VFL club Williamstown won’t be playing at home next year due to major works on the 80 year old grandstand, and on the playing surface.The Seagulls ‘home’ ground for next year, for six games, is at arch-rival Werribee’s ground. The three other ‘home’ games will be at Torquay (vs Geelong), Keilor (vs North Ballarat) and Wangaratta (vs Collingwood).
Vin Maskell has been taking a few pics of the old grandstand and of the playing surface.
Grandstand: http://www.23hq.com/vinm/album/6305498
Playing surface: http://www.23hq.com/vinm/album/6013282
About Vin Maskell
Founder and editor of Stereo Stories, a partner site of The Footy Almanac. Likes a gentle kick of the footy on a Sunday morning, when his back's not playing up. Been known to take a more than keen interest in scoreboards - the older the better.
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Vin,
It is great to see some dollars finally being spent at Pt Gellibrand.
Last season I was in the change-rooms beneath the W L Floyd Pavilion and was shocked at
how run-down they had become. The Bulldogs certainly would not have been happy that
some of their listed players were preparing and training in those conditions.
It will be interesting to watch it all unfold.
DD.
I went to some games at Willi when they were affilliated to Collingwood. The Seagulls’ Oval is the best and worst ground in Melbourne depending on the weather. When the sun is out and the wind is mild there is no better or prettier place to watch footy in the suburbs. When it’s pouring rain and there is a raging gale from the South West even Waverley seemed warm by comparison.
I am glad they are maintaining the Williamstown Oval. Thanks for the pictures, Vin.
Thanks Smokie, thanks Dave.
The Willi oval is at its best when it’s pouring rain and there is a raging gale from the south-west. Even better when the rain is horizontal and the wind’s blowing the numbers off the scoreboard. And perfect when the ABC camera crew abandon their scaffolds because of a little lightning.
Thanks Vin. Until I saw your photos I had no idea that the changes were going to be incorporated into the existing structure. I took a walk around the outside of the ground yesterday evening to have another look. And pass on my thanks to Jesse for the video. Great effort. Two comments: well done on having Trevor Monti talk so long without dropping the F-bomb; and secondly – Geoff van Wyngarden is ubiquitous – seen everywhere as he does his slow jogs around Williamstown, and without fail I run into him at Collingwood games at the MCG. I watch your video, and there he is again.
Andrew,Glad you like the photos and especially Jesse’s documentary.
About five years ago I wrote a story for the Age about the Ouyen United Football Club, one of the most ‘merged’ footy clubs in Australia.I rang up the club secretary to get the ball rolling. She said, ‘Oh, you’ll need to talk to Geoff van Wyngaaden. He knows all about the footy club.’ I wrote the story, the Age sent a photographer up to Ouyen and there was Geoff in the photo in the article. Possibly wearing Willi socks.
Vin,
I actually remember that article. Correct me if I am wrong, but the photo featured a number of Ouyen identities wearing the jumpers of all the former clubs which had merged to form Ouyen Utd down through the years. Geoff V was quite proud of the fact that he was in the photo, and would most certainly have been wearing a pair of Willy socks.
Andrew,
Geoff does not miss much of anything which happens at the MCG. Many years ago when I saw him walk into the old long-room in an MCC candy-striped jacket, I actually thought he had secured a job as a door-man. I was somewhat surprised to learn he had the jacket specially made, and he still wears it to this day.
DD
Thanks Vin – just wondering if you could provide a snapshot of the Ouyen United mergers? Even a re-run of your story in The Age would be good to read.
Hello Rod,
Ouyen United is the product of ‘at least 18 clubs, going back to 1919.’ These include:
Speed and Turriff who merged in 1919 to become Gorya
Pirro and Tempy who merged in 1932 to become Tempy
Gorya and Tempy, who became, yes,Tempy-Gorya in 1965
Dering, Baring, Waythe and Patchewollock, who became simply Patchewollock in 1932.
Kiamal and Tiega, who became Ouyen Rovers in 1982
Tempy-Gorya and Patchewollock (TPG) merged in 1971
TPG and Ouyen Rovers became Ouyen United in 1997
(Ouyen Football Club folded in 1995)
The link below should take you to the article, but it doesn’t reproduce the footy club ‘family tree’.
http://www.ouyen.com.au/ouyen-news/2005/5/21/marriages-of-necessity-work-in-mallee/
On ya Vin!
What a tangled merger!?
Thanks for sharing this information – really enjoyed the linked story which provided a good explanation.
Let’s hope the Mallee Football League can hold onto its 7 clubs…
As I have suggested in previous postings on country footy maybe clubs will have to go back to just one team and perhaps reduced numbers on the field, say 14 or 16…?