SA Footy

It seems that the SANFL have done a backflip on the future prospects for Footy Park. It was to be down sized to a 20k-30k seat stadium and some land around it sold off but would remain the home of the SANFL and the main ground for the SANFL finals. Now it is proposed to be nothing more than a park and training ground for Adelaide.
What the hell is going on?
To be honest I'm quite concerned about this new direction as it seems that the SANFL clubs will not have a neutral venue for finals and clubs like Sturt (who have continuing issues with councils) will have no safety net/bargaining power should local councils prove too hard to deal with when it comes to match days and training facilities.
Am I missing something here, has anyone heard of any plans to facilitate any of these issues, and what do you think is needed?

Will simply play at Adelaide Oval wont we?

I'd be more worried where the money from the sale of the land is directed to.

$585 million ain't going to be enough to field the SMA's dream of an upgraded Adelaide Oval.

I would think that it'd be hard to fit 4 SANFL finals (not including Prelim & GF as it's the week of, and after AFL GF) into Adelaide Oval if both Crows and Port go deep into the finals and host all the games.
Chances are that this won't happen very often but sooner or later it will be a problem, not to mention wear and tear on the playing surface. My main point is that the future of FP has taken a dramatic turn, it's totally different to the original proposal and leaves all SANFL clubs without one common specific home, I'm not sure this is good for the comp.

All the more reason for the SANFL to either lease or buy Thebarton from the council, the venue needs work, yet we also need a headquarters, buy the Thebarton Hotel across the road and its a win for everyone.

Who said the pubs for sale ? Do you have a vested interest in Thebby as you always seem to raise it. Thebby is not for sale so how can it be purchased.

CUTTERMAN wrote:I would think that it'd be hard to fit 4 SANFL finals (not including Prelim & GF as it's the week of, and after AFL GF) into Adelaide Oval if both Crows and Port go deep into the finals and host all the games.
Chances are that this won't happen very often but sooner or later it will be a problem, not to mention wear and tear on the playing surface. My main point is that the future of FP has taken a dramatic turn, it's totally different to the original proposal and leaves all SANFL clubs without one common specific home, I'm not sure this is good for the comp.

Wear and tear on surface same, same as it is at the moment with footy park.
Possibility of Adelaide AFL teams both having home finals on the same weekend - slight.
AFL 1st round of finals are on as the last minor round game of SANFL are played - no conflict
After 1st round of AFL finals all other finals are Friday / Saturday nights - SANFL play Sunday.
No real Problems here.

In regards to a home for SANFL or neutral venue - I like Wayville - would need some coin spent and the trotting track covered. If not then perhaps negotiate with SA Amateur league to share Thebby.

Should sell all of Footy Park, let thhe Crows find a new training venue - Adelaide Oval.

No offence but Thebbie Oval is a dump !
Too much would be needed to be spent on this venue.
The ground with the best seating facilities, lighting etc. is Norwood Oval. Not saying this is the solution but if we have to upgrade an existing venue Norwood would be it because it is ready to go now and would need nothing spent on it.
Baseball had Thebbie for awhile and it was not a pleasant place to be watching Kensington squash South for the Premiership ...that was pleasant, but the ground had nil atmosphere and the facilities were crap.

Sure Thebby needs money to be spent on it, but it's not a dump and it doesn't have a wall that a player can injure themselves. We are talking about a home for the SANFL. Which should be at a ground that is not used for games on a regular basis by a SANFL club, and if I remember correctly Norwood Oval is used by a Norwood team every week in the Winter months.

The Greatest asset of the SANFL is about to be DISMANTLED .

There is no returning back from this...

Where are you Max Basheer...?

Does the SANFL need a home?

Why can't finals be played at the clubs home ground that has earned the right. At least you wouldn't have to travel to Noarlunga or Elizabeth too often. Big crowd at a suburban ground for a final would be great, with a much better atmosphere than Footy Park or Adelaide Oval.

The Sleeping Giant wrote:Does the SANFL need a home?

Why can't finals be played at the clubs home ground that has earned the right. At least you wouldn't have to travel to Noarlunga or Elizabeth too often. Big crowd at a suburban ground for a final would be great, with a much better atmosphere than Footy Park or Adelaide Oval.

Very good call. If there is a 3-4 game gap between 4th and 5th at the end of the minor round, surely the team finishing 4th deserves some sort of advantage? And would keep more interest in the final few rounds of the season for teams that have already sewn their finals place up.

And on Thebby, I doubt the SAAFL would go quietly after selling their old headquarters on Tynte St and putting a bit of work into the place.

The Sleeping Giant wrote:Does the SANFL need a home?

Why can't finals be played at the clubs home ground that has earned the right. At least you wouldn't have to travel to Noarlunga or Elizabeth too often. Big crowd at a suburban ground for a final would be great, with a much better atmosphere than Footy Park or Adelaide Oval.

do they have this now in the WAFL?

The Sleeping Giant wrote:Does the SANFL need a home?

Why can't finals be played at the clubs home ground that has earned the right. At least you wouldn't have to travel to Noarlunga or Elizabeth too often. Big crowd at a suburban ground for a final would be great, with a much better atmosphere than Footy Park or Adelaide Oval.

exactly

mighty_tiger_79 wrote:

The Sleeping Giant wrote:Does the SANFL need a home?

Why can't finals be played at the clubs home ground that has earned the right. At least you wouldn't have to travel to Noarlunga or Elizabeth too often. Big crowd at a suburban ground for a final would be great, with a much better atmosphere than Footy Park or Adelaide Oval.

do they have this now in the WAFL?

Not sure? Do the SANFL just have to follow the other leagues?

i like the idea of suburban grounds hosting finals - either as home games or as a neutral venue

smaller ground, better atmosphere

will never happen in the near future

I was thinking of Glenelg supporters when I posted. Anything to get away from Footy Park or Adelaide Oval.

Or you could keep hoping you get North in a final I suppose.

even getting away from those grounds would help, but we would still find a way to lose

Suburban finals have merit - if you could guarantee the big crowds. My concern is that they would become "just another" league game at a suburban ground and you might see a crowd of 3000 - 4000 for a final.

I think you would see some big crowds at certain grounds, Norwood(under lights) would be big.

SDK wrote:No offence but Thebbie Oval is a dump !
Too much would be needed to be spent on this venue.
The ground with the best seating facilities, lighting etc. is Norwood Oval. Not saying this is the solution but if we have to upgrade an existing venue Norwood would be it because it is ready to go now and would need nothing spent on it.
Baseball had Thebbie for awhile and it was not a pleasant place to be watching Kensington squash South for the Premiership ...that was pleasant, but the ground had nil atmosphere and the facilities were crap.

Yes Norwood has more seating facilities than any other suburban ground, but next to none of it is public seating. In fact, I'd say Norwood probably has the least amount of adequate public seating at an SANFL ground (basically a couple of bays in the dilapidated southern stand right behind the goals where your view is impeded by pylons, netting and light towers).