Melbourne's new facilities

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Gang,

Sorry for having to start a topic on this but I couldn't find the old one anywhere when scrolling through.

I am wondering if someone can give me a little clarity as to what and where our footy dep/board/players will be

moving into, as there are so many talks about the bubble dome stadium, the new "MCG" sized oval being built

next to Gosch's Paddock, Casey and the MCG

As I understand it, we will be using Casey as a summer base to do pre season training? Hasn't there been a big refurbishment

made with new change rooms and gym added etc? Is any of this correct?

I have also heard talk that we will be moving out of the Junction Oval mid season? Where to?

Will we have access to state of the art facilities soon? What's the gym like out at Casey?

I am confused and don't really know what's going on so if someone has the answers, please that would be awesome.

Can't wait for Sunday. Go Dee's.

[4jacks 0]

The Bubbledome place is State-of-the-Art, shared with Victory and Storm i think, and we're supposed to be moving there in June/July. Goodbye Junction Oval, and good riddance.

Casey is mainly for pre-season and one session a week during the year; not sure about the facilities there - I presume they're pretty good.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,091]

Casey are better than anything we've had recently, but nowhere near the standard of some other clubs. I have no idea what the new ones in Melbourne are like.

[e25 5]

AAMI park is as good as anything else out there.

We'll be co-tenants with the Storm, Victory, Rebels, among others.

I think the Heart might be in there too.

Absolute state-of-the-art facility. There are few things that exist that you could want as a club, that won't be housed in this facility.

We should be in there within 6 weeks.

It will house our medical facilities, football dept, gym, pool, etc etc.

We'll train 50m away on Gosch's Paddock.

A small section of the club's admin will remain at the MCG, which is only 2mins away via a footbridge.

[Demon4Life 603]

There's a football oval next to the bubbledome which we will be using for training as well. The bubbledome, as I understand it, will be used for gym work, recovery sessions and most of our administration work. The rest will be at the MCG, which is a short walk from the bubbledome.

edit: Enforcer25 beat me too it

Edited April 17, 2010 by Demon4Life

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

I love you all.

Thanks, and I can't wait until we move in.

Sustainable future !!

[casey scorp 2]

Casey Fields is a pre-season training base, and for one session/week during the season.

The gym is to be fitted out with the equipment from the Junction Oval.

The extension recently built to the Scorps facility at Casey Fields cost $2.1 million. There were some efficiencies extending an existing building, using an existing carpark etc. A full admin/training base (such as St Kilda is building at Seaford Swamp) costs $10-12 million.

[rednblue 0]

Hello everyone, I am a long time reader and first time poster.

After years 'in the wilderness' it is amazing to see the mighty dee's show the first signs of coming out of a tough period. I think it is great that this form will coincide with the opening of our new facilities at AAMI Park.

Does anyone know if we will be moving in in three weeks when the stadium is officially opened? Does anyone have any photos/info on what our facilities are like in there and how time is divided up between us, storm, victory, heart and the rebels?

Also is our MCG size oval next to AAMI all finished?

[the_russian 17]

I've noticed they have start to bin some stuff down at junction, I ride passed each day and there was a big skip bin parked out the front with some old items in there - chairs and other odd bits...so it's a start

[Guest Thomo]

I'm not sure if I think this is a great arrangement. I know it will be unpopular, but I believe Melbourne should move to Casey Fields full time.

Melbourne will be having to share one part time training base with four other tenants, that does not house all the staff, and then spend one day per week travelling an hour to another training facility that is not up to standard with other AFL Clubs. We will then spend the preseason training at the inferior venue.

I understand that the new facilities will be light years better than the Junction Oval, but I'm not sure that I would class this arrangement as highly as others have.

Firstly, many players consider football their job, and if my employer or prospective employer said that I had to travel an additional hour one day per week and for 5 months of the year full time, I'd consider looking for another job. Brock Mclean said this was one of the reasons for his move. There may be other reasons that we can speculate on, but he said this was a reason for moving to Carlton. The travel is also wasted time. Players could make much better use of this time recovering, relaxing, or working.

Secondly, who gets priority at the AAMI park facilities? Are we going to be the poor cousins who have to wait in line to use the recovery/medical/weights etc?

Thirdly, as much as we like to remember a time before most of us were born, the MCG is not ours. We are a tenant along with many others. The suburb of Melbourne does not provide much of our supporter base either.

Fourthly, I don't believe that the people of Casey will embrace a part time team. No evidence, just a feeling. Sort of like Tassie not fully embracing the Hawks.

