Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

[F'scary]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

I have been thinking about the deal, it is a great venue to play the low drawing interstate sides at and preferably the ones that would have trouble acclimatising - GWS Barbies and Gold Coke in particular. And then Brisbane. The home ground advantage in winter against those soft, sun loving teams - they will regret their all over depilations and piercings of sensitive places when they run out into the Ballarat cold. We could pretty much get a forfeit at Ballarat against those teams.

[boydogs]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

I have been thinking about the deal, it is a great venue to play the low drawing interstate sides at and preferably the ones that would have trouble acclimatising - GWS Barbies and Gold Coke in particular. And then Brisbane. The home ground advantage in winter against those soft, sun loving teams - they will regret their all over depilations and piercings of sensitive places when they run out into the Ballarat cold. We could pretty much get a forfeit at Ballarat against those teams.

There will be a unique wind to deal with as well which is what has made Geelong such a fortress over the years. It's as much an on-field advantage as off-field money maker, and without having to travel interstate

[GVGjr]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

There will be a unique wind to deal with as well which is what has made Geelong such a fortress over the years. It's as much an on-field advantage as off-field money maker, and without having to travel interstate

Challenging conditions. We go from playing in the most weather protected stadium to potentially one of the windiest and coldest.
It has the potential to be a major challenge around skill execution for our players. It might also be a challenge to get our fans going there on a consistent basis.

[Mantis]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

Challenging conditions. We go from playing in the most weather protected stadium to potentially one of the windiest and coldest.
It has the potential to be a major challenge around skill execution for our players. It might also be a challenge to get our fans going there on a consistent basis.

Yep.. For this reason you would hope that our games aren't scheduled during the dark depths of winter.

[Eastdog]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

Yep.. For this reason you would hope that our games aren't scheduled during the dark depths of winter.

Yes that's right Mantis. It can be freezing their during the depths of winter. High land.

[Greystache]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

Challenging conditions. We go from playing in the most weather protected stadium to potentially one of the windiest and coldest.
It has the potential to be a major challenge around skill execution for our players. It might also be a challenge to get our fans going there on a consistent basis.

We train in not too dissimilar conditions, so it shouldn't be such an issue. Although teams seems to play Whitten Oval conditions better than we do for some reason.

I think getting fans to games in Ballarat will be a massive challenge. Having been a regular at Williamstown games in the past I can testify that freezing conditions, and terrible visual spectacles due to the wind, impacted my going to games many times. And I lived 5 minutes from the ground.

Playing in Ballarat amplifies the Williamstown experience by making it even colder and a lot further to travel. I hope we can engage the local community because I don't see huge numbers traveling from Melbourne to attend.

[Murphy'sLore]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

We went to Hobart a couple of times, Ballarat shouldn't be too much of stretch

Though I would be happier if you told me the new grandstand offered some shelter from the wind, which apparently it won't. Which seems dumb.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

It is quite possible that the two games are at the start of the season and the end. Hope so. Makes sense.

[Bulldog Joe]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

At Kryall Castle they have knights jousting and models of medieval tortures such as rats eating through stomachs (or they did in 1980 when I was mightily impressed as a 12 year old).

Pretty sure Kryal Castle has been closed.

Edit Just checked and it re-opened in 2013

[Bornadog]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

We train in not too dissimilar conditions, so it shouldn't be such an issue. Although teams seems to play Whitten Oval conditions better than we do for some reason.

I think getting fans to games in Ballarat will be a massive challenge. Having been a regular at Williamstown games in the past I can testify that freezing conditions, and terrible visual spectacles due to the wind, impacted my going to games many times. And I lived 5 minutes from the ground.

Playing in Ballarat amplifies the Williamstown experience by making it even colder and a lot further to travel. I hope we can engage the local community because I don't see huge numbers traveling from Melbourne to attend.

Hopefully we fill the ground with Ballarat locals. - a whole new supporter base.

I remember going up to Darwin and we had just been fishing and were waiting at a pier. The ferry came in from the Tiwi Islands and it was amazing to see all the Tiwi Islanders on the ferry with Bulldog beanies and scarves. Pity the AFL didn't let us build on that.

[Twodogs]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

Hopefully we fill the ground with Ballarat locals. - a whole new supporter base.

I remember going up to Darwin and we had just been fishing and were waiting at a pier. The ferry came in from the Tiwi Islands and it was amazing to see all the Tiwi Islanders on the ferry with Bulldog beanies and scarves. Pity the AFL didn't let us build on that.

It is. The Darwin footy and cultural experience is something else. It was a real positive. Still I will take Ballarat as a development zone from a pragmatic POV any day

[SonofScray]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

Hopefully we fill the ground with Ballarat locals. - a whole new supporter base.

I remember going up to Darwin and we had just been fishing and were waiting at a pier. The ferry came in from the Tiwi Islands and it was amazing to see all the Tiwi Islanders on the ferry with Bulldog beanies and scarves. Pity the AFL didn't let us build on that.

If the stadium only holds 11k we'll have no issues. Thats a very small proportion of our supporter base and the Ballarat community. Should be selling out every game. If not, something has gone amiss. The flip side is that with the capacity at that level and so many "Melbourne" based member's effectively locked out it could turn into a bit of a PR nightmare.

I am moderately sceptical, but supportive of the whole thing. Will definitely be making the trip up for all the games, I want to see more footy involving our Club, not less. Need to get some bang for my buck out a membership package too.

[Bornadog]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

New Turf

[LostDoggy]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

Looking at that backdrop, there is a lot of work to be done.

[Topdog]

Re: Labor promise Western Bulldogs will play two games in Ballarat every season

so is this actually still happening?