‘A huge opportunity’: Western Bulldogs find second home at Skinner Reserve

[Twodogs]

I played a couple of summer seasons of Recfooty at Skinner with Twodogs and the old Bigfooty crew.

We'd have a hit in the nets before our game if we got there early enough.

Remember when David Rodan was between AFL clubs and his girlfriend made him play?

[westdog54]

Remember when David Rodan was between AFL clubs and his girlfriend made him play?

I couldn't get over how overweight and slow he looked.

I reckon I could have matched him for pace over 20 metres that night.

Still not as funny as the night we played against AA.

[FrediKanoute]

wow. Skinner reserve. I remember playing finals there playing for St. Albans in the '80's, playing schoolboy games there with Chisholm college. And drinking tinnies there at lunchtime while 'studying' at St. Johns/Chisholm college. the local bottle shop on Churchill Avenue conveniently ignored your school uniform when buying cans of beer at lunchtime. I hope they make it great.

I remember too (the playing not the tinnies). Used to be one of the FDFL's finalis grounds. I remember that it used to carry a lot of surface water, unlike Whitten Oval which would become a bog, at Skinner the water would sit just below the grass, but above the soil.

Sunshine in the VFA used to play there as well. I remember representing Sunshine as part of a combined team in the 80's so we trained there often.

[SonofScray]

Played soccer there just before the stand was pulled down and the community centre redeveloped.

I used to run a youth program there for a few years, would have 50 or so young fellas out there playing small sided soccer games and help keep them out of strife with the police, get them engaged with local health services etc. was my favourite part of the work week.

Can remember us playing Sydney in a preseason game there. It was incorrectly listed as our home ground on a holographic card that the Herald Sun ran as a promotion one year.

Take my daughter to the aeroplane park there all the time, great community asset.

[The bulldog tragician]

I think of that area as 'old style' western suburbs. Gentrification hasn't come to Braybrook. The boys might struggle to get a latte or a 'new-fangled-old-fangled' barber along Churchill Avenue...and yes I too went to school just down the road at Christ the King, and then St John's. I'm very glad to see this area have a boost.

[Bulldog4life]

I saw the great man Chris Grant play his first practice match with us at full forward at Skinner Reserve. Didn't know who he was at the time but knew we had recruited a good player. Didn't realize how good.

[The bulldog tragician]

I saw the great man Chris Grant play his first practice match with us at full forward at Skinner Reserve. Didn't know who he was at the time but knew we had recruited a good player. Didn't realize how good.

Yes...and an 'All stars' match to celebrate/complete the 89 Fightback with old players from Footscray and Collingwood was also a terrific enjoyable day - commentary provided by Steve McPherson (my son always called him Steven The Person) - the moment Footscray hit the front in the last quarter the siren (of course) sounded.

[Axe Man]

Bulldogs, Maribyrnong Council partner to upgrade Skinner Reserve

The Western Bulldogs have partnered with Maribyrnong City Council on a shared $3 million project to redevelop Skinner Reserve in Braybrook.

Skinner Reserve, an iconic western suburbs ground in close proximity to VU Whitten Oval, will become a secondary training base for the Bulldogs’ elite teams and a key facility to run its community programs.

The Club is in the final stages of planning the next stage of its Whitten Oval precinct redevelopment, which will include realigning and resurfacing its oval, creating the need for a high-quality alternative training venue into the future.

The upgraded Skinner Reserve will complement the existing Braybrook Community Hub which is thriving at the venue, a jointly-managed, free after-school program for young people aged between 12-15, as well as housing the Club’s Sons of the West and Daughters of the West health programs for Maribyrnong.

The revamped facility will also provide local sporting clubs with much-improved amenities and a quality space for the whole community to enjoy.

