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NFNL Div 3 discussion 2024

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Certainly not for this season, but perhaps worthy of consideration, I wonder if the league would ever look at a VFL Park / Elsternwick Park type arrangement at the former Bundoora Park Thunderbolts ground. Make it a neutral league facility.
I coached there for a number of years and they have ample changerooms, great lighting and doesn’t have juniors anymore so gets little to no traffic in the winter.
It is a bit light on for parking, and the canteen area needs a spruce up, but is a bit of a wasted facility. Much like Telfor Reserve, but that’s too small for Seniors.
Tiny ground - would need to be extended 10m in every direction

Plus it doesn't have a single meter of fencing around the perimeter, doesn't have any real undercover area, no hill/terracing.
 
From my contact, he has stated that Whittlesea are looking at a 30k loss. That's huge for a club to lose and a massive gain to Lalor.

SWOOPINGTIME
They also didn’t lose anything. They just didn’t get to host finals like 28 other NFNL clubs.

Whittlesea isn’t great and imo needs a fair bit put into it.
 
1 big question still remains to be seen. Between.
Lalor (1 more home games res/seniors)
Women's(2 games)
18s (6 games)
Reserves (6 games)
Seniors (6 games)
All over the next 6 weeks.
How will sydney reserve hold up. It's in good condition now (just got back from walking the dog) but there is a fair bit of moisture on the score board side. If the rain holds up a bit it might be OK but if it continues on its current pattern things might get real messy by the granny.
 
1 big question still remains to be seen. Between.
Lalor (1 more home games res/seniors)
Women's(2 games)
18s (6 games)
Reserves (6 games)
Seniors (6 games)
All over the next 6 weeks.
How will sydney reserve hold up. It's in good condition now (just got back from walking the dog) but there is a fair bit of moisture on the score board side. If the rain holds up a bit it might be OK but if it continues on its current pattern things might get real messy by the granny.
Depends on rain but it’ll take a beating you’d imagine. I don’t think it’ll hold up.

It’s not a particularly good surface, just has very little use hence no mud atm.

I think they should have used Coventry Oval. Wouldn’t have required much fencing and much better venue.

Either way should be a great atmosphere at Sydney Cres! If we a similar crowd as large years GF it’ll be fantastic.
 

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I think we should applaud the NFNL for making a hard but right call to move the finals.
I think Lalor hosting finals is a great opportunity for them to turn their fortunes around.
We are quick to critique, so we should be quick to acknowledge brave a IMO correct decisions.
 
I think we should applaud the NFNL for making a hard but right call to move the finals.
I think Lalor hosting finals is a great opportunity for them to turn their fortunes around.
We are quick to critique, so we should be quick to acknowledge brave a IMO correct decisions.
Applaud?

Whittlesea has been below average for years and finally has become untenable.

The league should in no way be congratulated they moved a finals series off a mud pit.

Lalor is small. It’s disappointing not to have sides show cased on a large ground
 
Applaud?

Whittlesea has been below average for years and finally has become untenable.

The league should in no way be congratulated they moved a finals series off a mud pit.

Lalor is small. It’s disappointing not to have sides show cased on a large ground
Are bigger grounds automatically guaranteeing better quality games than smaller grounds? Not in my experience. Played Grand Finals at Cramer Street and one on a smaller Ground. The smaller ground had a better quality game and the atmosphere was incredibly better.
 
Are bigger grounds automatically guaranteeing better quality games than smaller grounds? Not in my experience. Played Grand Finals at Cramer Street and one on a smaller Ground. The smaller ground had a better quality game and the atmosphere was incredibly better.
Nothing guarantees anything. I’ve seen good and bad games on either sized ground.

But the general norm is finals are played on large grounds to best present good quality football.

I’d much rather watch Mernda vs Stars at Epping Rec than Lower Plenty…
 
Nothing guarantees anything. I’ve seen good and bad games on either sized ground.

