Cricket moves out of Punt Rd / Year-round access victory for Richmond FC [merged]

[one-eyed]

Time to pull stumps
Michael Warner
Herald Sun
August 07, 2010

RICHMOND is on the brink of solving a problem that has hindered the club for decades.

Tigers president Gary March has revealed the Richmond Cricket Club could be given a new home ground in time for summer - handing the Tigers year-round use of their Punt Rd training base for the first time.

The Tigers plan to reconfigure the ground into an MCG-sized oval without the impediment of cricket wickets.

"The Richmond Cricket Club have been fantastic in supporting us in looking for an alternative venue and we are hopeful that we will reach that outcome in the near future," March told the Herald Sun.

"Obviously when you are an AFL side with a full-time football list and a $30 million revenue business, you want to give your players the best opportunity to present themselves at the start of the season - and in an ideal world that means uninterrupted training on a ground that doesn't have cricket wickets on it.

"I commend the Richmond Cricket Club for how willing they have been in wanting to work with us. It's still a work in progress, so whether it's this year or another year down the track is something we are working towards."

Asked if the relocation could happen in time for this cricket season, March replied: "Absolutely. But is it definitive? No. It's something we are working on."

Richmond's pre-season campaigns have been constantly unsettled by the unavailability of the Punt Rd ground and the hardness of the centre square and practice wickets.

An earlier plan to shift the cricket club to Victoria Park was scuttled by Collingwood, which has since announced plans to redevelop the ground for its VFL side.

Richmond Cricket Club president Ken Sharp said "two or three" relocation options were being explored, with compensation a key factor in the move.

"A move away from Punt Rd won't be taken lightly but we are cooperating and understand their position," he said.

Sharp said a move for the upcoming cricket season was possible but more likely to happen the following year.

The football club's new $20 million training centre at Punt Rd is due for completion by Christmas.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/time-to-pull-stumps/story-e6frf9jf-1225902279682

[3rogerd]

Lets hope they finally resolve this matter
just another part of the puzzle coming together.

[TigerTimeII]

things are looking up

[yellowandback]

This would be a huge benefit to the club. I thought the ground was to configured to Etihad proportions and Craigeburn was to MCG?
Also, what happens to Craigeburn - hardly seems worthwhile if we have Punt Rd all to ourselves.

[WilliamPowell]

This would be a huge benefit to the club. I thought the ground was to configured to Etihad proportions and Craigeburn was to MCG?
Also, what happens to Craigeburn - hardly seems worthwhile if we have Punt Rd all to ourselves.

Correct Punt Road to me the same dimensions as Docklands and Craigieburn the size of the MCG

Craigieburn will still be used - it has to be.

Should I add one of these   at this point?

[blaisee]

huge issue for this football club that is still yet to be resolved unfortunately

People dont realise how important this actually is

[1965]

huge issue for this football club that is still yet to be resolved unfortunately

People dont realise how important this actually is

Do you mean "In my opinion pepolpe don't..."

or are you all-knowing?

 

[mightytiges]

It'll be great for us to no longer have to train at the hole that is Vic Park nor beg to Collingwood for time on Gosch's paddock. Punt Rd oval will be same size at the Docklands and as WP said Craigieburn is MCG size. It'll be fantastic to have practice ovals the same size as grounds we play 75% of the time on combined with new elite training facilities.

[one-eyed]

Punt Rd victory for Richmond
Michael Warner
Herald Sun
October 26, 2010 8:54PM

RICHMOND has kicked a big off-field goal by securing year-round control of its historic Punt Rd Oval training base.

The Tigers have shared the ground with the Richmond Cricket Club for more than a century, causing complications with pre-season campaigns and hard cricket wickets.

But Richmond chiefs will today announce a new home has been found for the cricket club at Mt Waverley, with relocation to take place early in the new year.

The Tigers will then reconfigure the ground into an oval equivalent to the dimensions of Etihad Stadium. The win comes as the Tigers prepare to shift into their new $20 million Punt Rd headquarters.

An earlier plan to shift the cricket club to Victoria Park was scuttled by Collingwood, which has since announced plans to redevelop the ground.

Richmond's pre-season campaigns have long been unsettled by the unavailability of the Punt Rd ground and the hardness of the centre square.

Former coach Terry Wallace blamed a spate of injuries during his time at the Tigers on having to train on substandard surfaces, while AFL boss Andrew Demetriou once described the Punt Rd ground as "crap".

Richmond will continue to use its alternative training base at Craigieburn, but can now enjoy uninterrupted access to the Punt Rd Oval.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/punt-rd-victory-for-richmond/story-e6frf9jf-1225943906844

[one-eyed]

Cricketers get the boot from Punt Road Oval
Caroline Wilson
October 27, 2010
 
RICHMOND'S decade-long campaign to remove cricket from the Punt Road Oval has been won with the Tigers' Premier cricket co-tenant to move early next year to Mount Waverley's Central Reserve.

The Richmond Cricket Club has reached the historic agreement after intervention from the Premier, John Brumby, with the Victorian Government agreeing to help fund the move and sponsor the redevelopment of a new facility at Mount Waverley.

With the Tigers due to move into their own rebuilt facilities at Punt Road before Christmas, the oval is expected to have the wicket area dug up in the new year with the footballers then able to train throughout the year at their headquarters and no longer have to avoid the middle of the ground.