The upgrades of Skinner Reserve will include:

- The reconstruction of the existing field to a high quality durable surface, sand-based oval, comparable to the size and scale of Marvel Stadium and MCG playing fields.
- New fence-line and interchange benches.
- The construction of a two-lane running track.
- The construction of 200 LUX LED Lighting, with adequate uniformity allowing local night competition.
- AFL standard goal posts and protective goal netting.
- Improved spectator amenities and surrounds.

“We are excited to be working closely with Council on the upgrades to Skinner Reserve, which is an important project for us on many levels,” said Bulldogs’ CEO Ameet Bains.

“We are about to embark on a major redevelopment of our own facilities at VU Whitten Oval, and for a period of time we will be unable to use our oval while significant works are completed.

“To have access to a high-quality training oval, which is close to our home base and has historical significance to our people and fans, is a fantastic outcome.

“An upgraded Skinner Reserve will also be a winner for the community. It will allow us to have a much greater presence with our suite of impactful community programs, helping us to connect even further with the people of the west.

“We thank Maribyrnong City Council for their cooperation during this process.”

Maribyrnong City Council completed an extensive community engagement process on the proposed upgrades, which was undertaken over two phases from December 2020 to March 2021, with residents showing strong support and welcoming the improvements to the facilities.

“We are very proud to be partnering with the Western Bulldogs Football Club to deliver this exciting project, which will transform Skinner Reserve into a high quality sporting and community facility,” said Maribyrnong City Council Mayor, Cr Michael Clarke.

“Enhancing the facilities at Skinner Reserve is a welcomed boost for our community, improving the recreational opportunities for residents and expanding local sporting opportunities and competitions, putting the west, and Braybrook, on the sporting map.

“It is important to Council that we ensure our community has access to safe, functional and sustainable infrastructure that meets their needs and will continue to meet the needs of generations to come.”

[Eastdog]

I played a couple of summer seasons of Recfooty at Skinner with Twodogs and the old Bigfooty crew.

We'd have a hit in the nets before our game if we got there early enough.

Which other woofers did you play with westdog54? I think Rocco Jones and Cyberdoggie might have been involved with some Rec footy.

[Twodogs]

I couldn't get over how overweight and slow he looked.

I reckon I could have matched him for pace over 20 metres that night.

Still not as funny as the night we played against AA.

Hehe, "you're hot Ando!" Poor old Adrian. He looked so disappointed when I told him that he wasn't the first bloke to invite me for a fight in the car park.

[Twodogs]

Which other woofers did you play with westdog54? I think Rocco Jones and Cyberdoggie might have been involved with some Rec footy.

Yep they played. So did MJP. Also a few posters from the real old days like Pemberton, Chops, Sockeye Salmon (he went berserk and kicked a bag of 8 or 9 after halftime one night) and Onslaught.

Cyberdoggie is the only TEAMMATE to sledge me as I've lined up to have a shot for goal in my life!

[EasternWest]

Cyberdoggie is the only TEAMMATE to sledge me as I've lined up to have a shot for goal in my life!

But was he wrong to do it?

I say no.

[Twodogs]

But was he wrong to do it?

I say no.

I agree and to be fair I may have started it earlier in the game. Maybe even during the warmup.

[Raw Toast]

Yep they played. So did MJP. Also a few posters from the real old days like Pemberton, Chops, Sockeye Salmon (he went berserk and kicked a bag of 8 or 9 after halftime one night) and Onslaught.

Cyberdoggie is the only TEAMMATE to sledge me as I've lined up to have a shot for goal in my life!

I was on another team and played against you all one night. Standing under a ball while Sockeye charged towards it was a terrifying experience. MJP was silk of course, but we managed to triumph that evening.

[Bulldog4life]

Yes...and an 'All stars' match to celebrate/complete the 89 Fightback with old players from Footscray and Collingwood was also a terrific enjoyable day - commentary provided by Steve McPherson (my son always called him Steven The Person) - the moment Footscray hit the front in the last quarter the siren (of course) sounded.

Was there too. Went on the ground as Teddy who was coach gave his speeches. They were hilarious.