Bye Bye Junction Oval

[Arthur Dent 2]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but if not, we are officially moving to the new stadium this weekend.

The players have been told to clean out their lockers by today, and we are business as usual at AAMI Park from Monday.

Very exciting times.

[H_T 3,049]

Bye Bye Possums

[Bleasey as that 99]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but if not, we are officially moving to the new stadium this weekend.

The players have been told to clean out their lockers by today, and we are business as usual at AAMI Park from Monday.

Very exciting times.

Whats the arrangement with training? Is it still correct that we will train at the oval next to Gosch's Paddock....just like the scum?

Cheers

[jackaub 1,402]

Very exciting in deed

I still struggle with the fact that the oldest football club in the world(sic) doesnt have a home ground.

It should own half of melbourne real estate by now. I look with some envy at the $$$$ being lavished on Bulldogs, North, Richmond Western Sydney!

Anyway im sure we will benifit greatly having modern facilities.

Go dees

[Arthur Dent 2]

Whats the arrangement with training? Is it still correct that we will train at the oval next to Gosch's Paddock....just like the scum?

Cheers

Correct, great ground though, and right next to our Football Department. Casey will still be an occasional base only during the season.

[Red Sox 2]

Yeah great news.....if you can get a look at Cam Schwabs twitter page you will see many pics he has taken of the new facility.

[Bleasey as that 99]

Correct, great ground though, and right next to our Football Department. Casey will still be an occasional base only during the season.

thats a good result for the club I rekon!!

[deeflog 679]

Yeah great news.....if you can get a look at Cam Schwabs twitter page you will see many pics he has taken of the new facility.

any chance of linking them on here?

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

This is great news and of course long overdue.

However, my enduring memory of the the Junction Oval will be the last training session there, before the 1988 Grand Final. Of course we did not get the result we wanted on the day, but at training on the Thursday night, it was great to stand among the red and blue faithful and suck up the atmosphere.

Anyway, a new era is dawning.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Good riddance to the ground which was 20 years behind the times and a National Trust heirloom.

The facilities and playing surface had deteriorated badly over the past 10 years.

Central location (but little parking) was the only thing going for it.

[Red Sox 2]

I must admit as a young fella I did enjoy heading into the Junction. Great surface and spot to watch training. I had my time under the Ironmonger stand helping to create those banners, short lived but enjoyable none the less.

I was only 11/12 for the 87/88 finals series and the Junction was a great place to be around during these finals campaigns, as well as 2000. Except for the GF, I loved every minute of that last two mths of 2000 where we beat almost everyone in our path (I think North got us in a tight one that we SHOULD have won!) except those bloody dons! The day after 2000 GF I will remember well also, a lot of optimism for the years ahead, but sadly this did not eventuate as the up and down cycle continued up until the clean out and where we are today.

It should have happened years ago but is a nice symmetry that we are heading to better facilities at a time when the entire club is, in every respect, getting so much better.

RIP - Junction!

[Daz's Dee's 113]

Great, about 10 years too late but better late than never! People do make a good point about not really having a home base like North, Collingwood, Richmond, Bulldogs etc are we the only club in this situation and will this new stadium plus Casey solve it??

[Red Sox 2]

Do people have anything against us having the second training base/home down at Casey?? I live out that way and as a Casey resident and Demon fanatic it is obviously great for me and I love that we are there.

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

I think Casey is a great initiative and provides us with a growing market for years to come. We need to maintain our presence there as well.

[jnrmac 20,179]

It's great news. The players will be pinching themselves with the terrific new facilities and recovery area.

[Guest DeesPower]

Very exciting in deed

I still struggle with the fact that the oldest football club in the world(sic) doesnt have a home ground.

It should own half of melbourne real estate by now. I look with some envy at the $$$$ being lavished on Bulldogs, North, Richmond Western Sydney!

Anyway im sure we will benifit greatly having modern facilities.

Go dees

I think you should wait to see the new facilities. Having been on a conducted tour it is mind boggling- certainly much better than the Westpac centre and Adelaide's in SA. Sure we share them with co-tenants but the advantage of that is that you can absolutely afford state of the art gym, training and sports medicine facilities. This is by far the best option for the demons and puts us at the forefront of not only local facilities but very nearly up to the standards of the leading Football clubs of Europe and NFL in the US.

This is a great day for the club

Casey complements this very well as well.

Edited June 18, 2010 by DeesPower

[Guest DeesPower]

Very exciting in deed

I still struggle with the fact that the oldest football club in the world(sic) doesnt have a home ground.

It should own half of melbourne real estate by now. I look with some envy at the $$$$ being lavished on Bulldogs, North, Richmond Western Sydney!