But the general norm is finals are played on large grounds to best present good quality football.

I’d much rather watch Mernda vs Stars at Epping Rec than Lower Plenty…
Then it being at Lalor should have no consequence on how the competing teams will be showcased as there are no guarantees? The norm is because the league wants to make the most money, not create the best experience for players and fans.

Lalor is plenty big enough to host a quality game and create a terrific atmosphere. Having played Grand Finals at Cramer street and Whittlesea, despite it hosting more people, was nowhere near as an enjoyable experience as a smaller ground. The smaller ground game was one of the best quality I've ever played in, the crowd felt closer and louder and by all reports, the viewing experience of the crowd was fantastic as the ball was never miles away.
 
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I don't think Lalor is so small that it can't host a final, but definitely would always prefer something with a bit of space - more 1v1's, less ability for a team to clog it up.
 
Then it being at Lalor should have no consequence on how the competing teams will be showcased as there are no guarantees? The norm is because the league wants to make the most money, not create the best experience for players and fans.

Lalor is plenty big enough to host a quality game and create a terrific atmosphere. Having played Grand Finals at Cramer street and Whittlesea, despite it hosting more people, was nowhere near as an enjoyable experience as a smaller ground. The smaller ground game was one of the best quality I've ever played in, the crowd felt closer and louder and by all reports, the viewing experience of the crowd was fantastic as the ball was never miles away.
I think Lalor is fine for this series . Just wouldn’t make it the norm from here on out.

I agree it’ll be a fantastic atmosphere
 
I think Lalor is fine for this series . Just wouldn’t make it the norm from here on out.

I agree it’ll be a fantastic atmosphere
It's unlikely that it will be the norm. But you never know, for elimination finals and maybe a 1st semi, grounds like this may be a fantastic option going forward.
 
It's unlikely that it will be the norm. But you never know, for elimination finals and maybe a 1st semi, grounds like this may be a fantastic option going forward.

Retro round rules apparently during the finals series with the temporary grandstands to be implemented. Just need some clubs setting up some BBq's and Grog areas the far side of the ground to really get back to grassroots footy
 
Certainly not for this season, but perhaps worthy of consideration, I wonder if the league would ever look at a VFL Park / Elsternwick Park type arrangement at the former Bundoora Park Thunderbolts ground. Make it a neutral league facility.
I coached there for a number of years and they have ample changerooms, great lighting and doesn’t have juniors anymore so gets little to no traffic in the winter.
It is a bit light on for parking, and the canteen area needs a spruce up, but is a bit of a wasted facility. Much like Telfor Reserve, but that’s too small for Seniors.
Would be nice, though having played for the Bolts as a junior my recollection is that it was a very small ground. If I’m not mistaken I think we had the arcs painted 40m out from goals and it was maybe 440m to do a lap around the ground? Definitely a shame that the extra changerooms were built and the club went into recess not long after, but I’d say one of the more crucial bits that need fixing at the ground would be fencing as you can access the ground from 360 degrees, and I’m not sure the council would be overly keen on fencing off a public reserve, even if it’s accessible on non-event days. Though with the NFNL presumably having La Trobe as an option to use as a neutral venue located right near HQ, I’m not so sure a neutral venue is on their agenda any time soon.
 
Without having looked at Lalor’s ground in quite a while, you’d have to wonder if they’d be a good option given it’s only going to be the senior and reserves sides who play and train on it and not any 19s or junior sides also adding to the wear and tear the ground takes over the course of the season. I do recall hearing that it’s not a particularly lucrative endeavour hosting junior finals since clubs have to pay for the right to do that (I heard this 5 years ago so I could in fact be very wrong here) but if that’s the case for juniors I would think senior finals might be better for the club to host. Just a thought so if anything I’m saying is blatantly incorrect and makes the idea a bad one I’m open to hearing it.
I feel like a prophet…
 

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NFNL Div 3 discussion 2024

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