SANFL Grounds

All the basics about the SANFL grounds can be found here. Also, feel free to talk about your favourite/least favourite grounds as well as some of the unique features that each ground have - whether it be the train line at Elizabeth, the 'buzzer' at Prospect, the playground at Unley, or the car park at Noarlunga...

Unleash Solar Oval

Home Club: Woodville-West Torrens
Opened: approx. 1938
Capacity: 15 000

Thebarton Oval

Home Club: Woodville-West Torrens (part time)
Opened:1922
Capacity:15 000

Playford Alive Oval

Home Club: Central District
Opened: 1959
Capacity: 18 000

Coopers Stadium

Home Club: Norwood
Opened: 1901
Capacity: 22 000

Hickinbotham Oval

Home Club: South Adelaide
Opened: 1995
Capacity: 12 000

Gliderol Stadium

Home Club: Glenelg
Opened: 1920
Capacity: 15 000

Alberton Oval

Home Club: Port Adelaide
Opened: 1880
Capacity: 17 000

City Mazda Stadium

Home Club: West Adelaide
Opened: 1958
Capacity: 16 500

Prospect Oval

Home Club: North Adelaide
Opened: 1898
Capacity: 20 000

Commander Centre Oval

Home Club: Sturt
Opened: 1901
Capacity: approx. 8000

Fantastic work, BT, great pictures, too.

Well done, much appreciated.

(I think Richmond Oval was opened more like 1958, although it was started in 1954, I suppose)

I think you might have started a lively debate about ovals.

I started an identical thread in the stadiums thread on Big Footy the other day so thought may as well chuck it on here as well. I was using AusStadiums as my main source of information, which would explain the discrepancy in the Richmond opening (they also list Unley as having a current capacity of 20 000 ).

1958 would be more accurate for Richmond as, from memory, they had a 50th anniversary celebration in 2008.

Also, if anyone has any info on the opening of Woodville and Unley I'll update them accordingly (there was no information on Wikipedia or AusStadiums about when either ground opened).

Have actually been to a game at the Parade when it was filled to capacity and they locked the gates. Crammed in like sardines, yet the atmosphere is unreal!

What year was that Ben and who were Norwood playing?

Would have been an amazing atmosphere, no doubt.

The Parade is one of my favourite venues to watch sport.

Big Phil wrote:What year was that Ben and who were Norwood playing?

Think it was around 1996-1997 against Port.

It was billed as the last match between Port and Norwood before Port went into the AFL and it was preceded by a legends match, easilly one of the best days out to the SANFL that I have been along too, gives you some idea of what it must have been like in the 50's and 60's anyway!

My Top 5 grounds
Norwood Oval ( The History of the oval)
Prospect Oval ( I love the history displays in the bar )
Unley ( great atmosphere )
Glenelg Oval
Alberton Oval

Unley Oval from day 1 for Sturt so 1901. Mentioned in the SA media guides and on the history part of the Sturt website.

Some footage of Unley Oval before it's conversion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZnhiv-YL60&list=UUgvlauT2ngOCMxiNZL_YSVA&index=22&feature=plcp

That is a fantastic idea R&B, and I'd be happy to take part in ground judging.

Should make some very interesting reading.

Another criteria could be 'accessibility' (how easy is it to get to the ground by car, public transport etc)

Facilities could be broken down into a number of areas, from the canteen and bbq through to grandstand seating through to the quality of the scoreboard. If we get the clubs on board, we could possibly even look at things like coaches boxes etc (obviously not on match days though).

You're in, BT and I think you can be Chairman of Selectors if there's no objections.

I (and some others on here) have a good knowledge of the facilities for the visiting team, so that might be one to look at too.

I found this info regarding the Woodville Oval on the Woodville District Cricket Club site.


The Woodville oval containing 22 acres of land, was purchased in 1921 for 2162 pounds as a sailors, soldiers memorial. The land acquired was a portion of a dairy farm owned by Edwin Davey & Sons.