So why don’t we move to Casey full time and develop a first class facility there? If the Roos can build the upgrade of Arden Street, Dogs can redevelop the Western Oval, surely we could work with the AFL, State and Local Governments to get the funding?

It would allow us to relocate into a growth area, probably with the support of the AFL who would want to grow the game in the developing suburbs. It would also allow us the keep the Melbourne name, as we would still be in the Melbourne Metropolitan area. It would allow the players to have the opportunity to live close to training, and reduce time wasted on travel. All the admin and football department could be located under the one roof, and we could build a supporter base based on our geographic home. It would also give the Scorpions access to first class facilities, so I'm sure they would welcome it. And we would control when we train and that we have access to.

It would be great to continue to be located in the Heart of the city, without ground, but times have changed, and I believe that the Dees should move to Casey.

[Arthur Dent 2]

I'm not sure if I think this is a great arrangement. I know it will be unpopular, but I believe Melbourne should move to Casey Fields full time.

Melbourne will be having to share one part time training base with four other tenants, that does not house all the staff, and then spend one day per week travelling an hour to another training facility that is not up to standard with other AFL Clubs. We will then spend the preseason training at the inferior venue.

I understand that the new facilities will be light years better than the Junction Oval, but I'm not sure that I would class this arrangement as highly as others have.

Firstly, many players consider football their job, and if my employer or prospective employer said that I had to travel an additional hour one day per week and for 5 months of the year full time, I'd consider looking for another job. Brock Mclean said this was one of the reasons for his move. There may be other reasons that we can speculate on, but he said this was a reason for moving to Carlton. The travel is also wasted time. Players could make much better use of this time recovering, relaxing, or working.

Secondly, who gets priority at the AAMI park facilities? Are we going to be the poor cousins who have to wait in line to use the recovery/medical/weights etc?

Thirdly, as much as we like to remember a time before most of us were born, the MCG is not ours. We are a tenant along with many others. The suburb of Melbourne does not provide much of our supporter base either.

Fourthly, I don't believe that the people of Casey will embrace a part time team. No evidence, just a feeling. Sort of like Tassie not fully embracing the Hawks.

So why don’t we move to Casey full time and develop a first class facility there? If the Roos can build the upgrade of Arden Street, Dogs can redevelop the Western Oval, surely we could work with the AFL, State and Local Governments to get the funding?

It would allow us to relocate into a growth area, probably with the support of the AFL who would want to grow the game in the developing suburbs. It would also allow us the keep the Melbourne name, as we would still be in the Melbourne Metropolitan area. It would allow the players to have the opportunity to live close to training, and reduce time wasted on travel. All the admin and football department could be located under the one roof, and we could build a supporter base based on our geographic home. It would also give the Scorpions access to first class facilities, so I'm sure they would welcome it. And we would control when we train and that we have access to.

It would be great to continue to be located in the Heart of the city, without ground, but times have changed, and I believe that the Dees should move to Casey.

Because its in the middle of nowhere and if we want to be able to attract the best talent in our support teams (admin and football department) we need to be central, near our home, the M..C..G!

[rednblue 0]

I agree that this arrangement may prove to be unpopular as the various sides sharing AAMI fight for priority use of the facilities. Is moving to Casey really the answer though given how far it is from 'central melbourne'.

It is sad that we are now the only melbourne club without very high quality facilities either complete or under construction. In the last few months/years North have had Arden St redone, Cartlon Princes Park, Hawthorn Waveryly, Collingwood Lexus Centre while Richmond and St Kilda have new facilities under construction at Punt Rd and Frankston.

How are we split between two, one of which is world class but shared with up to four other clubs and then there is Casey which is not of nearly as high a standard as what other clubs, even north and richmond, currently have.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

I'm not sure if I think this is a great arrangement. I know it will be unpopular, but I believe Melbourne should move to Casey Fields full time...

The move to Casey Fields is one of the best things to happen to the club in recent times. However, it is not a full-time option. Melbourne don't need to be there full-time to tap into this growing region. The success of the pre-season and intra-club matches over recent years shows how much support Melbourne is getting from the locals.

As far as I know, there shouldn't be any issues with sharing facilities with the other codes at AAMI. I think Melbourne will have the best of both worlds, first-class facilities in the city, near the MCG as well as first-class facilities at Casey Fields in a growing outer region.

[Inner Demon 1]

I'm not sure if I think this is a great arrangement. I know it will be unpopular, but I believe Melbourne should move to Casey Fields full time.

