News Gabba Upgrade & Olympics News

[Johnny Bananas]

See below, but they hold more at the showgrounds than just the Ekka.

What, a monster truck rally and a caravan show? Does that require prime inner city land next to a train station?

So you're saying bugger the cost for one use, but be mindful of it for others?

I didn't say "bugger the cost", that's a misrepresentation. My point is that if we're factoring in costs, the benefits should be factored in too for a full cost-benefit analysis. It's not a fair comparison if you compare all costs and don't factor in all benefits.

When's the last time you went to anything at Boondall?

Few years back when I went to a show at BEC.

Same issue as Springfield - one rail line out effectively. And Carrara-like issues with the carpark I know, I grew up in that area.

Railway lines and parking lots can be upgraded for greater capacity. They don't have to sit there in their current state in perpetuity. We can spend $2.7 billion (minimum) on a new stadium but we can't spend a fraction of that duplicating a railway line and extending a parking lot?

And moving a school effects maybe 1000 people. How many people attend the Ekka, not to mention the many music and cultural festivals that are held at the showgrounds?

No, it affects 1000 people per day. Multiply that by the length of the school year and you have well over 200 000 journeys being disrupted annually, all of which are done by immediate locals who now have to travel further. The Ekka is visited by a lot of people who are not immediate locals and will be travelling anyway. One longer rail journey won't kill them.

Depends how much it costs. Government kicked in money for Springfield, but they didn't/don't make much out of it.

And that means we should be cool with more public money being used to benefit groups that make private profit? Why don't we just build BHP a new headquarters too, I'm sure they could use it.

Mate, you do you. I'll let you carry on if you want. It's just howling at the moon though. You've clearly got a bee in your bonnet about the school being moved. Not sure why that is.

I gave you respect and didn't talk down to you. Sad to see you couldn't respond in kind, but maybe that's just your way.

And yes, I care about a school moving. I used to walk and ride my bike to primary school. I'd greet my neighbours each moening and learn a little self-reliance at a young age. It felt like an experience of community and belonging. And it pains me to see how kids don't do that anymore due to helicopter parenting and an overwhelming reliance on cars. They're all chauffeured in now by their parents. And that will be what happens to most of these kids when they're punted out to Coorparoo.

Is being on a site bounded by 3 busy roads ideal for a primary school? I don't think you could pick a worse spot.

Supervised crossings exist. Bridges exist. Children have to learn sometime about how to cross roads safely. Traffic calming measures can be put in. And bike lanes. I don't see any sense in expelling children from busy areas. They manage to do just fine in busy areas in most major cities around the world.

But why not get the government to simply buy up some property nearby? Sounds easy.

The government does this literally all the time. Poor attempt at a zinger.

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

Home games in Perth?? WT actual F??

I listened to the interview & just as predicted, the backroom bartering process with the government is in swing! On the other hand, home games in Perth?? WT actual F??

This has been on the cards for months, when we did the tour of MVO early in the season, our guide mentioned it as a possibility.

For me, if a home game is sold interstate I am next to no chance of attending in any case. So it makes no real difference to me if it's sold to Melbourne or Perth as long the club is getting the best possible deal to ensure it continues to prosper. I would lean more towards Melbourne in the interests of our Melbourne membership but if Perth provides a deal too good to ignore, surely we'd be foolish not to at least consider it.

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

Supervised crossings exist. Bridges exist. Children have to learn sometime about how to cross roads safely. Traffic calming measures can be put in. And bike lanes. I don't see any sense in expelling children from busy areas. They manage to do just fine in busy areas in most major cities around the world.

Sorry JB - are you actually saying that you would like to put traffic calming and bike lanes around the Gabba?

 

[Elixuh]

My preference was always to get the lump sum $$ and secure club financially long term because I think the other local options are splitting hairs re the least worst option. They’re all going to be terrible.

A combination of selling games, Springfield and Metricon depending on the opponent and some considered fixturing by the afl makes the most sense.

 

[twhowler]

Perfect storm coming!

2026-2029 no gabba
2026-2029 selling up to 2 games a year
2025 onwards Neale / Daniher / Linc / Charlie will be basically done or well past prime
2025 onwards drastically different rules for our academy meaning we pay a lot more in picks

On our next venue - Good that RNA is firming. it seems to be the ground that would have us lose the fewest members. You would think it would be a cauldron too - absolutely full, no cricket club members who are less rabid, and fewer oppo supporters getting tickets / bothering to come

On selling games - i hope we prioritise Melbourne games. It could actually mean we grow members in Melbourne. It's not just about the cheque you get from the WA govt but longer term focus so Melbourne makes a lot more sense. West Coast won't be hopeless by then too. From an on-field point of view any game where you are not handing the opposition an advantage, i don't suppose we could do a Darwin game if that's not too crowded already?

