Growing up nearby in Noble Park, my first experiences of VFL football were entirely at Waverley Park. The big gravel carpark...kicking the footy on the concrete concourses around the stadium.
MY first footy match was there against Melbourne in 84, KT from memory kicked 6 for Melbourne and they flogged us by 78 points or something.

I subsequently saw us beat Richmond, North Melbourne there in 84, I think I may've seen us play twice against Richmond that year??? one win/one loss.. or it might've been early 85 before I moved to Qld, a bit hazy. I must've seen a game in 85, because I do recall seeing Brad Hardie and Allan Daniels.

I also know I saw us play a night game -I guess the old Fosters Cup or Escort Cup..also against North. think that might've been pre-season 84 or 85.

More what I remember was that proximity to Waverley Park meant that I used to head up to the school oval at Harrisfield Primary School - I used to live on Callendar Rd Noble Park, on a late Saturday arvo and all the kids coming back from Waverly would descend onto the oval and an informal scratch match of footy would ensue.