Major development of the oval did not commence until 1937 when the area was graded and turfed and the first turf wicket was made by Mr Albert Wright (then curator of Adealide Oval). Mr Wright was very pleased with the result, and regarded it as one of the best jobs he had ever done. The Woodville Cricket Club played there first match at the oval on March 5th 1938. The first "A" grade district match was played on October 19th 1946 against West Torrens. The Woodville Oval has allways been the home of the club except for seasons 1962/63 and 1970/71 when improvements were made to the playing surface.

Prior to season 1955/56 the oval playing area was surrounded by a trotters training track and the change room was an old wood and iron building, previously used as a jockeys change room at the Cheltenham Racecourse. This latter structure was replaced in 1957 when the Percy Fox Green stand was erected.

The City of Woodville (now City of Charles Sturt) bestowed a well deserved honour upon Barry Jarman in giving his name to the grandstand erected in 1969 on the Woodville Oval.

I know its a bit long winded but I like the history surrounding a lot of our suburban grounds and how they came to be, cheers

LIKED,

My favourite ground will always be Thebarton and its simply because of the memory that I have of my Dad taking me there to the one SANFL game we saw together before he became ill. Heritage abounds there and is liked by many people for that reason alone.

My second favourite venue is The Parade, simply for heritage and ambience. Coopers Hill is good fun especially on a Friday night, the heritage grandstand is the best in the league. From a perspective of going with young children, the family area is well run and brings many people back to the SANFL on a Friday night.

Third for me is Richmond simply because of the effort the club have gone too, to do night footy really well. Its a little plain and industrial in the afternoon but has a good feeling at night. Think the deck built by the past players area is well done and seems to be a good meeting spot for many with a good view of the oval. From the view of a young family it also has the best restaurant in the league with cheap meal deals and encouragement for young kids to go and to be involved in the club.

Elizabeth is a good atmosphere at matches, well catered and like Norwood they do a good job with the Family Friendly area.

Intermediate,

Prospect, have seen many good games there over the years, yet the ground and facilities need investment as its looking a little frayed around the edges. Various plans have been put up but its time for action to be taken irrespective of what goes on between the council and the club and who pays for what and so on.

Woodville, Serviceable and it does the job, very good playing surface yet lacks atmosphere in matches under 2000 in attendance. Its a pity that the Eagles bistro cant be connected to it as the Eagles club on Port Road would go close to being the best in the league. Installation of the lift to the clubrooms is a good step forward.

Glenelg. May move Glenelg up to the Favourites list when I get to try it out for Night footy. As it stands is major problem is the size of the oval which is IMO too small for an SANFL venue and costs them games when they have to move to Football Park in finals. Its cramped for spectators and the queues for the women for the toilets ensure many women get put off side with going there. Will be the first thing Glenelg have to fix to be successful crowd wise at night footy there.

Poor,

Noarlunga I would rather not have my own ground in the poor section but there you go, I think its a fair criticsm of Noarlunga Oval that it does not have a centre grandstand and this needs to be addressed by the club if we are to be taken seriously, irrespective of the costs and so on. The constant bullsiht over the P.A and volume and the Music after goals is incredibly low rent and does the club no favours. One redeeming feature is that we get people in wheelchairs out to the footy that otherwise would likely not go. Lights have been a huge improvement. Pressure will be on South to make the Good Friday night game the flagship match of the club for 2012. Should be renamed "Panther Park" to give it some aura.

Alberton The SANFL experience at Alberton has been well and truly ruined by the Power. Heritage Grandstands removed for the Power club, Ground is meant to be and feels just like the Port Power training venue. Most expensive BBQ and catering in the SANFL. Feels like the club shows contempt to its own Magpie supporters BBQ removed with no consultation. Crowds in the AFL area drown out the SANFL game on when the Power kick a goal. Very low rent atmosphere when a Power game is on the TV in the club.