We really do have 2 more years to win a flag, but you would hope the club is not talking in those terms (doubt they would be) as it would just be more pressure. Been right in contention now for 5 years. 2023 might end up being the one that got away. Second quarter 5 goals to 1 at one point it felt like we were running away with it, i really thought this is happening. I'll stop now too painful.

 

[Quigley]

Perfect storm coming!

2026-2029 no gabba
2026-2029 selling up to 2 games a year
2025 onwards Neale / Daniher / Linc / Charlie will be basically done or well past prime
2025 onwards drastically different rules for our academy meaning we pay a lot more in picks

On our next venue - Good that RNA is firming. it seems to be the ground that would have us lose the fewest members. You would think it would be a cauldron too - absolutely full, no cricket club members who are less rabid, and fewer oppo supporters getting tickets / bothering to come

On selling games - i hope we prioritise Melbourne games. It could actually mean we grow members in Melbourne. It's not just about the cheque you get from the WA govt but longer term focus so Melbourne makes a lot more sense. West Coast won't be hopeless by then too. From an on-field point of view any game where you are not handing the opposition an advantage, i don't suppose we could do a Darwin game if that's not too crowded already?

We really do have 2 more years to win a flag, but you would hope the club is not talking in those terms (doubt they would be) as it would just be more pressure. Been right in contention now for 5 years. 2023 might end up being the one that got away. Second quarter 5 goals to 1 at one point it felt like we were running away with it, i really thought this is happening. I'll stop now too painful.

We will have a dominant midfield for the next 10 years and that is where you win games. We will need to plug holes but if you have a midfield in place you should be fine.

 

[twhowler]

We will have a dominant midfield for the next 10 years and that is where you win games. We will need to plug holes but if you have a midfield in place you should be fine.

i prefer your version of events to mine!

10 years is too long to predict anything in my view. But certainly over the next 5 years we should have a good midfield with ashcroft x 2, fletcher, mccluggage, bailey, dunkley the nucleus, and dev, rayner, sharp, tunstill some chance.

challenge could be if we drop out of contention and our cap is tight we start to get picked off a bit. Thankfully we have some who should be more loyal than most with plenty of queenslanders in there, Bailey from the NT, dunks long term contract, clugga hopefully about to do the same. also think Rayner comes across as pretty loyal.

 

[Pacman82]

WA has dollars to burn and a brand new stadium.

It's bad enough having to play away there once a year trying to scrape together a win against Freo.

A combination of Carrara, Melbourne & Springfield with upgraded seating/parking is the logical option imo, especially while the premiership window should still be ajar.

 

[rye]

id prefer we sell no home games to the acl graveyard at carrara

 

[Pacman82]

This has been on the cards for months, when we did the tour of MVO early in the season, our guide mentioned it as a possibility.

For me, if a home game is sold interstate I am next to no chance of attending in any case. So it makes no real difference to me if it's sold to Melbourne or Perth as long the club is getting the best possible deal to ensure it continues to prosper. I would lean more towards Melbourne in the interests of our Melbourne membership but if Perth provides a deal too good to ignore, surely we'd be foolish not to at least consider it.

Everyone knows Voss Oval is an option pending an upgrade, and has been for years. Melbourne's head and shoulders the better option for a handful of home games over Perth, we want to get better on the G, thousands of members down south crying out for more games there, etc.. Could even be a great opportunity to rust on a few more thousand down there if we were to play 8 games a year there for the 4.

 

[Walshawk]

The QLD government is not likely to spend $50m+ upgrading RSA (or a single cent on MVO) if you are going to sell games interstate. This talk is all positioning for a better Reno @ RSA. It will be 44 home games in Queensland for sure. As it should be.

Anyway even 50k @ MCG when half are MCC or AFL members, or 40k @ Marvel is not going to earn you much if any more than 20k at RSA. And flying to Perth for home games is the last thing any club would consider - especially from Brisbane.

 

[jumbojet]

I believe the Showgrounds stands and surrounding seating are heritage listed

 

[Dalions]

I believe the Showgrounds stands and surrounding seating are heritage listed

Only some of it

 

[M Malice]

I believe the Showgrounds stands and surrounding seating are heritage listed

Provisions in the Queensland Heritage Act 1992 (introduced in 2011) allow for the removal of Heritage places from the Queensland Heritage Register if they have been substantially destroyed by natural causes or demolished through approved development. More information: State Heritage Register.

