Grounds you have seen us play at

[Leon]

Just interested to see how many grounds fellow members on this board have seen us play at, how well travelled some of us are, how many of us still remember the suburban grounds area, and opinions on the various grounds.

To get the ball rolling, I have seen us at:

Whitten Oval - loved the place, character, atmosphere, history, true suburban feel. I saw games there from every corner of the ground - Hawkins wing, Barkly St and Geelong Rd ends, under the scoreboard, Gent Stand, Whitten Stand, the lot. And it was ours. All time favourite.

Docklands - it's grown on me, didn't like it when we first started there, but over time I reckon atmosphere has gotten better, you get a good view from most parts. Will never beat the Whitten Oval but feels much more homely to me now.

MCG - love the G, brilliant place to watch any sport, cant beat the atmosphere. Usually watch us in the Ponsford.

Princes Park - Horrible. Improved in the 90's, but hated it from start to finish. Atmosphere IMO no where near as good as the other grounds and being surrounded by arrogant mouthy Carlton supporters every time we got thrashed? No thanks.

Victoria Park - very intimidating place for sure, but I actually didn't mind it. Had tremendous atmosphere, character and history, all Pies fans I know miss it terribly. Although I dont think I ever saw us win there once, which makes it even more surprising that I dont mind it.

Windy Hill - bit like Vic Park, intimidating, but good atmosphere. Only good memory of being there is when we smacked Essendon by 100 points in the late 80's.

Moorabbin - loved Moorabbin, second favourite suburban ground behind Whitten Oval. Pity the saints are moving from there for good.

Kardinia Park - last year was my first visit there for ages. Good ground to watch footy, although some of the facilities there are still crap, and thought the atmosphere last year was severely lacking.

Waverley - absolutely hated Waverley, could not understand the fuss and outrage from some when it was gotten rid of. Miles away from a good view, shit car park, shit public transport, always freezing and raining - a hole. Dont miss it one bit.

Subiaco - only seen us play there once in 1995 vs Freo, the week after Teddy Whitten died. Its changed heaps since then, but I didn't really think much of it.

SCG - very beautiful ground, but devoid of atmosphere when I went as I was surrounded by Swans toffs with absolutely no idea about the game. Would love to see a game of cricket there.

GABBA - saw us play there in the finals in 2000. Not a bad ground, but nothing to write home about I thought. Although I'm seeing us play there later in the year.

Aurora Stadium, Launceston - I really like this ground, quaint, but very good suburban type feel to it. Want to see us play there again.

So far havent been to AAMI Stadium, Manuka or TIO Stadium.

Interested in people's thoughts on these grounds and any others.

 

[cosmicr]

Okay I'm a bit young to remember too many, but here goes:

Whitten Oval - Sadly as I was really young at the time I really only got to about 5 or 6 games before we stopped using it. Unfortunately every game I ever went to we lost, so I dont have the fondest memories. I have since been there recently and feel very proud to walk about there.

Docklands - Love it, great facilities, great ground, no rain, no restricted areas, need I say more? The only criticism is there's like 3 atms in the whole complex, and no-where to kick the footy before or after the game.

MCG - Great ground, although I dont enjoy level 2 or 3 there. Loads of facilities, good area.

Princes Park - Dont have anything too bad to say about it, I always had pretty decent seats. Cant remember a great deal that was really bad about it.

SCG - did a road trip 5 or 6 years ago and saw the doggies thrash sydney there. was pretty good fun. its true that sydney siders dont have a clue about afl though.

GABBA - where's the parking! (thats all I remember cos I was too young).

 

[The Original Swooper]

All of the above (except Launceston), so I won't re-hash all of those.

Junction Oval: Watched our boys, and also played on this ground. At the time, it was the bestsurface in Victoria, it was like a thick sponge carpet.
Albert ParkAlways concerned me with that old scoreboard only metres away from the boundary. Hit that on a slide and it was less forgiving than a fence. The Night Series from eons ago (5th - 12th finishing teams only played at season end) made it even more dangerous. The standard of lighting was shoddy by todays standards too!!
Glenferrie OvalAn excuse for a footy ground. Way too small, and bogged up at the sight of rain.
TIO (Darwin)Unbelievable surface. See earlier reference re Junction Oval. Atmosphere is very different, probably due to the laconic nature of the Territorians, and the high percentage of neutral supporters.
Arden StreetCrap ground and facilities, but fond memories, as family friends were NMFC Social members (as we were at the Western Oval), so we always organised reciprocal "guest" passes, and it added atmosphere.
Alberton FFC not playing, but was delayed on a business trip many years ago and had to stay in Adelaide over the weekend. Was invited to watch a SANFL match. Saw PA Vs Norwood, and watching the PA ferals prepared me for what we now witness most week ends...:>)

In a couple of weeks, I'll add Manuka (ACT) to the list as SWMBO and I head up there for four days, coincidentally of course WB are playing that w/e...:>)

Have been to Gabba and WACA, unfortunately not for footy.

