Sturt to relocate?

Courtesy of AdelaideNow and Eastern Courier Messenger, discussing the possibility of Sturt relocating either to Wayville Showgrounds or Mount Barker.

What are the thoughts of Sturt fans, and all SANFL fans in this respect?

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sturt-football-club-may-head-for-the-hills/story-e6frea6u-1226384697005

I need to ask as to the circumstances behind Sturt's move to Adelaide Oval in the 1980s to gain a better picture. Are these similar circumstances to what happen back then?

So many more questions crop up:

Where in Mount Barker would they play? Would they ground share with the Roos? Would the council/LMA build them a new ground?

The Wayville idea has been floated around for a while. Has Sturt management been in talks with the Agriculture Society about this? What savings would they make on rent? How many supporters would be lost because of relocation and how many new supporters would they think they would pick up?

Could Norwood Oval be used temporarily (if it were cheaper) whilst they look for a solution? Price Memorial?

I can't imagine they coul;d play league football at Price Memorial. A lot of money would need to be spent before they did. A series of night games at Norwood Oval could be a good option for them.

The current surface at Mount Barker Oval would not be suitable for SANFL, so would need Council work to dig it up and start the surface again. Off-street parking would not be a significant issue, however, with Mount Barker High School nearby (although this would clash with school sports to a degree) as a possibility, as well as many wide side streets nearby that would allow easy access to and from the ground.

The other possibility is for games to be played at the nearby Cornerstone College, which has hosted SANFL trial games previously. The issue here is infrastructure, such as toilets and catering (nothing near to the oval presently), as well as the entrance being near to the exit to the South Eastern Freeway, but the surface is excellent at its best.

Would Wayville be the better option then? I think CK also wrote an article about this a while ago in SportsBeat? Reasonably central location, good parking etc. Not sure about the playing surface and facilities?

I could be wrong, but I believe the Mt Barker council already intend to construct a new football ground.

As I said I could be wrong, but I'm sure I heard somewhere that this was happening.

That said, after living in the area for most of my life there have been plenty of 'sure thing' rumours regarding development that have never eventuated.

I did raise this one a while ago in Sportsbeat, quite right, Phil.

Facilities would be more than adequate. There are already more than sufficient bar and catering facilities under the western grandstand, as well as toilets etc. Changerooms would be incorporated in the areas where equestrian participants currently prepare at the Royal Show.

Post-match functions could be held in Goyder Mezzaine (above Goyder Pavilion).

The main arena itself did host SANFL, albeit from 1927 to 1939 when West Adelaide played there, so the oval itself could be brought back to SANFL standard with some resurfacing. The final match of the season would need to be played no later than the first Friday night of the Royal Show, so as not to interfere with Show festivities.

From Sturt's point of view, financial return will be the one and only major concern.

Their financial position is obviously precarious and their future expansion appears to lie in the Mt Barker area, so their best result would be for a 'friendly' development there.

Future pokie revenue for them would seem more likely as well?

Mt Barker would be far more beneficial from a pokie machine return perspective.
My thoughts...get up there asap before its too late... the sanfl certainly do not have the coin to bale out another club.

Both suggestions have good and bad points to them,

Adelaide Hills, - Pro's may be a good source of revenue for the club in terms of Poker Machines, AVJennings have the green light for a massive development at Meadows, its not just Mt Barker where the population is exploding. Cons - Set up Costs and getting the local community to embrace the club are not garanteed. The SANFL and the State / Federal Government will need to cough up some dough either as a grant or an interest free loan for it to work. I cant see how the club can access the coin required for the move without this support.

Wayville, Pros is that its still local to Unley, has Lights already and has very good public transport options - Tram, Bus and Train. The days of Speedway at Wayville are over because of safety issues with the fencing / track not being up to standard, resultantly the Royal Show Committee may not be opposed to a winter tenant to boost their revenue stream. Cons, How they separate Payment for spectators as opposed to Earth Fair visitors and so on may be interesting. Some redevelopment will be needed in terms of the fencing rail and so on, hardly insurmountable issues though.

If the State Government were on side, having the Poker Machines and a licensed club on the site may be of interest to the Royal Show Committee, think it would do pretty well during the show and other events, could well be a win / win for both the Show Committee and the SFC?

Folks let me put this to rest once and for all and save any more pointless speculation. It aint going to happen. Matt Benson has even been on Channel 10 today to say so. It's a fiction dreamed up by some sub-editor at Messenger Press, desperate for a cheap and nasty headline.

I don't know why the media has some hell bent agenda to shift us on.
I also don't know what language Matt Benson has to use to get the message across to them. Plain Queen's English isn't working.
Maybe these green Gen Y journos, might prefer the variety of pidgeon English used in the world according to SMS.

Ok so the lease is up for renewal and a deal needs to be done with the Council. Big deal. The preliminaries of that discussion would have been taking place for a while now.

Forget Wayville, forget Mt Barker - nobody (Club, Members, Council) wants us to move from Unley.

How clear is that Media people?

countrycousin wrote:Folks let me put this to rest once and for all and save any more pointless speculation. It aint going to happen. Matt Benson has even been on Channel 10 today to say so. It's a fiction dreamed up by some sub-editor at Messenger Press, desperate for a cheap and nasty headline.