The new deal for the cricket club will be announced today and has come with the help of the AFL and the City of Monash, as well as the State Government. Monash will now play home to the moved team, which has long held the lease at the Punt Road Oval and for years refused to budge in a damaging partnership between the two sports.

The move will pave the way for the Tigers to complete their push for AFL-adequate training facilities with the next step in chief executive Brendon Gale's ambitious plans for the club to increase the size of Punt Road to that of Etihad Stadium, along with the removal of not only the centre wicket area but the practice wickets. Shortly before Gale took over as chief executive, Richmond believed it had reached a deal with Yarra Council to move the cricket club to Victoria Park, a move stymied at the last minute when Collingwood reached a deal with the local council for the Magpies' VFL team to play their home games at the old Collingwood ground.

The Tigers' coup leaves Essendon as the only AFL club still forced to share with cricket. The Bombers were on the verge of an agreement to move the Essendon Cricket Club but could not reach a deal with the local bowling club and are now expected to leave Windy Hill for a new home with the Essendon Airport site favoured.

North Melbourne, which completed its new training facilities last year, struck a deal with its local cricket club that saw it moved and the pitch removed as a result.

The Tigers will continue to train at Punt Road over the summer avoiding the wicket area, and also holding sessions at the club's new outer suburban home at Craigieburn and using Monash University and Trinity Grammar when necessary.

The claiming of the Punt Road Oval by the Tigers was seen as near impossible several years ago but has been achieved thanks to Richmond Cricket Club president Ken Sharp, who has co-operated with his AFL co-tenant to end years of enmity, along with Gale's No. 2, Michael Stahl.

While the new oval is not expected to be redeveloped in time for the 2011 pre-season, the club's new $20 million training centre will be.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/cricketers-get-the-boot-from-punt-road-oval-20101026-172cd.html

[Penelope]

Is this the good news story ??

[mightytiges]

Is this the good news story ??

Yep al apparently.

It is good news for the Club training wise especially when the ground is eventually expanded to the same size as the Docklands. No more training at the should-be-condemned Vic Park on patchy turf.

Hopefully we can get some Coburg curtain-raisers back to Punt Rd as well although that maybe wishful thinking. It was always a great ground to watch footy at.

[WilliamPowell]

Hopefully we can get some Coburg curtain-raisers back to Punt Rd as well although that maybe wishful thinking. It was always a great ground to watch footy at.

Dare to dream but it aint gonna happen 

[Stripes]

This would have been spectacular news before we had the new Craigieburn facilities to train on and had to beg the Pies to use the dodgy Victoria Park or other such pathetic grounds to build up our preseason injury tally in the past. Today though, it is still good news because it allows us the capability to train on two grounds that would mimic the conditions found at the two Melbourne venues. Hey, if its windy enough, Punt Road may even emulate conditions down at Kardina Park at times.  

The exciting part of this announcement is that it will mean that Punt Road will have full time facilities, ground included, for the Tigers. It will also allow our coaches to better prepare for specific matches with the players able to practise on the training ground, Punt Rd or Craigieburn, that most resembles the ground we will be playing on that week. While I'm sure the squad would not head off to Craigieburn for basic drills, weights etc, they may if the coaches are attempting to bring in new opposition specific strategies.

Just adds more flexibility and helps draw us closer to the current leading clubs

Stripes

[wayne]

Relocation a win for all

Richmond Football Club will have full access to Punt Road Oval after reaching an agreement with the Richmond Cricket Club that will see it relocate to Mt Waverley.

The cricket club will relocate to Central Reserve, where it will have exclusive access to two full-sized ovals during the cricket season. The relocation will take place in early 2011.

The move also includes plans for the cricket club to build a state-of-the-art training facility at the venue, with the support of the State Government and the City of Monash.

“This is a fantastic result for all involved,” said Richmond’s president Gary March.

“The Richmond Cricket Club gets an outstanding new facility and the Richmond Football Club will have access to Punt Road Oval 12 months of the year.

“I would like to sincerely thank the Victorian Government, the Premier John Brumby, the Minister for Sport James Merlino and the AFL for their on-going support.

“I would also like to thank the Richmond Cricket Club and the City of Monash. This outcome has been on the agenda for quite some time and it is fantastic that all parties have been able to work co-operatively to see it through and deliver a great outcome for all.

“It was important to us that the Richmond Cricket Club was provided with a home ground and facilities that would allow it to continue to grow.

“Punt Road Oval has been their home since 1856 and, out of respect to that history, it was important this outcome gave them the opportunity to thrive as one of the pre-eminent district cricket clubs in Melbourne.”

March said the move would assist in the football club reaching its long term goals, in line with its strategic vision of the future.

“The board and management of this Club set a clear direction some time ago that we would do all we could to give our team the best chance of competing in what is an increasingly competitive environment,” he said.

“The relocation of the Richmond Cricket Club - together with the soon to be completed Punt Road redevelopment - gives our football team every chance to be the best prepared they can possibly be.”

“This is a most important step forward for Richmond Football Club and one that all our members and supporters can be most pleased about.”

“We wish the cricket club all the best in the move and the Richmond Football Club looks forward to supporting them into the future.”

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/104635/default.aspx