Old Vfa grounds

[Obi fella]

"He said Kelly played between June and January 1874 as he served out the final months of his sentence."

I wonder how many games Ned played in November and December.

Look, I'm doubtful about it but the romance of it if it's proven true is priceless for our club!

 

[BringBackTorps]

"He said Kelly played between June and January 1874 as he served out the final months of his sentence."

I wonder how many games Ned played in November and December.

Kelly was sentenced to 3 years jail- partly served in a prison hulk moored off Williamstown beach. The term ended in January 1874. The "final months" are in context of the whole of the 3 year term -not the months between, for eg, November 1873-Jan. 1874.

It was known some prisoners did forced labouring duties in the area. Some may have, if their conduct was good, under prison escort, been allowed into the community for short periods -a type of parole.

The Herald Sun article, unfortunately, does not provide details of why Monti believes that Ned Kelly is the E Kelly, who played some games for Williamstown before being reported for headbutting the Umpire. Kelly is a common surname, & much further evidence is needed.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Maybe he played there, but the football season would have ended by October.

 

[Our Game]

Think the only other VFA ground that had a bike track around it was when Traralgon were in the competition in the 1990's.

Dandenongs first ground when they entered the VFA in 1958 was at the old Showgrounds and is had a sand bike track around it!

 

[Dogs till i die]

A great book written by a mate of mine who was a VFA Umpire and VFA tragic, Santo Caruso (with Jim Main), titled "Football Grounds of Melbourne". Many old photos covering most of the older VFA Grounds.

Fairly old now, nearly 20 years old and Santo sold through his business, "Melbourne Sports Books". Business website no longer open so not sure of the business' status now.

 

[CrazyJoeFevola]

A great book written by a mate of mine who was a VFA Umpire and VFA tragic, Santo Caruso (with Jim Main), titled "Football Grounds of Melbourne". Many old photos covering most of the older VFA Grounds.

Fairly old now, nearly 20 years old and Santo sold through his business, "Melbourne Sports Books". Business website no longer open so not sure of the business' status now.

My most treasured possession as far as books go!

 

[Dogs till i die]

Man that is a beautiful grandstand, the facade looks more like a prison or one of those really really old pubs down the north-west corner of Melbourne CBD. And the front of the stand is pretty cool, especially the West Australian feeling bitumen gap between stand and boundary. Not too hot on the 1980s 'a bloke at the club did it for cheap' changerooms to the side though.

Do Geelong West still exist? Didn't they wear red and white hoops? I know they were a pretty powerful VFA club for a while.

Sorry, am late comer to this thread. GW wore an all white jumper with a red Carlton style monogram. When they joined the VFA they wore Preston's all red jumper with a white monogram but inversed it so as not to clash. Mind you the white jumpers didn't stay white very long on the notorious VFA mudheaps in the 60s and 70s.

Very strong in the 70s & early 80s, won a Division 1 flag in 1975 and 3 Division 2 flags, had big crowds at the Western Oval in those days. Probably should have won more flags in their day. Curiously played in the Ballarat League and not the local Geelong leagues until they left the VFA in the late 1980s.

 

[Rusty Brookes]

A great book written by a mate of mine who was a VFA Umpire and VFA tragic, Santo Caruso (with Jim Main), titled "Football Grounds of Melbourne". Many old photos covering most of the older VFA Grounds.

Fairly old now, nearly 20 years old and Santo sold through his business, "Melbourne Sports Books". Business website no longer open so not sure of the business' status now.

I love this book and it's great that it happened because many of the grounds have changed so much in the past 20 years.

 

[BlueSky Guy]

Skinner Reserve in Sunshine is worth a look, just cos of how gargantuan it is

Yup .The old Skinner Reserve ( Churchill Ave Braybrook ) was a huge ground .Sunshine VFA had some good teams late 60s and early 70s.

 

[bradrowe#32]

They've put a dog park at the Springvale footy oval which is fantastic. Took the dogs today and there was a guy putting up a temporary fence. I asked him and he said they're pulling down the old scoreboard (there's a new digital one on the other side now near the coaches boxes). So a little history will be lost soon.

 

[Dogs till i die]

Yup .The old Skinner Reserve ( Churchill Ave Braybrook ) was a huge ground .Sunshine VFA had some good teams late 60s and early 70s.

Skinner was huge, particularly with the VFA' 16 man-a-side game. Nowhere to hide if you weren't fit. Sunshine were strong at times, regularly playing finals and playing in at least 1 Div 2 GF v Willy.

Remember lining up in a huge queue as a teenager when Willy played there in the mid 70's, were huge rivals back then. Missed the start due to the big crowd, but the ball came flying over the fence into the car park where I was queuing. Assumed it was a Willy goal, cos a bloke with a Willy beanie inside the ground was clapping and cheering. Why do I remember that?

The old grandstand was later condemned and North Sunshine of the old Fottscray DFL played there for a while. Was taken over by soccer for a while but the council with $ from the Bulldogs have redeveloped Skinner nto a training venue, mainly for their VFL, AFLW and VFLW teams. The AFL team did their 2023 pre-season there when Whitten was being redeveloped also.

 

[Grrr]

Skinner was huge, particularly with the VFA' 16 man-a-side game. Nowhere to hide if you weren't fit. Sunshine were strong at times, regularly playing finals and playing in at least 1 Div 2 GF v Willy.

Remember lining up in a huge queue as a teenager when Willy played there in the mid 70's, were huge rivals back then. Missed the start due to the big crowd, but the ball came flying over the fence into the car park where I was queuing. Assumed it was a Willy goal, cos a bloke with a Willy beanie inside the ground was clapping and cheering. Why do I remember that?

The old grandstand was later condemned and North Sunshine of the old Fottscray DFL played there for a while. Was taken over by soccer for a while but the council with $ from the Bulldogs have redeveloped Skinner nto a training venue, mainly for their VFL, AFLW and VFLW teams. The AFL team did their 2023 pre-season there when Whitten was being redeveloped also.

Played a VFA reserve game there in about '81-82 where 4 ambulances were called during the game. Something of a blood sport back then. Big trek from Mordi to Sunshine in those days.
We won with the last kick of the game (3 bounces down the wing and slotted from the boundary). Just seemed like yesterday.

 

[Dogs till i die]

Played a VFA reserve game there in about '81-82 where 4 ambulances were called during the game. Something of a blood sport back then. Big trek from Mordi to Sunshine in those days.
We won with the last kick of the game (3 bounces down the wing and slotted from the boundary). Just seemed like yesterday.

Surely got a run in the seniors the next week after that effort? Talking of the goal, not the ambulances BTW!!

 

[Grrr]

Surely got a run in the seniors the next week after that effort? Talking of the goal, not the ambulances BTW!!

I was more likely drive the ambulance than be the one that put them there. More of a Robert Flower type.... in my eyes.

 

[Grrr]

Another memory was playing at either Yarraville or maybe Preston (whichever one from the block of flats overlooking the ground), and my team mate coming up to me stating that he'd just been shot by a slug gun. A snipers paradise.

 

[CrazyJoeFevola]

Another memory was playing at either Yarraville or maybe Preston (whichever one from the block of flats overlooking the ground), and my team mate coming up to me stating that he'd just been shot by a slug gun. A snipers paradise.

Northcote