Cricket Victoria bid for Kangaroos Arden St Oval

[Sojourner]

Reading the Sunday Age there were a few references to the Kangaroos and the Gold Coast, it seems to be an issue that is getting some press over in Vic, yet not in S.A. There is speculation that the move to the Gold Coast could be a permanent one.

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Cricket body makes bid for Arden Street
Brad Beitzel
February 25, 2007

Cricket Victoria has put in an early bid to take over the Arden Street Oval should the Kangaroos vacate their historic home.

With the Roos' future in Melbourne the topic of hot debate, amid suggestions they should move to the Gold Coast, Cricket Victoria's interim chief executive Shaun Graf revealed he had spoken to the City of Melbourne about taking over the ground's lease.

Cricket Victoria's plans for the ground would include playing Bushrangers' matches there when the MCG is unavailable, as well as providing a home for an academy of excellence and the women's team.

"Its location and easy access to the city would be ideal for our talent training base," Graf said. "A little while ago, we spoke to the City of Melbourne after looking at the (redevelopment) plans. It looks heavily weighted in footy's favour."

Graf said Cricket Victoria's interest in Arden Street was noted, considering cricket had been played there since the 1870s.

The City of Melbourne is redeveloping the ground this year in partnership with the AFL, the Kangaroos and the State Government, but current-co-tenant North Melbourne Cricket Club is not a partner.

Cricket Victoria would be one of the few sporting bodies that could take over football's $3 million commitment, or part thereof, to the $7 million project.

The redevelopment will start on Tuesday, when power is cut to the grandstand to prepare for its demolition next month.

Yesterday was North Melbourne Cricket Club's last game in front of the stand, which it has used as home base since 1928. While the second-last-placed Roos beat second-placed Richmond by 159 runs, their future home is uncertain.

Disappointed with the ground's dilapidation and being kept out of redevelopment talks, the club could move to one of Melbourne's growth areas. It is believed Roxburgh Park, La Trobe University and Rupertswood, Sunbury, are possible locations. But if Cricket Victoria took over the lease, there could an arrangement similar to that at Punt Road a few years ago, when both the Bushrangers and Richmond played there.

"We have three options: move, stay with footy or this could be a Cricket Victoria ground," North Melbourne Cricket Club president Earl Eddings said.

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Sunday Age

[Dutchy]

Just piss off

[Sojourner]

From the Border Morning Mail,

Roos’ north move likely as members have say

A permanent move to the Gold Coast for the Kangaroos AFL club appears a step closer after members last night voted in a three-person ticket which has expressed support for the concept.

Former club powerbroker Ron Joseph and brothers Mark and James Brayshaw were last night elected to the three newly-created member-elected positions.

There was also resounding support for president Graham Duff, whose six-member ticket won a clean sweep of the shareholder-elected board positions.

Rival board member Peter de Rauch, who was involved in a bitter battle with Duff during the election campaign, was voted out, along with his supporters.

Joseph, who has publicly said the financially-struggling club has no viable alternative but to move to the Gold Coast, reaffirmed that view after the success of he and the Brayshaws last night.

“North needs to identify how it can be successful in the next 100 years,” he said.

“Is there going to be a North Melbourne Football Club on the premiership ladder in 25 years time or in 50 years time or in 75 years time? I would have thought that’s what we’re all about.

“We’ve got to look for opportunities for the club to distinguish itself in a 16-team competition, but at the same time protect our heritage and our tradition and our origins, which are very much at North Melbourne.”

Joseph, who has criticised Duff in the past, said he was not interested in the presidency, but said he had talked to others who could potentially be recruited to chair the club.

“I’ve spoken to a few people, but I’m not going to canvass those things tonight,,” Joseph said.

However, he said he would be happy to work with Duff.

The board will meet tomorrow to elect a new president, with Duff refusing to say whether he wanted to stay on in the job.

It is expected he will, though, after his position was shored up by the comprehensive nature of last night’s victory.

He refused to speculate on the Gold Coast scenario beyond the club’s current deal of 10 matches there over the 2007-2009 seasons.

“Everybody wants to turn around and place us (full-time) in the Gold Coast next year,” Duff said.

“What we have is a three-year contract with the Gold Coast; this board in the future may in its discretion decide that there may be more or less that we can do.

“But anyone who thinks that there is a pre-ordained position with respect to the Gold Coast future is mistaken.

“If you’re saying are we going to vote in three years’ time on whether we’re going to relocate, I’m not going that far.”

The new board members elected included Gold Coast-based Michael O’Brien.

© 2007 The Border Morning Mail Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.

http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/bm/sport/681771.html