 

[Mighty Lions]

Everyone knows Voss Oval is an option pending an upgrade, and has been for years. Melbourne's head and shoulders the better option for a handful of home games over Perth, we want to get better on the G, thousands of members down south crying out for more games there, etc.. Could even be a great opportunity to rust on a few more thousand down there if we were to play 8 games a year there for the 4.

I would be shocked if Perth hosts any home games for us..for me the MCG or Marvel for the blockbuster games that will need seating for 40K or more.... every other game to be at RNA or Springfield...dont like the option of playing at Heritage at all and dont expect the fans to support games there either.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Sorry JB - are you actually saying that you would like to put traffic calming and bike lanes around the Gabba?

Yep.

 

[M Malice]

There are bike lanes in Stanley Street at the moment all the way from Annerley road up to the Main Street intersection... in fact if I recall the draft proposal correctly they are to be incorporated into the Gabba rebuild/wider Gabba Precinct development anyway.

I think the school discussion is now irrelevant, the school is going from it's current location.

 

[marcmurphy3]

Hey guys, any reason there is not more talk of Metricon? Seems you guys arent keen on this option but from the outside it appears the obvious choice.

Could see Lions splitting home games between RNA and Metricon depending on who they're playing. Big Melbourne sides at Metricon and smaller ones plus interstate teams at RNA. Similar to how the Blues and Cats split home games.

Lions would just lose to much money playing the big sides at RNA due to capacity constraints. Dont see Springfield being an option either due to similar capacity issues plus ground accessability potentially being a nightmare.

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

Yep.

You should stand for the Greens at the next election with that as part of your platform and see how that goes

 

[Billy ray]

Hey guys, any reason there is not more talk of Metricon? Seems you guys arent keen on this option but from the outside it appears the obvious choice.

Could see Lions splitting home games between RNA and Metricon depending on who they're playing. Big Melbourne sides at Metricon and smaller ones plus interstate teams at RNA. Similar to how the Blues and Cats split home games.

Lions would just lose to much money playing the big sides at RNA due to capacity constraints. Dont see Springfield being an option either due to similar capacity issues plus ground accessability potentially being a nightmare.

its a shitstorm to get to and from, same in reverse for suns fans to the gabba
thats why very little travelling fans for eachQClash

 

[Elixuh]

Hey guys, any reason there is not more talk of Metricon? Seems you guys arent keen on this option but from the outside it appears the obvious choice.

Could see Lions splitting home games between RNA and Metricon depending on who they're playing. Big Melbourne sides at Metricon and smaller ones plus interstate teams at RNA. Similar to how the Blues and Cats split home games.

Lions would just lose to much money playing the big sides at RNA due to capacity constraints. Dont see Springfield being an option either due to similar capacity issues plus ground accessability potentially being a nightmare.

I tend to agree, but it’d be like Carlton playing home games down in Geelong for several years and add in horrendous traffic both ways as is always the case on the m1.

I’d still pay my membership but wouldn’t attend the majority of games due to the inconvenience factor.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

You should stand for the Greens at the next election with that as part of your platform and see how that goes

Thanks. I'll place that on my pile of utterly worthless opinions.

 

[marcmurphy3]

I tend to agree, but it’d be like Carlton playing home games down in Geelong for several years and add in horrendous traffic both ways as is always the case on the m1.

I’d still pay my membership but wouldn’t attend the majority of games due to the inconvenience factor.

Fair enough. Yeah it sounds sounds like it'll be far from ideal whatever the outcome.

 

[dlanod]

Hey guys, any reason there is not more talk of Metricon? Seems you guys arent keen on this option but from the outside it appears the obvious choice.

Could see Lions splitting home games between RNA and Metricon depending on who they're playing. Big Melbourne sides at Metricon and smaller ones plus interstate teams at RNA. Similar to how the Blues and Cats split home games.

Lions would just lose to much money playing the big sides at RNA due to capacity constraints. Dont see Springfield being an option either due to similar capacity issues plus ground accessability potentially being a nightmare.

If Marvel was unavailable for four years (and the MCG didn't exist), would you rather play your home games at Princes Park or Kardinia Park?

 

[Pacman82]

If Marvel was unavailable for four years (and the MCG didn't exist), would you rather play your home games at Princes Park or Kardinia Park?

Princes park is an utterly rubbish ground these days though, only seats 12,000 as well.

The bulk of home games at Carrara would be to the betterment of the side one would think.