Melbourne will be having to share one part time training base with four other tenants, that does not house all the staff, and then spend one day per week travelling an hour to another training facility that is not up to standard with other AFL Clubs. We will then spend the preseason training at the inferior venue.

I understand that the new facilities will be light years better than the Junction Oval, but I'm not sure that I would class this arrangement as highly as others have.

Firstly, many players consider football their job, and if my employer or prospective employer said that I had to travel an additional hour one day per week and for 5 months of the year full time, I'd consider looking for another job. Brock Mclean said this was one of the reasons for his move. There may be other reasons that we can speculate on, but he said this was a reason for moving to Carlton. The travel is also wasted time. Players could make much better use of this time recovering, relaxing, or working.

Secondly, who gets priority at the AAMI park facilities? Are we going to be the poor cousins who have to wait in line to use the recovery/medical/weights etc?

Thirdly, as much as we like to remember a time before most of us were born, the MCG is not ours. We are a tenant along with many others. The suburb of Melbourne does not provide much of our supporter base either.

Fourthly, I don't believe that the people of Casey will embrace a part time team. No evidence, just a feeling. Sort of like Tassie not fully embracing the Hawks.

So why don’t we move to Casey full time and develop a first class facility there? If the Roos can build the upgrade of Arden Street, Dogs can redevelop the Western Oval, surely we could work with the AFL, State and Local Governments to get the funding?

It would allow us to relocate into a growth area, probably with the support of the AFL who would want to grow the game in the developing suburbs. It would also allow us the keep the Melbourne name, as we would still be in the Melbourne Metropolitan area. It would allow the players to have the opportunity to live close to training, and reduce time wasted on travel. All the admin and football department could be located under the one roof, and we could build a supporter base based on our geographic home. It would also give the Scorpions access to first class facilities, so I'm sure they would welcome it. And we would control when we train and that we have access to.

It would be great to continue to be located in the Heart of the city, without ground, but times have changed, and I believe that the Dees should move to Casey.

Any belief that we will be somehow restricted in our use of any of the facilities at AAMI Park is misinformed. I can't imagine where this perception has come from. I had a back and forth with somebody recently about our inability to have "impromptu" sessions. Rest assured, there is no such thing, it's rubbish. AAMI Park ticks every box in terms of providing our players and football department with all the state-of-the-art facilities we need.

As for the suggestion of moving lock, stock and barrell to Casey. You think there's a problem in asking players to drive an extra 30-40 mins once a week but no problem with asking them all to move to Cranbourne or make the drive every single day????? Not a sound idea.

As for the MCG not being our home, we have a rent-free setup for our administration at the MCG and I'm pretty confident that the MFC staff would not appreciate being told they now work in Cranbourne rather than the MCG.

[CarnTheDees 52]

Old thread on this topic

"In summary for those that are confused (thanks Enforcer):

-Preseason training (exclusively?) at Casey

-Training in-season at Gosch's paddock, with 1 session per week/fortnight at Casey

-Football Dept, medical, gym? and majority of admin facilities at Bubbledome

-Remainder of admin at 'G."

And I think that the Gosch's Paddock oval that we will be using is the one closest to Punt Rd, not the one right next to Bubble Dome (though happy to be corrected).

[Guest 45 double agent]

I agree that this arrangement may prove to be unpopular as the various sides sharing AAMI fight for priority use of the facilities. Is moving to Casey really the answer though given how far it is from 'central melbourne'.

It is sad that we are now the only melbourne club without very high quality facilities either complete or under construction. In the last few months/years North have had Arden St redone, Cartlon Princes Park, Hawthorn Waveryly, Collingwood Lexus Centre while Richmond and St Kilda have new facilities under construction at Punt Rd and Frankston.

How are we split between two, one of which is world class but shared with up to four other clubs and then there is Casey which is not of nearly as high a standard as what other clubs, even north and richmond, currently have.

i suggest you go have another look at casey.

[rednblue 0]

i suggest you go have another look at casey.

I have seen Casey and I have seen Arden Street. I can say without a shadow of a doubt, the Arden Street facilities are miles beyond what we have out at Casey.

There is a pool, gym, indoor training area, lecture theatre and video editing suite. We will have these at AAMI but I have not seen them out at Casey.

[Guest 45 double agent]

I have seen Casey and I have seen Arden Street. I can say without a shadow of a doubt, the Arden Street facilities are miles beyond what we have out at Casey.

