Gill the Dill being pushed to replace Craig Tiley at Tennis Australia. If this happens I wonder what that means for out tenancy at AAMI/gosch's and will that open up better funding pathways to 'pay' us to move out towards caulfield for Tennis Australia to gain even more land in the precinct.... and probably help collingwood gain their second oval as well

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/tennis-australia-urged-to-consider-former-afl-boss-gillon-mclachlan-for-top-job-amid-craig-tiley-exit-rumours/news-story/8bada25a1b503494e2cbe5a011e36ba2

On 12/02/2026 at 20:05, DeeZone said:

I know where you are coming from Beelzebub who would want to relocate from the G to Waverley. I’m with WayneWussell dig in, stay at Gosh’s until Caulfield is Signed, Sealed and Delivered, then we move. Are AFL trying to get our Head Office out of the G??

Caulfield WILL NOT HAPPEN! Take Waverley and upgrade!

On 28/01/2026 at 09:28, Dr. Gonzo said:

Okay, so that's the plank, yes?

6 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

Okay, so that's the plank, yes?

Geezus man I'm trying to eat dinner here

26 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Caulfield WILL NOT HAPPEN! Take Waverley and upgrade!

Upgrade? Waverley is severely land locked and limited in upgrade potential. If it could’ve been done so adequately, the Hawks would’ve.

Would much rather stay at Gosch’s than move to Waverley. I’d only accept a temporary stay there whilst our new HQ is being built.

30 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Caulfield WILL NOT HAPPEN! Take Waverley and upgrade!

There's no way to upgrade to a state of the art facility, it's why the Hawks left. If this is our solution then Guerra needs to go before he loses us the only leverage we have which I feel might be Gosch's. That's if in fact we actually need leverage, Caulfield may well still be progressing.

On 14/02/2026 at 12:37, Kev said:

Plenty of 2 hour parking in the side streets around school near the Botanical, or it's $1 an hour on Alexander. Won't Caulfield be similar.

Plenty of parking on site at Caulfield, south side. Plus Glenhuntly Station parking just round the corner, and a Woolies car park just a bit further.

13 hours ago, Demon Disciple said:

Upgrade? Waverley is severely land locked and limited in upgrade potential. If it could’ve been done so adequately, the Hawks would’ve.

Would much rather stay at Gosch’s than move to Waverley. I’d only accept a temporary stay there whilst our new HQ is being built.

Which will be on Mars in 3249!

Here we go, let’s start again, why

4 hours ago, picket fence said:

Which will be on Mars in 3249!

I hope so. Home ground advantage.

36 minutes ago, bluey said:

Here we go, let’s start again, why

someone from here with a better resume than me should apply

3 hours ago, biggestred said:

someone from here with a better resume than me should apply

Stuff that, we should all apply. Surely one of us will get the job given how incompetent management at Caulfield seems to be

9 hours ago, picket fence said:

Which will be on Mars in 3249!

Bulldogs territory, surely!

But impressive if the Ballarat oval retains its sponsor that long...

Remind me when Caulfield became the number 1 option? Can't recall when we moved on from the Yarra Park car park alternative which IIRC was the last seriously considered option. Must have been pre-2023

We need an update from the club on where this all sits before our 1st round game

22 minutes ago, Rednblueriseing said:

We need an update from the club on where this all sits before our 1st round game

Do not hold your breath. Those that have some contacts say it is all in the hands of the state government. A government that is broke and an election in November. I don’t see this as high on their agenda. No votes in giving money to the MFC in fact it could be the reverse.

17 minutes ago, old dee said:

Do not hold your breath. Those that have some contacts say it is all in the hands of the state government. A government that is broke and an election in November. I don’t see this as high on their agenda. No votes in giving money to the MFC in fact it could be the reverse.

Fantastic...

Would it be the worst idea to fully develop Casey as or elite sports complex, and still have Goshes as a second base?

