Richmond Oval (South Australia)
Encyclopedia
Richmond Oval is an Australian rules football
oval in Richmond
, a western suburb of Adelaide
, South Australia
. It is the home of South Australian National Football League
(SANFL) club West Adelaide Football Club
.
Richmond Oval is historically important as the first ground purpose-built for Australian Rules football, predating Waverley Park
by over a decade. It was constructed upon land formerly used for housing that fell into major disrepair during the Great Depression
and possessed demand for restoration because of the movement of people from the inner city. Unlike Waverley, however, Richmond Oval was originally designed with cricket pitches. Before it opened, all major clubs in the VFL
, SANFL
and WAFL had used grounds originally designed for cricket
. West Adelaide had lost the Wayville Showground as their home ground after the 1939 season due to it being taken over by the Australian Army
due to the outbreak of World War II
and had no home ground, instead playing its matches at Adelaide Oval
along with South Adelaide
. A major problem with this arrangement is that there was not enough room for both of these clubs to train even using the practice Adelaide Oval #2.
Although the decision to build a football oval was made in 1946, the West Adelaide Football Club did not decide on using it until 1952. After this decision was made, the ground was completely returfed and a grandstand
erected, a process which took six years, during which many lower grade games were already played at the ground.
Originally West Adelaide hoped to start using the ground for SANFL league games in 1956. The Grounds committee sought an undertaking from the Council to complete the oval and have it ready for that season. Unfortunately the council was not in a financial position to meet the whole burden of this request and as a result, the club had no option but to use the venue only for training purposes that year. After many negotiations with the Council and the SANFL, including a £
10,000, 10 year loan from the SANFL and another £10,000 loan from a local trading bank to pay for improvements, the ground was gradually developed with improvements including:
The ground was officially opened by the Chief Secretary, Sir Lyell McEwin in 1958. In its first year, Richmond Oval was such a success that the SANFL decided to switch its traditional Anzac Day
Grand Final rematch from the Adelaide Oval
to the ground for 1959 (West Adelaide vs Port Adelaide
). The first game at Richmond saw the Bloods run out 12.11 (83) to 10.13 (73) winners over neighbouring club West Torrens
.
Richmond Oval has a capacity of 16,500 with seating for up to 2,000 in the B. K. Faehse Stand, named for former club captain Brian Faehse
who played 224 games for The Bloods between 1944 and 1956. Faeshe was instrumental in bringing Richmond Oval to life both as a volunteer who worked on building the ground and a driving force behind the scenes to give Westies their own home ground for the first time in their 50+ year history. The oval runs north-south with concrete terracing surrounding the entire ground with a grass bank above the south western concrete and also the north-eastern concrete around to the outer wing. Richmond's goal to goal, wing to wing dimensions are 170m x 130m.
The ground record crowd was set in Round 5 of the 1969 SANFL season when 15,742 saw West Adelaide go down to the Neil Kerley
coached Glenelg Tigers
18.18 (126) to 8.9 (57). Kerley had served 10 years as a player for Wests over 155 games between 1952 and 1963 and coached West Adelaide to their last premiership at the time in 1961 and would in fact coach their next (and so far last) premiership in 1983.
Originally known as Richmond Oval, it was re-named as a result of sponsorship deals to Broadspectrum Oval and then City Mazda Stadium in 2009. Lights for night games were also installed in time for the 2010 season and have so far been a success for the club with 6,133 fans showing their support for the clubs first home game under lights against North Adelaide on March 26. As of the end of The Bloods 2011 season, ten night games have been held at Richmond Oval with a total attendance of 36,961.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
oval in Richmond
Richmond, South Australia
Richmond is an inner urban suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of West Torrens.-History:Settlement of the area dates from the late 1830s with land used mainly for farming. Residential and industrial growth took place from the late 19th century into the early 20th century....
, a western suburb of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. It is the home of South Australian National Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
(SANFL) club West Adelaide Football Club
West Adelaide Football Club
West Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the South Australian National Football League . Commonly known as The Bloods and Westies, the clubs home base is City Mazda Stadium located in Richmond, an inner-western suburb of Adelaide.-Early Years :West Adelaide was formed in...
.
Richmond Oval is historically important as the first ground purpose-built for Australian Rules football, predating Waverley Park
Waverley Park
Waverley Park was an Australian rules football stadium in Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia. For most of its history, its purpose was as a neutral venue and used by all Victorian based Victorian Football League/Australian Football League clubs. However, during the 1990s it became the home ground of...
by over a decade. It was constructed upon land formerly used for housing that fell into major disrepair during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and possessed demand for restoration because of the movement of people from the inner city. Unlike Waverley, however, Richmond Oval was originally designed with cricket pitches. Before it opened, all major clubs in the VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, SANFL
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
and WAFL had used grounds originally designed for cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
. West Adelaide had lost the Wayville Showground as their home ground after the 1939 season due to it being taken over by the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
due to the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and had no home ground, instead playing its matches at Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
along with South Adelaide
South Adelaide Football Club
South Adelaide Football Club competes in the South Australian National Football League . Known as the Panthers, their home ground is Hickinbotham Oval , located in Noarlunga Downs in the southern suburbs of Adelaide....