Matt pretty much alluded to this on Triple M as well. He also mentioned that he wanted to see how the club (along with the council) could cut costs on game day. One of the options was making the boundary fencing a bit more permanent, while finding that balance where the locals can use the oval when the club isn't using it but not having granny with her shopping trying to walk across the oval during a training session.

Brucetiki wrote:

countrycousin wrote:Folks let me put this to rest once and for all and save any more pointless speculation. It aint going to happen. Matt Benson has even been on Channel 10 today to say so. It's a fiction dreamed up by some sub-editor at Messenger Press, desperate for a cheap and nasty headline.

Matt pretty much alluded to this on Triple M as well. He also mentioned that he wanted to see how the club (along with the council) could cut costs on game day. One of the options was making the boundary fencing a bit more permanent, while finding that balance where the locals can use the oval when the club isn't using it but not having granny with her shopping trying to walk across the oval during a training session.

IMO a nice white picket fence would be nice, but how many times would it get targeted by vandals via graffiti or breaking it?

In Terms of fencing, fencing the sides of the playground next to the road at the North East Corner of the ground would be simple common sense and very much in the interests of both the club and residents alike!

Ben W wrote:In Terms of fencing, fencing the sides of the playground next to the road at the North East Corner of the ground would be simple common sense and very much in the interests of both the club and residents alike!

And that discussion is being had with Council also.
Makes a lot of sense.
The prams, the dogs and joggers don't go scaling over the bark laden mound to get to the oval. And neither do they use anywhere but the western entrance, northern area entrance and western side.

That would leave a very small perimeter section to fence.

Pure scaremongering from another sanfl president.

Just like Kris Grant the year before him.

Millsy wrote:Pure scaremongering from another sanfl president.

Just like Kris Grant the year before him.

Which one is that, and what is their agenda?

Adelaide Hawk wrote:

Millsy wrote:Pure scaremongering from another sanfl president.

Just like Kris Grant the year before him.

Which one is that, and what is their agenda?

exactly the two questions i thought when i read it

& Millsy the answers are ??

Millsy wrote:Pure scaremongering from another sanfl president.

Just like Kris Grant the year before him.

Please enlighten me also

Sturt to relocate ?

Why the (?) question mark? Sturt HAVE relocated and the Real Estate business is booming !

Whilst holding their Unley property as 'some' collateral, the club’s movers and shakers are considering expanding their real estate portfolio in every direction. The League, in their infinite wisdom, decided to sell off the Greenhill Road driveway of the old Norwood property to Sturt years ago, along with fruiting traditional Red and Blue family farmland to the South and especially East. But the urban sprawl has gone viral in the latest boundary subdivisions. Wonderful realignments now see great opportunities to buy with the threatened Norwood estate nearly completely re-zoned ‘Double Blue Ribbon’.

Yes, when the SANFL stuff something up, they don’t muck around. It’s only a matter of time before other choice allotments are purchased by North, Central or other bidders, so it’s good to see the Sturt land agents getting in early to stake their claim. And who can blame them? Just looking at the old Norwood homestead itself, Sturt have certainly picked up a bargain property. No ‘handyman’s dream’ here, it’s quality fit-outs throughout with years of meticulous maintenance in all areas through junior development. The Norwood gardeners have been dedicated to farming fine crops of young players for centuries throughout this area, so the new owners need only hold out their baskets to collect Norwood’s fruit for free. Everything must go!

The SANFL have now ‘strip mined’ Norwood’s entire back yard including a fine courtyard to the North containing Newton and Campbelltown. Whilst Magill, Norton Summit and all the majestic prime land as far as the eye can see to the East, now offers Sturt some fantastic agistments, plus absolutely spectacular views back across the city and all that’s left of Norwood. It’s just screaming for further sub-division. Don’t you miss out, after all, there’s not much left.

As mentioned above, Sturt now own all the surrounding land, including Norwood’s back yard, the shed, the sleepout, the back verandah, the laundry (sorry about this dirty washing) and most of the kitchen. Yes, including the kitchen sink! Soon it’ll be impossible to feed ourselves, but maybe that’s not all bad, I don’t know how long you can live on Coopers alone, but at least I’m willing to find out.

And in late breaking news from the selling agent:
Fortunately a 'Torrens Title’ has been refused. Apparently some idiot on the Norwood board thought it meant the Eagles would get anything that's left.

Hooroo, I’m off to buy condoms before the SANFL burst into the bedrooms and complete the job !

Luv,
Sabre.

testy wrote:

Millsy wrote:Pure scaremongering from another sanfl president.

Just like Kris Grant the year before him.

Please enlighten me also

Ask Red and Black ?? He'll explain it to you

We are asking you.

Millsy wrote:

testy wrote:

Millsy wrote:Pure scaremongering from another sanfl president.

Just like Kris Grant the year before him.

Please enlighten me also

Ask Red and Black ?? He'll explain it to you

I'd really like you to tell me.

Adelaide Hawk wrote:

Millsy wrote:

testy wrote:

Millsy wrote:Pure scaremongering from another sanfl president.

Just like Kris Grant the year before him.

Please enlighten me also

Ask Red and Black ?? He'll explain it to you

I'd really like you to tell me.

please explain