It’s my understanding that Paul Guerra sits on the board of racing Victoria and may not take part in any commercial in confidence meetings on behalf of the Melbourne football club.

2 hours ago, Rednblueriseing said:

Fantastic...

Would it be the worst idea to fully develop Casey as or elite sports complex, and still have Goshes as a second base?

Not a bad idea at all. Casey has the grounds, not bad facilities I believe (what would I know from Qld) and really is only 45-60 minutes from the city. Look at the Lions winning the last 2 flags and train out in the bush around 40 minutes from Brisbane CBD. Would not cost much to get it up to elite standard.

Hope Caulfield happens sooner than later but Casey could be a good option. Remember when I was living down there, Lilydale was in the bush where my Nan lived and now is basically an inner suburb.

22 minutes ago, Docs Demons said:

Lilydale was in the bush where my Nan lived and now is basically an inner suburb.

Not quite...

4 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Remind me when Caulfield became the number 1 option? Can't recall when we moved on from the Yarra Park car park alternative which IIRC was the last seriously considered option. Must have been pre-2023

That was never a serious option.

A key element of a potential Melbourne Football Club redevelopment of Caulfield Racecourse would see racing suspended for close to a year as conflict emerges on future plans for the complex.

The football club have been vocal in their wish to move to the race course, and it has support, but discussions around relocating the organisation to Caulfield are complex, with significant differences emerging over the scale and design of the precinct.

The football club and the Melbourne Racing club remain opposed on key issues on how football could coexist with racing, which now risk delaying or scuppering any progress.

The competing visions for the site have created uncertainty about how the complex would ultimately look – and what it would mean for the future of racing at the venue.

The football club, the MRC and various government bodies have been working towards a new hub, a massive new complex, including a new administrative building, football ovals and community facilities.

But while supporters of the $100m development are hopeful the development will still proceed, they fear the impasse on crucial elements, including the creation of a new tunnel underneath the racetrack which would see racing close for a possible 12 months, could prove fatal to the shift.

The closure of the race track would potentially cost the MRC tens of millions of dollars and they vehemently oppose the idea.

The football club are currently working through a business case to set up its new base at the racetrack, with an outcome due mid 2026, it told its members.

Several sources with knowledge of the talks have told Betsy the two parties are some distance apart on the design of the complex, including the football club’s new administration building, new football ovals and parking.

The course is managed in part by the Caulfield Racecourse Trust, who have communicated racing cannot suffer in any development.

But the most controversial topic is the football club’s strong wish for a new pedestrian tunnel underneath the racetrack.

The football club are adamant they want a multi-million-dollar tunnel underneath the racetrack to a new administration building the club want to build on the Neerim side of the racing complex.

The construction of a tunnel, sources told Betsy, would see racing at the track stop for up to 12 months, if not longer. The tunnel would be estimated to cost more than $10 million.

Tunnel vision

The football club, understandably, want their players to have direct access to their new training facilities from their proposed main hub.

Issue is, if the club continues to look at developing the site on Neerim Road for their main building where the old Aquanita stables were based, they need to find a way to get the players and staff from the building to inside the racetrack where the ovals would be based.

Players can’t go over the track out of OHS fears for the players, plus staff for the race club are concerned about the damage to the track from the constant foot traffic. The race club too have OHS fears.

The football club have also rejected any proposal that would see players drive around 200m to the ovals from an existing tunnel from where the hub would be built.

Rather, they have proposed a tunnel between their proposed base and where the new ovals would be built.

The racing club is vehemently against the tunnel out of real fears they couldn’t race at Caulfield for at least a year plus, while others expect it could be even longer. The cost to the club if racing was to shut would be in the tens of millions of dollars.

Betsy has been told there have been heated discussions between the two clubs previously on numerous occasions and despite being told racing wouldn’t budge on the issue, the football club presses on. A feasibility study is currently being completed which will deal with many issues, including the tunnel.

But several people with knowledge of the talks say unless the football club budge or find another solution, the development could be dead.