. A major problem with this arrangement is that there was not enough room for both of these clubs to train even using the practice Adelaide Oval #2.
Although the decision to build a football oval was made in 1946, the West Adelaide Football Club did not decide on using it until 1952. After this decision was made, the ground was completely returfed and a grandstand
Grandstand
A grandstand is a large and normally permanent structure for seating spectators, most often at a racetrack. This includes both auto racing and horse racing. The grandstand is in essence like a single section of a stadium, but differs from a stadium in that it does not wrap all or most of the way...
erected, a process which took six years, during which many lower grade games were already played at the ground.
Originally West Adelaide hoped to start using the ground for SANFL league games in 1956. The Grounds committee sought an undertaking from the Council to complete the oval and have it ready for that season. Unfortunately the council was not in a financial position to meet the whole burden of this request and as a result, the club had no option but to use the venue only for training purposes that year. After many negotiations with the Council and the SANFL, including a £
Australian pound
The pound was the currency of Australia from 1910 until 13 February 1966, when it was replaced by the Australian dollar. It was subdivided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence.- Earlier Australian currencies :...
10,000, 10 year loan from the SANFL and another £10,000 loan from a local trading bank to pay for improvements, the ground was gradually developed with improvements including:
- The completion of the grandstand (roofing & seating),
- Fencing off the grandstand area,
- Erecting toilets,
- Terracing of the mound in front of the grandstand
- Erect necessary turnstiles, ticket boxes etc.
- Scoreboard erected in the north-east corner (donated by Halls Softdrinks Ltd)
The ground was officially opened by the Chief Secretary, Sir Lyell McEwin in 1958. In its first year, Richmond Oval was such a success that the SANFL decided to switch its traditional Anzac Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
Grand Final rematch from the Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
to the ground for 1959 (West Adelaide vs Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Magpies
The Port Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the South Australian National Football League...
). The first game at Richmond saw the Bloods run out 12.11 (83) to 10.13 (73) winners over neighbouring club West Torrens
West Torrens Football Club
West Torrens Football Club was an Australian rules football club that competed in the South Australian National Football League from 1897 to 1990...
.
Richmond Oval has a capacity of 16,500 with seating for up to 2,000 in the B. K. Faehse Stand, named for former club captain Brian Faehse
Brian Faehse
Brian Faehse was an Australian rules footballer in the South Australian Football League.The great Fos Williams, who played alongside Brian Faehse at West Adelaide, and against him with Port Adelaide, paid him the ultimate compliment when he said "I've never met a better team mate or a more...
who played 224 games for The Bloods between 1944 and 1956. Faeshe was instrumental in bringing Richmond Oval to life both as a volunteer who worked on building the ground and a driving force behind the scenes to give Westies their own home ground for the first time in their 50+ year history. The oval runs north-south with concrete terracing surrounding the entire ground with a grass bank above the south western concrete and also the north-eastern concrete around to the outer wing. Richmond's goal to goal, wing to wing dimensions are 170m x 130m.
The ground record crowd was set in Round 5 of the 1969 SANFL season when 15,742 saw West Adelaide go down to the Neil Kerley
Neil Kerley
Donald Neil Kerley OAM is a former Australian rules football player and coach. Known to his mates as either Neil or Knuckles and to South Australian football fans as King Kerley or simply "Kerls", he is best known for taking three clubs to four SANFL premierships over three decades as both a...
coached Glenelg Tigers
Glenelg Tigers
Glenelg Football Club is an Australian rules football team, which plays in the South Australian National Football League. The club is known as the "Tigers" , and their home ground is Gliderol Stadium @ Glenelg , located in the southern coastal suburb of Glenelg East, South Australia.-Club...
18.18 (126) to 8.9 (57). Kerley had served 10 years as a player for Wests over 155 games between 1952 and 1963 and coached West Adelaide to their last premiership at the time in 1961 and would in fact coach their next (and so far last) premiership in 1983.
Originally known as Richmond Oval, it was re-named as a result of sponsorship deals to Broadspectrum Oval and then City Mazda Stadium in 2009. Lights for night games were also installed in time for the 2010 season and have so far been a success for the club with 6,133 fans showing their support for the clubs first home game under lights against North Adelaide on March 26. As of the end of The Bloods 2011 season, ten night games have been held at Richmond Oval with a total attendance of 36,961.