Footy Grounds

[LostDoggy]

Re: Footy Grounds

It's a shame newer football supporters will only have memories of Telstra Dome, the MCG & perhaps Kardinia Park.

I have an amazingly poor memory, and I don't think mum ever took me to Whitten Oval to see a match, I started going when we were at Optus, I have vague memories of that and the only time I've been to KP was this year for the practice match against Essendon...so very few memories unfortunately, but I never really had the chance to appreciate them anyway, we only used to go to home games.

[Max469]

Re: Footy Grounds

Great thread TCD

Ah the memories and not necessarily of the games. Although I have followed our beloved Doggies for over 35 years, I never got to see them play until I was in my 20's. Country girl growing up in a North Melbourne supporting household to blame.

Will always remember the excitement of seeing the boys actually run out for the 1st time, thought I was going to be sick.


PRINCES PARK:

Remember Leigh Matthews knocking out Neil Cordy and I was half over the fence with brolly in hand to take Matthews on, before my friends dragged me back.

My car would not start after a game when we beat Carlton. Of course I was parked where all the Carlton supporters parked, so hid the scarf until a guy jumped started me, then showed him "my true colours". He said that if he had known I followed the doggies, he would have left me there.



VICTORIA PARK:

Remember arguing with my Collingwood follower brother at many a match - then losing him and having to walk home.

After leaving V P one day - with a friend heading up Hoddle St and we got cut off by a bloke with a trailer and my friend was pissed off, so when we were stopped - he went to get out the car (no mean feat quickly as he had disability) to have a go at the bloke - so I had to drag him back into the car before he got bashed.

I also used to work there some match days and worked when they won the grand final in 1990.


WINDY HILL:

Took me ages to get there and we got thumped - no more to be said.


JUNCTION OVAL:

Did not get there.


WESTERN OVAL:

Best of the lot - could not wait to sit on the fence Barkly St end. From when the gates opened until after the game.

Remember the Presidents lunches and the discos.

So many memories



KARDINIA PARK:

Never went there. Used to drive past all the time to come to Melbourne.

Remember coming back to Melbourne after being home for the weekend and we were 40 odd points down as I drove past - by the time I got to Melbourne - we had won.

MCG:

Could not believe how big this place was - could only dream about that one day in September - still dreaming.


ARDEN STREET:

Never got to see my beloved Mums team play there - have been to check it all out though.


MOORABBIN:

Funnily enough I used to go there a lot with friends. Even found myself in there social club area on many occasions. Still never wanted to change colours.


LAKESIDE OVAL:

Remember it pouring with rain for a St Kilda / Dogs reserve match - everyone running for cover and we stayed put with a big sheet of plastic over us. On the televise - Peter McKenna was laughing at us in the rain - but we were the dry ones.


VFL PARK:

Remember going to Night matches and not being able to see the ground because of the fog. And being so cold, the jeans would freeze up.

My first Melb VFL game was here - St Kilda and Hawthorn -being a country girl could not really understand as to why I could not pack the car at the fence. Could not find the car for ages afterwards, the car park was so big.

[Twodogs]

Re: Footy Grounds

We once played Essendon at the Western Oval & Mel Gibson sat in the EJ Whitten Stand.

I can remember Malcolm Fraser sitting in the Gent stand when we played Carlton once. I sold him a raffle ticket.



Cant remember Mel being there though. Did he villify anyone while he was there?

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Footy Grounds

I can remember Malcolm Fraser sitting in the Gent stand when we played Carlton once. I sold him a raffle ticket.

Cant remember Mel being there though. Did he villify anyone while he was there?

No, he was with the Essendon contingent, so he sat up the other end of the grandstand.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Footy Grounds

My earliest football memory was when mum took me down to Waverly to watch the dogs up against the Saints. Young Spider was running around with his golden locks and James Cook kicked a few. It was funny, after one goal Cook kicked he gave the one finger salute and to a 6y.o that was hilarious. I can still picture him doing that now...