The MRC said the MFC proposal cannot impact racing.

”The Victorian Government and the MRC are aligned that racing remains the primary and protected use of Caulfield. Any proposal must ensure there is no disruption to racing operations, track integrity, member access, or urban amenity and impact on the local community arising from any planned development,” the club said in a statement.

Artist impressions of the new Melbourne complex

New hub friction

Insiders say they thought a solution had been found when a proposal was put forward for the two clubs to build a brand-new joint facility.

The building would have been built on a site on the Station Street side of the racecourse. It is unclear whether the site is club or government owned.

The hub would house both clubs but specially built to allow the football club to create their own space and branding.

Crucially, it would allow players to access a pedestrian tunnel already there, saving millions of dollars and would see no disruptions to racing.

Betsy is told the idea came with strong state government support.

But as the idea started to gain traction within both clubs, it hit a hurdle. The football club’s board said no.

The club’s board is alleged to have rejected the idea because they remain steadfast they want their own facility, which does have merit, but whether its possible at Caulfield is another question.

But the rejection was a significant step back for the project. It also is said to have drawn lines in the sand for both.

Artist impressions of the new Melbourne complex

Racing going cold

Initially, the MRC saw opportunity with the idea of Melbourne joining the racecourse facility.

Opportunities to make money that is, plus seek significant investment in their own facilities by the state government.

But Betsy is told the appetite for significant change is waning. The benefits to racing of any shift, presently, are not enough. As the details are fleshed out, sharp minds are starting to realise they will lose control over key parts of the complex that was created for racing. Like football, its environmental and social elements are crucial to its success.

The race club too is becoming tired at times of their dealings with the football club, frustrated by a lack of understanding of their needs and previously, the personnel they have worked with.

Much of the site isn’t managed by the race club, but by the trust. But the messaging both privately and publicly from the trust and the state government is racing can’t suffer from the development, nor can it shut during construction.

There are also financial concerns the racing club has regarding the football club.

Some of the ideas put forward will take at least $100m to execute. The football club doesn’t have anywhere near that kind of money. While they will undoubtedly receive government support plus some donations from wealthy benefactors and even the AFL, there is concerns much of the planning could be derailed by cost.

Racing, too, knows that it has the most important negotiating tool up its sleeve – time. The football club needs to move out of its current base and fast. The state government, plus nearby tenants including Collingwood, Melbourne Storm and even Tennis Australia would be keen to have them shift quickly. But while the MRC can sit and wait, the football club needs this project greenlit.

Community access

Local MP and deputy opposition leader David Southwick in attacking the state government recently, pointed out the local areas as having Victoria’s lowest public open space provision in Victoria.

The Caulfield community is a passionate clientele and will want their say on the site.

There is often community frustration about access to the racecourse already to get to the parklands inside the course.

There are real fears, despite the premature nature of the discussions, that they may lose parts of the space already there to a professional football club.

The club wants at least two football ovals built. While they will rightly argue they too can be accessed by the wider community, locals fear it won’t be enough.

Adding complexity in the broader precinct’s evolving land mix is the arrival of Mount Scopus Memorial College, who purchased land from the race club for $195 million. The land sold was crucial in clearing debt the club has – but has again raised community concerns about mixed use of the site if Melbourne arrives and even nearby traffic snarls.

Politics is everything

When MFC CEO Paul Guerra is not working to help his club win premierships, he sits on the Racing Victoria board, which raises obvious conflicts.

It has been speculated that Guerra’s hiring at Melbourne was in part for his strong contact book in racing and government.

The relationship between Guerra and the most powerful man in Victorian racing, Jonathan Munz is a curious watch.

Munz once campaigned in 2022 to have Guerra removed from the RV board as part of a spill motion, which did not eventuate. It is believed Guerra’s inclusion in the spill was down to being in the wrong place at the wrong time as the two did not know each other, rather than anything personal.

