Exclusive Ovals

[Sydney_gazza]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...822-1j6tr.html

Is this the Norm elsewhere?? Very strange. Moore Park where the swans train is always accessible, All NRL training fields the same.

However 1 public park in Sydney isn't?? It's not going down to well up here. I have played cricket there in the past (Up until 2 seasons ago), Baseball is also played there. Not a good start to get the community onside.

 

[SJ]

Goodness it annoys me how they sport is marketed as "AFL" up there.

Despite having just 3000 junior players in western Sydney, councils have developed 44 AFL ovals

 

[tonk]

Hope this doesn't backfire.

 

[tonk]

Goodness it annoys me how they sport is marketed as "AFL" up there.

They use it because it pisses us off, they see it as a pejorative term.

 

[Andrew Mc]

So they've also banned cricket and baseball on that oval, or just in the footy season?

 

[Father Jack]

Goodness it annoys me how they sport is marketed as "AFL" up there.

Why? It's a good shorthand that identifies the sport instantly, especially up north. No need to be annoyed.

 

[Ice-Wolf]

You have to think that there is some reason for it, maybe the Australian Football ovals have been damaged/vandalised and they think banning other use might protect the ground.

Although it seems quite stupid, seeing as one of the reasons Australian Football didn't take off up there was because Rugby (Union) banned it from using its fields.

 

[Hornberger]

If Sydney is anything Melbourne then their is no where near enough sports grounds to go around. Securing as many for yourself as you can is a smart move.

 

[MaddAdam]

Certainly anyone can use Arden Street as long as the boys (or another pre-booked group) aren't training on it.

 

[Father Jack]

The AFL provided $100,000 towards Holroyd Oval in return for exclusive use of the ground - a move one NRL club official labelled as ''sporting apartheid''.

Better get on the blower to Nelson Mandela. I'm sure he'll shed a few tears over it.

 

[legend166]

The AFL paid $100k to upgrade the ground. I can understand why they don't want it to be used by other people.

 

[magic.merkin]

Why? It's a good shorthand that identifies the sport instantly, especially up north. No need to be annoyed.

Doesn't make it right, and continuing down that path because it's easy isn't the way to go.

I mean I'm not playing NBA tonight with mates down at the local NBA courts.

I think we should give the Northerners more credit to be able to learn/call the sport it's correct name.

 

[Furn]

There's a womens soccer club just near my place that doesnt allow anyone else to use their field.

Also that sign looks a bit dodgy, wouldn't be surprised if its a Rugby plant to get a story. Why wouldn't it have the clubs name on it or something in case people who see the sign wanna join up to play footy.

 

[Andrew Mc]

I think we should give the Northerners more credit to be able to learn/call the sport it's correct name.

Plenty in the southern states call it exactly the same thing, so it's hardly a NSW thing. And certainly many call rugby league "NRL" in Melbourne.

 

[The Passenger]

The AFL paid $100k to upgrade the ground. I can understand why they don't want it to be used by other people.

yeah but it does seem a bit petty depending on how far it gets taken.

8 local kids under 10 wanna play 4 a side touch... do they get thrown off??

or are they just talking about banning organised sports??

if the former, then that is real petty and has the ability to backfire big time. if it's the latter, then there shouldn't be any problem anyway as each field would need to be booked and hired for an organised sporting event... can always just reject any requests that aren't related to football.

on the other topic it does grind my gears that they are marketing it as AFL. and it's not just in sydney, it's been creaping in down here as well.

 

[magic.merkin]

Plenty in the southern states call it exactly the same thing, so it's hardly a NSW thing. And certainly many call rugby league "NRL" in Melbourne.

well lets continue to call them by the incorrect names then.

Aussie rules and league to me fwiw

 

[LT Smash]

Plenty in the southern states call it exactly the same thing, so it's hardly a NSW thing. And certainly many call rugby league "NRL" in Melbourne.

Bulltish, the vast majority of people in Melbourne don't know the NRL from the ARL or the ARU. It's all rugby to us.

 

[Sydney_gazza]

So they've also banned cricket and baseball on that oval, or just in the footy season?

Seems so. It got closed down in 2009 for upgrades, It was mean't to be our home ground in cricket. I got the draw and it appears not, Then the article so it makes sense now.

As a new fan, I am not up with the culture and judging from the responses it's a new thing. I would of thought the more people to use it the better, I myself have been at a park whatever the posts were was the game I played. Some new fans might be made from the use of the field

 

[R_Premiers]

This is great news for the game... Western Sydney is chockablock full of people playing footy and there are ovals just everywhere.

We will be the #1 sport in Sydney within 2-3 years, imo.

 

[The Passenger]

I would of thought the more people to use it the better, I myself have been at a park whatever the posts were was the game I played. Some new fans might be made from the use of the field

absolutely. stick the goal posts up and the boundaries and the 50m line...

some kids come down to play a bit of touch footy and decide they might have a few shots at goal... hey that's pretty fun...

slightly short sighted imo but we'll see. wouldn't suprise me if furn is on the money and it was a league plant to try and ruffle some feathers and stir some emotions.

 

[Sydney_gazza]

Certainly anyone can use Arden Street as long as the boys (or another pre-booked group) aren't training on it.

Same with with Moore Park. I have lost count of the amount of shots I have taken there (more accuratly then the Swans mind you).

The funny thing is the Sports Minister is an ex NRL offical and Referee and this still happened.

 

[R_Premiers]

Additionally I think we need to do this also in Tonga and the Pacific Islands to cement footy as the #1 sport over there.

I've been over there recently and they are just crying out for dedicated footy fields to play on.

 

[Andrew Mc]

Seems so. It got closed down in 2009 for upgrades, It was mean't to be our home ground in cricket. I got the draw and it appears not, Then the article so it makes sense now.

Bad move then by whoever made that decision.

 

[Andrew Mc]

The funny thing is the Sports Minister is an ex NRL offical and Referee and this still happened.

Most likely has nothing to do with State politics. Would be a local council issue.

 

[Docker Clint]

It's only taken a century for the worm to turn. Rugby League and Union started locking out footy teams from playing fields when the original battle of the codes actually happened.