Had a few conversations with long term Waca members. About a former Aussie great and once chairman. And the 2005 caved in development project with the apartments + co that where planned.Pretty sure what they done at Claremont oval was an idea they got from the Waca plan.
Ark, the club looked at both those options when they were dealing with the end of lease move from Subi Oval. Claremont Council at the time wouldn’t play ball which is a shame as it seemed a really sensible option and Kingsway would have cost too much for both WP & Subi and the Council, Leederville was the best option on all fronts. If we did get moved to Claremont someones going to have to reimburse the club for the $2mill plus spent at Leederville or provide an equal or better set up at Claremont at no cost to the club and that cost to the Council and or state govt just cant be justified. Claremont council have spent all they will ever spend on Claremont oval. back when EP were forced out of Lotons they could have co-tenanted at Lathlain, east of the city would seem a natural location and WP & Subi could have co-tenanted at Leederville but Joondalup had already happened so the bird had flown.
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I reckon two big mistakes were made..
One , the opportunity missed to have Subi and Claremont based at Claremont Oval, that would of made far more sense than the Leederville set up, as I think both clubs have small supporter bases and western suburb based.
Two, the WAFL losing Perth Oval, I would of preferred that to be kept, with WP leaving Joondy, Leederville lost its soul, Perth and EP based at Perth Oval would of been ideal. Perth Oval was always a better venue, far less hemmed in than Leederville.
Ark is right about WACA just going from bad to worse. PFC’s time there was a complete disaster. The BBL was good to watch there, great atmosphere, sadly lacking at stadium.
gtr,stt and all: surely they have to keep the prsent stadium to retain the ability to hold international cricket and the BBL on their own terms?
Ark is right about WACA just going from bad to worse. PFC’s time there was a complete disaster. The BBL was good to watch there, great atmosphere, sadly lacking at stadium.
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STTT, I have been to every BBL game in Perth and can only assume you are at a different ground than the majority of supporters as surveys show that their overall satisfaction rate of the game and facilities at OPTUS is streets ahead of their experiences at the WACA.
Now although the survey is a large cross section that includes a % of the 14,000 ave per game extra people the games attracted the satisfaction level increase can’t be ignored.
They have just about signed over anything worth having to the stadium, the stuff that’s left is smaller loss making events, the place is cash guzzler, maintenance on a place that’s empty for 95% of the year must be a nightmare.
Ark is right about WACA just going from bad to worse. PFC’s time there was a complete disaster. The BBL was good to watch there, great atmosphere, sadly lacking at stadium.
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What time at the WACA are you talking about pre 1956, or the move there in the ,ate 80s, I actually quite enjoyed going to WAFL in that period, I was a member of the WACA at the time and sitting there under lights watching footy was great, far more enjoyable than Lathlain.
Yes, I didn’t mind watching the games there but they never made PFC feel at home. If they had it could have worked but WACA has no recent history of good decision making.
Hated every minute of Perth being at the waca the only good thing about it was watching Wayne Ryder slot one through from an impossible angle on the boundary to beat East Perth on the siren other than that it was crap!
Hey Bazza you have a bad experience at Lathlain,it’s hard to beat the atmosphere there if it’s close,the pen goes off maybe Basso rivals it but not many other grounds do certainly not that hemeroid oval in Freo.
Obviously haven’t been to too many Derbies at Freo Oval in the golden era, 20 odd thousand packed in going nuts with noise bouncing around a natural amphitheatre - even in recent years when EF were competitive it was the best thing in WA Footy…
Lathlain was always one of the deader grounds atmosphere wise tbh.
Basically the WAFL lacks atmosphere now.
Yes, I didn’t mind watching the games there but they never made PFC feel at home. If they had it could have worked but WACA has no recent history of good decision making.
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From a visitors point of view and being a member of the WACA it was bloody mint, sitting in the Prindiville Stand under lights , or watching from the Willow Room Bar, back then you were still getting 3500 to most games, the double headers were good as well went to some of those.
I went to a couple of those Foundation Day derbies in the early 80’s, one at Fremantle Oval and one at Moss St when South’s were choc full of talent including Michael, Rioli, Vigona, Carter etc. The EF names don’t quite roll off the tongue I’m guessing Wrensted, Solin, Browning, not sure if Bomber was at Geelong then.
They were two of the best games of football I’ve ever seen, both packed to the rafters and both close, high scoring and exciting games. That’s not meant to be a compliment of those grounds, rather a testament to the atmosphere of those derbies in that era.
Back when Perth were great and there were 15 to 18,000 at Lathlain the atmosphere was just as electric. One game stands out v EP in 1978. Bosustow kicked a goal from 50 m out with 2 min to go to put us in front then Alex Hamilton snapped a goal from the boundary on the siren to pinch it. I think there was 18,000 there that day.
The WAFL footy was always of a very good standard at the WACA (1987 to mid/late 90s) due in no doubt to the pristine surface there but the only issue was around the deal for WAFL clubs to play there as obviously they made no money from the gate, Food & Bev etc. If the WACA were a bit more generous with the deal to play there then maybe some clubs might look at playing some games at the city ground eg WP, EP.
Always wondered why the Waca and Gloucester park ( where 1500? people) watch the trots, both in prime real estate positions, bowl em both over, and make a statement to the rest of the country, and a great place to visit for all and sundry. Serioulsy for such a huge expanse of prime land bewteen the 2 it caters on average per week for how many??
I went to a couple of those Foundation Day derbies in the early 80’s, one at Fremantle Oval and one at Moss St when South’s were choc full of talent including Michael, Rioli, Vigona, Carter etc. The EF names don’t quite roll off the tongue I’m guessing Wrensted, Solin, Browning, not sure if Bomber was at Geelong then.
They were two of the best games of football I’ve ever seen, both packed to the rafters and both close, high scoring and exciting games. That’s not meant to be a compliment of those grounds, rather a testament to the atmosphere of those derbies in that era.
Back when Perth were great and there were 15 to 18,000 at Lathlain the atmosphere was just as electric. One game stands out v EP in 1978. Bosustow kicked a goal from 50 m out with 2 min to go to put us in front then Alex Hamilton snapped a goal from the boundary on the siren to pinch it. I think there was 18,000 there that day.
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Just looked at the 78 season.Last full round 15-21..Not all games drew 10,000 but net aggregate for the four Saturday afternoon games was over 40,000.A decade earlier the crowds where 10% larger than in 78.The 1960’s was the Wafl Golden Era.Only a handfull of players went to the VFL.
You would be lucky if there were 500 at the trots these days.
Just looked at the 78 season.Last full round 15-21..Not all games drew 10,000 but net aggregate for the four Saturday afternoon games was over 40,000.A decade earlier the crowds where 10% larger than in 78.The 1960’s was the Wafl Golden Era.Only a handfull of players went to the VFL.
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Yeah I think late 60s they peaked and then tracked down a bit picking up in 79 and broke records over all attendances about 1 Million, from there they steadily tracked down, and speeded up after about 83, and then collapsed from 87 onwards, which a brief pick up in 89, and then feel of a cliff with the advent of the dockers,
The WAFL footy was always of a very good standard at the WACA (1987 to mid/late 90s) due in no doubt to the pristine surface there but the only issue was around the deal for WAFL clubs to play there as obviously they made no money from the gate, Food & Bev etc. If the WACA were a bit more generous with the deal to play there then maybe some clubs might look at playing some games at the city ground eg WP, EP.
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Yeap great surface - also high quality lights, best around.
Also liked the preseason comp there , Kresta Cup and also State Games.,