owning Marvel, surely 20k crowds work financially there, soccer game seem to.
not to mention non melbourne teams wanting more MCG games not less
 
Aug 14, 2011
44,794
16,853
Trafalgar
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Mclaren Mercedes F1
Doesnt AFL just seem like a spoilt child here? big money spent on geelong, ballarat and Marvel stadium but we want more for a stadium is just 7km from marvel?

Yet glen iris, the center of greater melbourne population is 10km from the MCG. wouldnt the better plan to be for a 'boutique' stadium to be somewhere sercing this populace, who would be far more footy minded then the west?
(somewhere east, maybe the new outer rail loop?)
That is even if one is needed. with the AFL owning Marvel, surely 20k crowds work financially there, soccer game seem to.
not to mention non melbourne teams wanting more MCG games not less

Like other stadium owners the AFL want a pound of flesh, & with the inhouse members getting priority seating the AFL battle to provide a venue that attracts crowds - that most of the clubs in question still have a business model that requires the 'away' team to bring a crowd is the real problem, though the venues could do more.
 
Dec 30, 2003
2,098
1,898
Melbourne western region
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Bulldogs / Willy / Palace
I know the romanticism of returning to the old suburban grounds appeals to many, but in reality the difficulty with situations like above I think would make supporters turn sour who are used to the easy access of Docklands/MCG matches for a generation.

Easy access to the 'G? I have given up driving to the 'G from the West, it's a nightmare. I now go by train (when trains stop at Richmond) and I will if and when footy returns to WO - same convenience with a station next door. Gotta ditch the car.
 
Back