Anyway im sure we will benifit greatly having modern facilities.

Go dees

I think you should wait to see the new facilities. Having been on a conducted tour it is mind boggling- certainly much better than the Westpac centre and Adelaide's in SA. Sure we share them with co-tenants but the advantage of that is that you can absolutely afford state of the art gym, training and sports medicine facilities. This is by far the best option for the demons and puts us at the forefront of not only local facilities but very nearly up to the standards of the leading Football clubs of Europe and NFL in the US. I'd remind you that Cameron Schwab maintains we at the moment start 2-3 goals behind before we run out on to the park given our current state. Can this be the solution to our ow starts!!!!!!?

It also complements the Casey facilities very well which can be used pre-season when Melbourne Victory will be in peak demand for the facilities. Mind you as I understand it there is a fair bit of the facility which is exclusive and set up for the needs of Australian football.

Make no mistake, this a great day for the club.

[Redleg 41,415]

Bye Bye Possums

And rats.

[Redleg 41,415]

Whats the arrangement with training? Is it still correct that we will train at the oval next to Gosch's Paddock....just like the scum?

Cheers

No the scum train at Visy park.

[Whispering_Jack 30,622]

And rats.

It was a very sad and nostalgic night at the Mates of Melbourne function held at the Junction Oval last night. Unfortunately, the players rooms and gym were locked so we couldn't wave goodbye to the rats and the possums but it was a fun experience anyway.

[Sir Why You Little 37,121]

This is great news. We finally become a Professional club in the AFL starting this weekend.

The Resurgence continues to roll. Let's hope we start winning interstate next........ B)

[dee-luded 2,959]

Maybe we could, as a supporter base, give the Junction a send off before the cricket training season kicks off..What would youall think of having one of those Supporter intra-club matches together with a Bar-B-Q get together.

who knows, it may even be possible to get a player to coach the team with the regular assistants & make a social day of it that could attract supporters to come along & watch & have a laugh. May be even some players would watch & let their Hair down for a bit of a laugh...

The last 25 years or so it has been a large part of the club & perhaps deserves a send off & a Pastor to say a prayer for the place & to supporters to say goodbye as we move on to fresher fields.

Anyway, its just a thought, & it could be a fun day.

[Red Sox 2]

Maybe we could, as a supporter base, give the Junction a send off before the cricket training season kicks off..What would youall think of having one of those Supporter intra-club matches together with a Bar-B-Q get together.

who knows, it may even be possible to get a player to coach the team with the regular assistants & make a social day of it that could attract supporters to come along & watch & have a laugh. May be even some players would watch & let their Hair down for a bit of a laugh...

The last 25 years or so it has been a large part of the club & perhaps deserves a send off & a Pastor to say a prayer for the place & to supporters to say goodbye as we move on to fresher fields.

Anyway, its just a thought, & it could be a fun day.

Love the idea!!

[Sir Why You Little 37,121]

Maybe we could, as a supporter base, give the Junction a send off before the cricket training season kicks off..What would youall think of having one of those Supporter intra-club matches together with a Bar-B-Q get together.

who knows, it may even be possible to get a player to coach the team with the regular assistants & make a social day of it that could attract supporters to come along & watch & have a laugh. May be even some players would watch & let their Hair down for a bit of a laugh...

The last 25 years or so it has been a large part of the club & perhaps deserves a send off & a Pastor to say a prayer for the place & to supporters to say goodbye as we move on to fresher fields.

Anyway, its just a thought, & it could be a fun day.

Nice Idea but considering the Junction Oval is one of the major reasons we have been Cannon Fodder of the AFL for the majority of 30 years, Personally i would prefer to give the Junction Oval a send off with High Explosive Dynamite!!

Now that would be fun on a saturday night. Get Sir Roy Slaven & H. G. Nelson to commentate the whole build up and execution.

Goodbye Junction oval Thank God we have out grown you. B)

Edited June 18, 2010 by why you little

[dee-luded 2,959]

Nice Idea but considering the Junction Oval is one of the major reasons we have been Cannon Fodder of the AFL for the majority of 30 years, Personally i would prefer to give the Junction Oval a send off with High Explosive Dynamite!!

Now that would be fun on a saturday night. Get Sir Roy Slaven & H. G. Nelson to commentate the whole build up and execution.

Goodbye Junction oval Thank God we have out grown you. B)

HaHaha, nice Idea, maybe we can symbolically.

PS: It's not the grounds fault we've been struggling, we just haven't been up with it, hopefully til Now. The ground was an symptom of the problem.

Still, It Is a major part of Us, and hopefully won't be such a painfull reminder in 50 years time. That is why I've made this suggestion to have a day of wake & celebration, perhaps in the Irish tradition.