Munz is now the vice-chairman at the MRC and wields enormous power in the sport. This includes at Racing Victoria.

The two are now believed to be on good terms and Guerra’s remaining on RV board is seen by some as good for both parties if there is any hope of getting the deal done. But for Guerra to get his club into Caulfield, he’ll need to convince Munz first.

There were murmurs from some within the RV board about whether Guerra should remain on the RV board while he was Melbourne’s CEO. Why he would want to do both [or have the time] is another question.

But given his term was recently extended until 2027, the issue, for now, is somewhat redundant.

While it was Racing Minister Anthony Carbines who extended Guerra’s term, responsibility for the Crown land at Caulfield sits with Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos, who is believed to be watching progress closely.

Path forward

Those who spoke to Betsy for the piece, and only did so if they could remain anonymous, believe there is still a chance for the project to get the nod. But not as Melbourne currently want it and any progress will take concessions from both sides, especially the football club.

The state government likes the idea of a shared infrastructure as well as eliminating costly elements, such as the construction of a tunnel. While the tunnel alone would cost millions, the economic impact to the race club would be even greater. Racing as a code, too, would potentially suffer through a drop in wagering if Caulfield could not be used.

The two bodies need to find common ground on the operational responsibilities on the site, which would protect both sides’ long term goals.

What they had to say

Betsy put a number of questions to Guerra and the football club and they declined to comment.

The race club confirmed discussions remain ongoing.

‘’The MRC is open to exploring Melbourne Football Club potentially establishing a high performance training centre and administrative facility in the centre of the racecourse and adjacent land administered by the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust (CRRT). No plans have been agreed and no final design, layout or infrastructure decisions have been settled,’’ the club said.

‘’MRC is working collaboratively with the Government and the Caulfield Recreational Reserve Trust to assess feasibility and long-term sustainability.”

• It’s important to note here Guerra once sat on the board of racing.com [once my employer] however my dealings with him were limited. But when we did come across each other he was helpful and polite. He declined to comment or provide background to this story.

14 minutes ago, Demonland said:

A key element of a potential Melbourne Football Club redevelopment of Caulfield Racecourse would see racing suspended for close to a year as conflict emerges on future plans for the complex.

The football club have been vocal in their wish to move to the race course, and it has support, but discussions around relocating the organisation to Caulfield are complex, with significant differences emerging over the scale and design of the precinct.

The football club and the Melbourne Racing club remain opposed on key issues on how football could coexist with racing, which now risk delaying or scuppering any progress.

The competing visions for the site have created uncertainty about how the complex would ultimately look – and what it would mean for the future of racing at the venue.

The football club, the MRC and various government bodies have been working towards a new hub, a massive new complex, including a new administrative building, football ovals and community facilities.

But while supporters of the $100m development are hopeful the development will still proceed, they fear the impasse on crucial elements, including the creation of a new tunnel underneath the racetrack which would see racing close for a possible 12 months, could prove fatal to the shift.

The closure of the race track would potentially cost the MRC tens of millions of dollars and they vehemently oppose the idea.

The football club are currently working through a business case to set up its new base at the racetrack, with an outcome due mid 2026, it told its members.

Several sources with knowledge of the talks have told Betsy the two parties are some distance apart on the design of the complex, including the football club’s new administration building, new football ovals and parking.

The course is managed in part by the Caulfield Racecourse Trust, who have communicated racing cannot suffer in any development.

But the most controversial topic is the football club’s strong wish for a new pedestrian tunnel underneath the racetrack.

The football club are adamant they want a multi-million-dollar tunnel underneath the racetrack to a new administration building the club want to build on the Neerim side of the racing complex.

The construction of a tunnel, sources told Betsy, would see racing at the track stop for up to 12 months, if not longer. The tunnel would be estimated to cost more than $10 million.

Tunnel vision

The football club, understandably, want their players to have direct access to their new training facilities from their proposed main hub.