[always right]

Re: Footy Grounds

At least VFL Park was close to home. One of my lasting memories of the god foresaken place though, was sitting at one end of the ground watching a kick seemingly sail through the goals at the other end...only to see it fall short by about 20 metres. Jeez that was a big ground where distance perception was a real challenge.

Of the other grounds, one of my fondest memories was my first little league game at Princes Park playing for Richmond. I later played for the dogs which wasn't a bad effort considering I grew up in Glen Waverley. Can't remember how dad wangled that. Anyway, I digress.

I remember a big crowd and we ended up winning. I came off and declared that I had amassed 14 kicks for the game. Not a bad effort considering the game went for 14 minutes. I was getting a kick a minute! Always did struggle with maths.

The other fond memory I have...no matter which venue we were playing at.....was arriving early to watch the reserves. How good did it used to be seeing young blokes coming through and noting which players had put themselves in line for senior selection the next week? Ah...memories.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Footy Grounds

I can remember Malcolm Fraser sitting in the Gent stand when we played Carlton once. I sold him a raffle ticket.



Cant remember Mel being there though. Did he villify anyone while he was there?

Yes I remember Malcolm Fraser sitting in the John Gent Stand too, It was a Carlton game and the match from 1980. He was definitely there in 1980, so it was that year or another year that you saw him.

My old man yelled out- "G'day Mal' and he turned around and waved to my father, so I gave Big Mal 10 out of 10 for that. This was of course years before he was Memphis Mal.

[Dry Rot]

Re: Footy Grounds

With some of those memories of Victoria Park in another thread today, I thought it might be good timing to bump this thread for WOOFERS who have joined in the last 2 years.

[Happy Days]

Re: Footy Grounds

Only ever got to catch one game at Whitten Oval, the last one ever, against the Eagles in 1997.

Remember it being a bit wet that day, and the dirt from the standing room area getting all over my shoes. Also remember our boys bullying the then rookie Michael Gardiner. We had a good win and was a great day all round.

Also only caught a few games near the end of Waverly. Distinctly remember a Saints V Dogs game, but can't remember a result. I do remember it being tough too watch.

Optus Oval is much fresher in my mind. Was my favourite ground to go to as a kid, because I got to go to Dimmatina's restaurant before the game. One particular results that sticks out is a game against Port Adelaide; memorable because we lost and I was inconsolable afterwards. Also remember a game against Hawthorn; we were very, very far behind in the third quarter, when my dad decided that we should call it a day. After turning on the radio to find out we had come back and drawn, I haven't left a game early since. My memories were dampened a little after going there in 2004 for our last game there. Turns out it was quite a cramped, small stadium rather than the 'monolithic' structure I remembered from my much younger years.

[ledge]

Re: Footy Grounds

What about the house at Sth Melb on the boundary, how dangerous was that??

[Bornadog]

Re: Footy Grounds

Did you know that Footscray played 7 games at Yarraville in 1942 and won 5 lost 2



1 Footscray 19.15 (129) vs Fitzroy 14.8 (92)
2 Footscray 20.17 (137) vs Hawthorn 9.4 (58)
3 Footscray 19.15 (129) vs Richmond 17.20 (122)
4 Footscray 19.17 (131) vs St Kilda 7.18 (60)
5 Footscray 7.3 (45) vs Sth Melb 11.9 (75)
6 Footscray 12.19 (91) vs Carlton 10.12 (72)
7 Footscray 12.16 (88) vs Essendon 14.8 (92)

BTW, I am not that old, its way before my time

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Footy Grounds

Also only caught a few games near the end of Waverly. Distinctly remember a Saints V Dogs game, but can't remember a result. I do remember it being tough too watch.

That was they day martin Bryant went beserk at Port Arthur.

I listened to the news reports for an hour and a half just trying to get out of the carpark.