Magazine - Melbourne Rebels eye Glenferrie Oval

By Editor in Rugby on 9th Mar 2010 6:00

Glenferrie Oval the dilapidated former home of the Hawthorn Football Club, could be reborn as the training headquarters for Melbourne's new rugby union franchise.

Melbourne Rebels chief executive Brian Waldron said a practice base for the Super 15 expansion side was one of his top priorities ahead of its debut in February next year. "We are just about to undergo a feasibility study to find ourselves a venue that is suitable for our needs, so we'll work through that in the next 10 to 14 days," Waldron told The Sunday Age. "From a location point of view, Glenferrie would be magnificent, but it's all dependent on local council's willingness to make the venue available. It's out of our hands."

The oval is in one of Melbourne's most affluent suburbs — a demographic rugby is generally associated with — and nearby secondary colleges field representative teams.

The Hawks ended their 103-year association with the venue in 2006 when they shifted their training and administrative base to Waverley Park. It has since gone to ruin, with Boroondara Council estimating more than $9 million would need to be spent upgrading the heritage-listed Michael Tuck stand and oval.

The Victorian Rugby Union had lobbied to turn the oval into a "centre for excellence" but that bid was ultimately derailed last year by resident unease. Residents were concerned about increased traffic and a lack of car parking. The VRU has since moved into the plush new facilities of the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, where the Rebels will stage their home games.

VRU president Gary Gray said the Rebels would almost certainly face a fight to use Glenferrie Oval. "Even though it's got plenty of potential, the residents have a pretty strong view about the way it should be used," he said. "It's derelict at the moment. It's a pity. It's a great facility that should be used."

Source & More: www.smh.com.au

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