Issue is, if the club continues to look at developing the site on Neerim Road for their main building where the old Aquanita stables were based, they need to find a way to get the players and staff from the building to inside the racetrack where the ovals would be based.

Players can’t go over the track out of OHS fears for the players, plus staff for the race club are concerned about the damage to the track from the constant foot traffic. The race club too have OHS fears.

The football club have also rejected any proposal that would see players drive around 200m to the ovals from an existing tunnel from where the hub would be built.

Rather, they have proposed a tunnel between their proposed base and where the new ovals would be built.

The racing club is vehemently against the tunnel out of real fears they couldn’t race at Caulfield for at least a year plus, while others expect it could be even longer. The cost to the club if racing was to shut would be in the tens of millions of dollars.

Betsy has been told there have been heated discussions between the two clubs previously on numerous occasions and despite being told racing wouldn’t budge on the issue, the football club presses on. A feasibility study is currently being completed which will deal with many issues, including the tunnel.

But several people with knowledge of the talks say unless the football club budge or find another solution, the development could be dead.

The MRC said the MFC proposal cannot impact racing.

”The Victorian Government and the MRC are aligned that racing remains the primary and protected use of Caulfield. Any proposal must ensure there is no disruption to racing operations, track integrity, member access, or urban amenity and impact on the local community arising from any planned development,” the club said in a statement.

Artist impressions of the new Melbourne complex

New hub friction

Insiders say they thought a solution had been found when a proposal was put forward for the two clubs to build a brand-new joint facility.

The building would have been built on a site on the Station Street side of the racecourse. It is unclear whether the site is club or government owned.

The hub would house both clubs but specially built to allow the football club to create their own space and branding.

Crucially, it would allow players to access a pedestrian tunnel already there, saving millions of dollars and would see no disruptions to racing.

Betsy is told the idea came with strong state government support.

But as the idea started to gain traction within both clubs, it hit a hurdle. The football club’s board said no.

The club’s board is alleged to have rejected the idea because they remain steadfast they want their own facility, which does have merit, but whether its possible at Caulfield is another question.

But the rejection was a significant step back for the project. It also is said to have drawn lines in the sand for both.

Artist impressions of the new Melbourne complex

Racing going cold

Initially, the MRC saw opportunity with the idea of Melbourne joining the racecourse facility.

Opportunities to make money that is, plus seek significant investment in their own facilities by the state government.

But Betsy is told the appetite for significant change is waning. The benefits to racing of any shift, presently, are not enough. As the details are fleshed out, sharp minds are starting to realise they will lose control over key parts of the complex that was created for racing. Like football, its environmental and social elements are crucial to its success.

The race club too is becoming tired at times of their dealings with the football club, frustrated by a lack of understanding of their needs and previously, the personnel they have worked with.

Much of the site isn’t managed by the race club, but by the trust. But the messaging both privately and publicly from the trust and the state government is racing can’t suffer from the development, nor can it shut during construction.

There are also financial concerns the racing club has regarding the football club.

Some of the ideas put forward will take at least $100m to execute. The football club doesn’t have anywhere near that kind of money. While they will undoubtedly receive government support plus some donations from wealthy benefactors and even the AFL, there is concerns much of the planning could be derailed by cost.

Racing, too, knows that it has the most important negotiating tool up its sleeve – time. The football club needs to move out of its current base and fast. The state government, plus nearby tenants including Collingwood, Melbourne Storm and even Tennis Australia would be keen to have them shift quickly. But while the MRC can sit and wait, the football club needs this project greenlit.

Community access

Local MP and deputy opposition leader David Southwick in attacking the state government recently, pointed out the local areas as having Victoria’s lowest public open space provision in Victoria.

The Caulfield community is a passionate clientele and will want their say on the site.

There is often community frustration about access to the racecourse already to get to the parklands inside the course.

There are real fears, despite the premature nature of the discussions, that they may lose parts of the space already there to a professional football club.

