Is a second AFL training oval necessary?
The majority of AFL clubs are currently making long term investments in single oval training facilities and the Crows previous proposals at Brompton and North Adelaide only included a single AFL size oval.
Why is the City of West Torrens selling out its residents and ratepayers and handing over prime community land for a second restricted use training oval?
Previous sites considered by the Crows did not include two full sized AFL ovals
All of the sites in the Adelaide Parklands previously considered by the Crows (including the North Adelaide Aquatics Centre) only allowed for the construction of a single AFL standard oval. In the case of the North Adelaide proposal, the other much smaller (non AFL standard) grassed areas near the North Adelaide site were to remain untouched and under their current lease agreement with the local Blackfriars Priory School.
The Crows other most recent favoured site of the former Brompton Gas Works only allowed for the construction of a single AFL standard oval with a much smaller proposed additional outdoor training space / soccer pitch.
Single oval site at Brompton Gas Works
The majority of AFL club headquarters don’t have two AFL size ovals
The Port Adelaide Football Club are currently undertaking a long term investment in their headquarters at Alberton which will see the construction of a 100m x 50m soccer pitch adjacent their single AFL standard oval. The soccer pitch will act as an additional outdoor training space for the club while also providing a pitch for use by local community and school soccer teams.
Like the Crows, the Power’s training facility caters for three elite level teams: AFL, AFLW and SANFL.
The majority of AFL clubs are either currently making or have recently made long term financial investments in their corporate headquarters and training facilities. The majority of clubs have made these long-term investments in sites that are only large enough for a single AFL standard oval and the majority of these clubs field AFL, AFLW and State League reserves teams (the same as the Crows).
Port Adelaide’s proposed single oval upgrade
AFL clubs that have two training ovals have had to move away from the CBD
Of the AFL’s 18 clubs, there are only four clubs that either currently have or are planning to have two dedicated AFL standard ovals on site as part of their corporate and training headquarters.
These clubs (Essendon, Brisbane, West Coast and Hawthorn) have all had to move further away from the CBD, their home ground stadiums and their historic/spiritual homes in order to build large training facilities with two full sized AFL standard ovals.
Brisbane and Hawthorn have both moved 30km from their respective CBD’s, while Essendon has moved over 20km.
No AFL clubs (other than the Adelaide Crows) are seeking to both move closer to the CBD and to significantly increase the size of their outdoor training facilities.
Hawthorn are moving 30km from the CBD to develop a former landfill site
Other clubs find better options for alternative training grounds
Other options exist for providing alternative training grounds that match the size of other AFL match venues.
The Fremantle Football Club, for example, have invested in a single main training oval in recent years, moving over 14km away from Fremantle to access additional space for larger training and administration facilities. They utilise a GPS program that enables them to change the line markings and goal posts on their single main training oval to replicate any other AFL ground including the MCG.
The Richmond Football Club are currently investing in an upgrade of their historic facilities at Punt Road. Due to the limitations of a small site, their plan allows for the oval to be configured in two modes: one that provides a smaller playing field while enabling the required boundary runoff to the perimeter fence for official AFLW matches and a second mode that allows a larger field for training that is closer in size to the men’s AFL team home ground of the MCG.
Other clubs have collaborated with external partners to find options for alternative training ovals. The Geelong Cats for example have built a mutually beneficial partnership with Deakin University, whereby they share resources and facilities and engage in joint education and community programs. The partnership provides a greater community connection for the club as well as providing an alternate training venue where the club can prepare for games at the MCG on an oval built to the same proportions.