I am sure another one or two "once only" grounds will pop up when I reflect a little longer.

hooroo....

 

[ALGY VOSILITIS]

As a young boy in the 1960's i remember the following grounds

WILL ONLY COMMENT ON OPPOSTION SUPPORTS WHEN BAD
BRUNSWICK STREET- surface muddy bouNdary lines square like a soccer ground
rating 5/10.
PUNT ROAD surface good gum trees in the outer. 6/10
ALBERT PARK surface 1st rate- great viewing ground big outer -chicko rolls grouSe and night footy outstanding.9/10
ARDEN STREET- Surface good-long ground like footscray -dog track around outer put the punter to far from the action 6/10
GLENFERRIE OVAL-surface a disgrace-outer to small- but still had character 4/10.
VICTORIA PARK- surface reasonable but could be average after rain -hostile supporters - bad memorys never won there much 5/10
WINDY HILL- surface average outer small- supports smart arses.5/10
JUNCTION OVAL- surface very good -outer ok great character with old wooden grandstands.7/10
KARDINIA PARK- surface good- nice long ground- plenty room in outer in those days.7/10
MOORABBIN-often wet- wicket area always muddy- grandstands behind goals helped with the wind -outer ok -supports could get nasty.6/10
MCG- surface always good -old southern stand was great for viewing-no problems with mcc members with there twead jackets and cups of tea.8/10
PRINCESS PARK- good surface - big outer in the old days - enjoyed when we played our home games there.7/10
WESTERN OVAL- surface reasonable but could become a bog after rain- outer fantastic so close to the action-9/10 WISH WE WHERE STILL THERE

ENJOY.

 

[bradism]

MCG and AAMI Stadium

MCG slightly better

 

[snags]

Western Oval- a 2 and a half minute to the Albert before and after
Vic Park-no parking
Arden st-Crest lager, but quick trip home
Glenferrie-full of woosy cardigan wearers,like to see em fit their 50,000 dead pets in there!
Lakeside Oval-great place to watch footy
Junction-Again good place to watch footy,saw us win there in Hart years after losing about 15 straight.
Windy Hill-A tram trip and a world away,hated them(still do)never had a nicer beer than in the Brikkies arms after beating them there.
Moorabbin-saw the Racoon kick the winning goal,a long trip home if we lost.
Waverley-detested the joint, for some reason the league used to draw us against the sheep shaggers out there,the two furthest clubs away.Also saw us play our first game out there and there was no seats installed just steps.
Princes park-hated it till we moved there , a great viewing ground.
Kardinia park- the train trip was more enjoyable than the results.
The 'G', SCG,Gabba,Canberra,Footy Park,Darwin,Tassie, umpteen practice matches at Skinheads Reserve.
Always had the same spots to stand at every one of the old grounds

 

[Bulldogsroar]

What about practice matches
i have been to

Skinner Reserve
Rosebud
Bendigo
Bayswater
Elsternwick Park

 

[D Mitchell]

Skinner Reserve, Latrobe Uni, The Basin

 

[SPower]

Subi
WACA
Morwell Footy Ground (watched Featherby and Sachse)
MCG
Dome
Forgot to Add Darwin

 

[acker]

Grounds I have seen the Doggies play at

Western Oval, Princess Park, MCG, VFL Park Waverley, Docklands and Manuka (Canberra).

Grounds I have been dragged to by fans of other club's notably my magpie supporting half pommy half brained cousins

Kadinia Park and Arden Street

P.S ..when living Queensland, I did drive past the Gabba a fair bit.

And once I watched a day of Test Cricket at the SCG.

 

[jazzadogs]

The Dome: Love it. No matter where you sit you get a good view (although my favourite is level 2 on the wing). Good atmosphere for most Doggies games, occasionally it can be lacking but that is more the fault of the game than the ground. Surface seems to have improved, facilities are good and never too much of a problem getting a good seat. Don't like the restrictions on kicking the footy anywhere in the vicinity of the ground.

MCG: Great place to be. Mainly sit in the Ponsford Stand these days, level2 in the pocket. Olympic Stand is also good, for a good view with good facilities. Southern Stand is ageing a fair bit...

Kardinia Park: been there twice. Once for West/Smith's 250th (or 200th, not sure. It was a joint milestone). Shocking day, but we won so it was still enjoyable. Also went last year and sat in the Geelong members in the new stand. Alright facilities up there, not as good as you'd expect from a practically brand new stand.

Manuka: I really like it. Never had the chance to go many of the suburban grounds (Waverley was as far as I got, and i dont really remember it...), but this seems to be a good show? Was there for the game when Johnno knocked the ball through for a win. Love the windows at the changerooms, provides something you don't get anywhere else.

AAMI: Wasn't as feral as I expected. Was a Dogs v Port game, got congratulated by Crows supporters as we left the ground. Sat with Dogs cheersquad. Seems a good ground.