The club wants at least two football ovals built. While they will rightly argue they too can be accessed by the wider community, locals fear it won’t be enough.

Adding complexity in the broader precinct’s evolving land mix is the arrival of Mount Scopus Memorial College, who purchased land from the race club for $195 million. The land sold was crucial in clearing debt the club has – but has again raised community concerns about mixed use of the site if Melbourne arrives and even nearby traffic snarls.

Politics is everything

When MFC CEO Paul Guerra is not working to help his club win premierships, he sits on the Racing Victoria board, which raises obvious conflicts.

It has been speculated that Guerra’s hiring at Melbourne was in part for his strong contact book in racing and government.

The relationship between Guerra and the most powerful man in Victorian racing, Jonathan Munz is a curious watch.

Munz once campaigned in 2022 to have Guerra removed from the RV board as part of a spill motion, which did not eventuate. It is believed Guerra’s inclusion in the spill was down to being in the wrong place at the wrong time as the two did not know each other, rather than anything personal.

Munz is now the vice-chairman at the MRC and wields enormous power in the sport. This includes at Racing Victoria.

The two are now believed to be on good terms and Guerra’s remaining on RV board is seen by some as good for both parties if there is any hope of getting the deal done. But for Guerra to get his club into Caulfield, he’ll need to convince Munz first.

There were murmurs from some within the RV board about whether Guerra should remain on the RV board while he was Melbourne’s CEO. Why he would want to do both [or have the time] is another question.

But given his term was recently extended until 2027, the issue, for now, is somewhat redundant.

While it was Racing Minister Anthony Carbines who extended Guerra’s term, responsibility for the Crown land at Caulfield sits with Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos, who is believed to be watching progress closely.

Path forward

Those who spoke to Betsy for the piece, and only did so if they could remain anonymous, believe there is still a chance for the project to get the nod. But not as Melbourne currently want it and any progress will take concessions from both sides, especially the football club.

The state government likes the idea of a shared infrastructure as well as eliminating costly elements, such as the construction of a tunnel. While the tunnel alone would cost millions, the economic impact to the race club would be even greater. Racing as a code, too, would potentially suffer through a drop in wagering if Caulfield could not be used.

The two bodies need to find common ground on the operational responsibilities on the site, which would protect both sides’ long term goals.

What they had to say

Betsy put a number of questions to Guerra and the football club and they declined to comment.

The race club confirmed discussions remain ongoing.

‘’The MRC is open to exploring Melbourne Football Club potentially establishing a high performance training centre and administrative facility in the centre of the racecourse and adjacent land administered by the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust (CRRT). No plans have been agreed and no final design, layout or infrastructure decisions have been settled,’’ the club said.

‘’MRC is working collaboratively with the Government and the Caulfield Recreational Reserve Trust to assess feasibility and long-term sustainability.”

• It’s important to note here Guerra once sat on the board of racing.com [once my employer] however my dealings with him were limited. But when we did come across each other he was helpful and polite. He declined to comment or provide background to this story.

Wow - more in this article than we’ve heard from any stakeholder in years

Unfortunately it doesn’t inspire much faith in the board though

I’m not sure why the broadly agreed upon option of sharing the facility with MRC isn’t suitable. Yes it would be preferable to have our own facility but if that means killing the project (due to the tunnel issue) then surely we go back to the initially agreed plan?

If the club lets this opportunity slip because they’re too pig headed to compromise then they all deserve to be turfed out

Sure it would be nice however I genuinely don’t see the necessity for a tunnel for direct access to the inside of the track. If the MCG can host thousands of concert goers on the oval at a Taylor Swift concert then surely we can roll some protective mats across 20 metres of track from outside to inside and safely get across without damaging the track. Just [censored] get on with it and think outside the square.

Good read, though I’m not sure what Betsy is?

One thought on the tunnel, perhaps the answer is a type of electronic bridge that can automatically go up and down depending if racing is on. In 2026 surely that is an option?