Unley Let me be clear outright that I don't have an issue with the Sturt Football Club when I write this, there members are some of the most hardcore in the league who have stuck with the club through and through and made it successfull despite all the odds being stacked against them and they constantly come up again and again for Sturt when needed. - yet the ground is the worst in the SANFL IMO and its largely to do with the council excersizing control over the ground. Feels very much like a public park even with the temporary fencing up. Extention of the Tennis Courts onto the old Oval area off centres the ground and it feels wrong. No capacity to sit on the other side and to have to stand there and hope a tennis player throws a footy back is embarrassing. Previous councils have done there level best to ensure no investment can go into the ground and its really becoming obvious. Despite what agreements are made it will never be the shell of what it once was which was one of the best grounds in the SANFL in the 60's. Time for Sturt to have serious discussion with the Adelaide Hills Council, State Government and the Mt Barker redevelopment people along with their own members about what other options might be available even if its a 15 year plan or similar.

Sturt are actually gaining momentum with the Council, although as you would expect it is a slow process.

Hopefully not too slow.

However, it is hard to argue against what has been an apalling set of conditions imposed on the club for a long time.

As R&B said, it is very hard to distance yourself from the emotional connection with your heartland and home ground.

I think that the club is likely to hold out for a closer working relationship with the council in promoting improvements, rather than explore grounds further afield.

Despite the growth in the Mt Barker area, do sanfl patrons really want to travel that far for a footy game? Not me.

I am hoping a reasonable deal can be made for the club to remain at Unley.

Do you actually pay attention when you go to the footy Ben?? Unless you class a grass mound as a heritage grandstand, then I would love to know what stand was removed at Alberton. Norwood and unley both were more expensive for a steak sandwich off the bbq last season, and for less in the sanga too btw. And although the bbq wasn't removed as you put it, just moved to a different location. The original location was better

ahl, this is a new site, with an aim of discussing footy matters with respect for each poster.

By all means disagree, that's fine, but take this as a polite request to debate the issue, not the poster, please.

This is a new canvas, you might say, and we want to get off to a good start.

Thanks.

Well in the interest of a new site, factual accuracy should also be high on the agenda.

Well, ahl, we all make mistakes. I thought Ben's post was detailed and well thought out, as usual for him.
It's easy for you to point out the inaccuracy without the personal attack. Let's all move on, though. It often takes a while adapting to a new culture.

redandblack wrote:Well, ahl, we all make mistakes. I thought Ben's post was detailed and well thought out, as usual for him.
It's easy for you to point out the inaccuracy without the personal attack. Let's all move on, though. It often takes a while adapting to a new culture.

Hi R&B, the comment on the Grandstand refers to a section of the grandstand and expansion plans for the club, - no it hasn't gone as yet.

Thanks Ben, I should have known it was accurate

Good write up Ben .....

For me best :
Norwood ( great atmosphere and like the cafe strip it's on !!)
Glenelg ( don't know what it is but just feels I see more at the ground )

Worst :
Elizabeth ( too big , can't see from one end to another)
Unley ( very park amateurish stuff... People sit in the bowls club to watch games without paying ...not a good look)
Noarlunga ( as Ben says .....would have south to have used bice oval .... Should have been done up for that ... Close to beach road and it could of brought a real buzz down beach road ....)

Ben W wrote:

redandblack wrote:Well, ahl, we all make mistakes. I thought Ben's post was detailed and well thought out, as usual for him.
It's easy for you to point out the inaccuracy without the personal attack. Let's all move on, though. It often takes a while adapting to a new culture.

Hi R&B, the comment on the Grandstand refers to a section of the grandstand and expansion plans for the club, - no it hasn't gone as yet.

Your original post says nothing about proposed, planned or rumoured removal of stands. it was stated as a fact they had been removed, and that was 1 reason you rated the ground as poor. So no r&b, he was wrong not right as u assumed.

That depends on where the Power Club is to be built.

If a grandstand is to be removed for it to be built, then he is right.

In any event, just move on, ahl.