To be honest, even when I'm at the grounds my opinion is mostly decided by whether or not we win. I'm concentrating too much on the game to worry about the ground...

 

[acker]

Kardinia Park: been there twice. Once for West/Smith's 250th (or 200th, not sure. It was a joint milestone). Shocking day, but we won so it was still enjoyable. Also went last year and sat in the Geelong members in the new stand. Alright facilities up there, not as good as you'd expect from a practically brand new stand.

Unfortunatley the day I was their during a very low scoring Geelong v Collingwood game the only highlite was ducking for cover when a Peter Daicos helicopter goal threatened every fan in the areas head.

 

[#1 Dogs Fan]

Telstra Dome = Very good because the sound of supporters echo's

Optus Oval = It was good because it was a couple of tram stops from my house (very close)

MCG = This is the best of them all. When its got 60,000+ people at the game the atmosphere is amazing but when its like 30 it feels as if their is 10,000

 

[smashh]

I've only been to the 3

Docklands - I like it, there's barely a bad seat in the place.

Optus Oval - Was only there for the praccy against Carlton (Judd's first game as a Blue) was pretty empty, can't really comment.

MCG - Great atmosphere, great stadium. My favourite game there was the final against the Pies in 06, was just a great atmosphere especially after the Monty hit.

 

[Prince Imperial]

The only two I can add that has not been mentioned are:

North Ballarat where we played the Swans in 1997 in a practice match;
Casey Fields this year against Melb.

 

[AngeloPetraglia]

I have been to a few over the years;

Whitten Oval
Windy Hill
Arden Street
Victoria Park - very feral
Kardinia Park
Princes Park
Waverley
MCG
Docklands
AAMI (Football Park) -more feral than Vic Park
SCG - theatre goers not football ppl
GABBA

 

[stmookeyj]

Whitten Oval (x2)
Princes Park (ironically enough....ANZAC Day 1990)
Docklands (x2, 1 a PSC match)
GABBA

 

[bullish23]

Saw Beasley kick ten at carrara in the late 80s. The old man gave Jim Edmond a big serve during the warm up. The gold coast crowd (all 20 of them) turned around stunned.

 

[Allan Shorty]

Vic Park (+last game)
Whitten O (+last game)
Princes Park
Waverley (+ once when we were playing at the G - bad error)
MCG
Docklands
WACA
Subiaco
SCG
Manuka (favourite)
Kardinia

Grounds I'd like to watch us play at:

Ted Whitten Stadium
Fremantle Oval

 

[Goodfella]

Quite a few more than I thought having been dragged around a lot in the 80's with my old man.

The only one I think not mentioned already was 1998 at The Oval in London (v's saints I think), by all accounts the waterbottles were filled with lager.

 

[Flagmal]

Maffra - practise match in about 1986-7
Wellington - New Zealand - Ansett Cup match, I think it was against Hawthorn.

 

[flamethrower]

H&A Games only....

Western/Whitten Oval
Princes Park
Docklands
MCG
Kardinia Park
Windy Hill
Arden Street
Victoria Park
Lakeside Oval
Junction Oval
Moorabbin
VFL Park, Waverley
York Park, Launceston

 

[radziminski]

All Melbourne grounds, excepting Brunswick St Oval, plus the Gabba (cause I lived in Brisbane until recently)

Loved WO because it was there, and because of the hill near the scoreboard where you could actually move around and because of various wits who lived up there.

Arden st. an absolute hole, but very intense, everyone packed in to a tiny space- remembering Crosswell and Blight (opposing players!) as gods to me as a kid....

Moorabbin- the Bagdad of the 70's- they used to deliberately water the ground, mud slush game every Saints game, saw Kelvin skinny Templeton's first game there. Saw Robbie Muir go completely psycho on the boundary line one day...

Kardinia Park- akubras and demented graziers- remember my old man getting hit over the head with an old lady's umbrella after some unsavoury remarks about Michael Turner.....

 

[toddys10]

- Waverly - Been to plenty of games there, mostly Hawthorn but seen a couple of Bulldogs games there. Don't mind it, from what I remember it was pretty good.
- MCG - Good ground, like it.
- Optus Oval - Only seen one game there from what I remember, was in a pretty poor spot so that ruined for me.
- Docklands - My favourite.

 

[Mingo]

Whitten Oval - Was born in 85 so I had a good chance to see games here. Remember sitting on my step at the Doug Hawkins wing when I got bored, or standing on my milk crate when things were getting exciting.

Waverly - I liked going there even though I grew up in the west. My nana lived over there so we'd drop off my mum then my old man and I would head to the ground. Good memories.

Optus Oval - Didn't hate it as much as most. Dad and I had an awesome seat in the social club and we had some pretty good wins there in our strong teams of the late 90's.

MCG - Fantastic stadium, how could you not like it?

Docklands - Meh, does the job.

Manuka Oval - Drove there with my brother (Roos supporter) and dad to see our great win against the Roos. Was a nice drive home.