There is a pool, gym, indoor training area, lecture theatre and video editing suite. We will have these at AAMI but I have not seen them out at Casey.

theres 32million aquatic centre across the road, i think the clubs lucky to have facillities like casy as a back up, the government paid for arden st,they shouldv just flushed the money down the toilet,the poor old roos cant pull a crowd, there in strife.

[Guest Thomo]

Any belief that we will be somehow restricted in our use of any of the facilities at AAMI Park is misinformed. I can't imagine where this perception has come from. I had a back and forth with somebody recently about our inability to have "impromptu" sessions. Rest assured, there is no such thing, it's rubbish. AAMI Park ticks every box in terms of providing our players and football department with all the state-of-the-art facilities we need.

As for the suggestion of moving lock, stock and barrell to Casey. You think there's a problem in asking players to drive an extra 30-40 mins once a week but no problem with asking them all to move to Cranbourne or make the drive every single day????? Not a sound idea.

As for the MCG not being our home, we have a rent-free setup for our administration at the MCG and I'm pretty confident that the MFC staff would not appreciate being told they now work in Cranbourne rather than the MCG.

I appreciate the responses, I think it is a worthwhile discussion, and happy to hear other views.

I agree it would be a big ask to get staff to move, and we would lose a lot of staff in the short term. However in the long term all staff move on, and we would recruit staff with the knowledge that they will work in Casey. Will this mean that we do not get the same caliber of staff? I'm not sure, but there are probably 1 million people who live closer to Casey than the MCG.

I have no idea what the sharing facilities are at AAMI park, I'm just assuming that there are not 4 weight rooms, pools, ice baths, etc, so there will need to be a roster system, which would not allow the access other teams have to their facilities. What have you heard about how this will work?

The MCG is not our home. We are Tenants like several other football clubs. We get a good deal on rent for part of our staff, but it is not ours. There are also a dozen sporting codes that are part of the MCC.

[Sir Why You Little 37,149]

The MCG is not our home. We are Tenants like several other football clubs. We get a good deal on rent for part of our staff, but it is not ours. There are also a dozen sporting codes that are part of the MCC.

The MCG is our home, we moved back in last year when the Realignment with the MCC was signed off by Jim & Schwaby.

The other teams are renters.

[TheOx05 1]

Melbourne Victory have a members open day this Saturday @ AAMI Park so i'll try and get as many photos of the place as i can and share them on here.

[bandicoot 1,395]

I believe the move to AAMI Park will be one of the most beneficial things the MFC have done in recent times.

Assuming that we get an equal and ample use of the premises, it will guarantee that our players are using the best facilities in the league.

There is however a greater and potential non tangible benefit.

This benefit will be our teams interaction with the other codes using this facility.

It will give our guys a chance to mix with some of the best and most elite sportsmen in the world.

It is the chance to chat with Billy Slater and Greg inglis. Muscat and Archie Thomson and some quality international rep rugby union players.

This will allow our players to see how the others train and mingle with the worlds best.

No other team in the AFL have this option and would secretly be jealous with this scenario.

It will do wonders with the new crop to see A grade players day in day out.

[Cards13 9,117]

I believe the move to AAMI Park will be one of the most beneficial things the MFC have done in recent times.

Assuming that we get an equal and ample use of the premises, it will guarantee that our players are using the best facilities in the league.

There is however a greater and potential non tangible benefit.

This benefit will be our teams interaction with the other codes using this facility.

It will give our guys a chance to mix with some of the best and most elite sportsmen in the world.

It is the chance to chat with Billy Slater and Greg inglis. Muscat and Archie Thomson and some quality international rep rugby union players.

This will allow our players to see how the others train and mingle with the worlds best.

No other team in the AFL have this option and would secretly be jealous with this scenario.

It will do wonders with the new crop to see A grade players day in day out.

I think this will be one of the biggest benefits... Imagine the likes of our younger players in the weights room seeing how hard the Storm boys train in there. Get some tackling tips from the storm guys.

Also it could be nothing but beneficial for the support staff, medical/fitness guys to hopefully trade information on different techniques and ideas between the codes to find any advantage they can there too.

[bandicoot 1,395]

If our football department is any good they should already be sewing the seeds for future partnerships.

I believe every code can teach the other some skills and share knowledge.

If I were Chris Connely and Cam Schwab I would be ensuring that our boys are mingling with the other codes as much as possible on a formal and non formal basis.

[Inner Demon 1]

Perhaps let's not get too excited about the 'non formal' interaction with the league boys...