Tigers could move to Waverley during Punt Road redevelopment

[WilliamPowell]

Tigers open to Waverley Park move;

Richmond could base themselves at Waverley Park temporarily from the end of 2026 while Punt Road is out of action as the AFL considers possible uses for the venue it acquired on Tuesday.

This masthead revealed on Tuesday that Hawthorn had finalised the sale to the league for between $10-15 million ahead of their move to a new permanent home at the Kennedy Centre in Dingley at the end of this season.

The AFL was keen to keep the asset within football, using it as a potential site for AFL clubs who were temporarily displaced, its elite talent pathway programs or as a home for umpires.

The Tigers had already raised the prospect of using Waverley as a base with the AFL while their Punt Road facility is being redeveloped. The club’s administration is being housed in Wellington Parade while the football department and team continues training at the Swinburne Centre as the timeline for the redevelopment is finalised. The team will continue training at Punt Road until the end of next season.

“We’re open to looking at [Waverley],” Richmond CEO Shane Dunne told this masthead.

He said moving there for a short period made some sense as the ground was terrific and the venue had proven capable of housing a football club with Hawthorn calling Waverley home for the past 21 years

Dunne said even if umpires began to use Waverley as a permanent base, the venue could still accommodate an AFL club temporarily, although such discussions had not yet been had.

Hawthorn played Richmond the first time either team played at the venue in 1970.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-moves-rising-star-award-to-brownlow-medal-night-20250625-p5ma5g.html

[Francois Jackson]

Good idea!

Great central area where i grew up and folks live. Fantastic cafe restaurant located there also.

I always had a feeling this would be a windfall for the Hawks. They have been a well managed club that mob.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

They really are Francis. Where abouts in Glen Waverley did you grow up or was it Wheelers Hill?

[Francois Jackson]

They really are Francis. Where abouts in Glen Waverley did you grow up or was it Wheelers Hill?

Yep around the corner from the ground mate. 15 min walk.

great times spent at that ground, sneaking into the club rooms and eating all the pies from the trolley.

[Andyy]

Would love to attend some VFL games there tbh

[Damo]

I’ve been to 10+ grand finals , including 91’

Talk about time changing opinions on a place.

It was a cold, poorly designed poo hole with zero atmosphere.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

They really are Francis. Where abouts in Glen Waverley did you grow up or was it Wheelers Hill?

Yep around the corner from the ground mate. 15 min walk.

great times spent at that ground, sneaking into the club rooms and eating all the pies from the trolley.

Grew up nearby closer to Brandon Park. Yes Damo, it was a dank, cold and desolate place but it was ours!
1993 pre season granny was my highlight

[Damo]

They really are Francis. Where abouts in Glen Waverley did you grow up or was it Wheelers Hill?

Yep around the corner from the ground mate. 15 min walk.

great times spent at that ground, sneaking into the club rooms and eating all the pies from the trolley.

Grew up nearby closer to Brandon Park. Yes Damo, it was a dank, cold and desolate place but it was ours!
1993 pre season granny was my highlight

HRT
What do you mean “it was ours”?

[Francois Jackson]

I’ve been to 10+ grand finals , including 91’

Talk about time changing opinions on a place.

It was a cold, poorly designed poo hole with zero atmosphere.

that is really got nothing to do with how it looks now.

you are talking about 30 plus years ago, and yes it was cold and hard to get if you lived in essendon.

They really are Francis. Where abouts in Glen Waverley did you grow up or was it Wheelers Hill?

Yep around the corner from the ground mate. 15 min walk.

great times spent at that ground, sneaking into the club rooms and eating all the pies from the trolley.

Grew up nearby closer to Brandon Park. Yes Damo, it was a dank, cold and desolate place but it was ours!
1993 pre season granny was my highlight

Love it    vfl, wheelers, brandon park, wavos chasing girls, no phones

what a time to be alive.

[one-eyed]

Tigers could move to Waverley during Punt Road redevelopment

Peter Ryan and Jake Niall
The Age
27 June 2025

Richmond could base themselves at Waverley Park temporarily from the end of 2026 while Punt Road is out of action as the AFL considers possible uses for the venue it acquired on Tuesday.

This masthead revealed on Tuesday that Hawthorn had finalised the sale to the league for between $10-15 million ahead of their move to a new permanent home at the Kennedy Centre in Dingley at the end of this season.

The AFL was keen to keep the asset within football, using it as a potential site for AFL clubs who were temporarily displaced, its elite talent pathway programs or as a home for umpires.

The Tigers had already raised the prospect of using Waverley as a base with the AFL while their Punt Road facility is being redeveloped. The club’s administration is being housed in Wellington Parade while the football department and team continues training at the Swinburne Centre as the timeline for the redevelopment is finalised. The team will continue training at Punt Road until the end of next season.

“We’re open to looking at [Waverley],” Richmond CEO Shane Dunne told this masthead.

He said moving there for a short period made some sense as the ground was terrific and the venue had proven capable of housing a football club with Hawthorn calling Waverley home for the past 21 years.

Dunne said even if umpires began to use Waverley as a permanent base, the venue could still accommodate an AFL club temporarily, although such discussions had not yet been had.

Hawthorn played Richmond the first time either team played at the venue in 1970.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-moves-rising-star-award-to-brownlow-medal-night-20250625-p5ma5g.html

[Tigeritis™©®]

So Hawthorn purchased the ground and stand from the AFL for only $1 and sold it back to them for 10 million? 

Nice investment deal for the Hawks.

[Willy]

So Hawthorn purchased the ground and stand from the AFL for only $1 and sold it back to them for 10 million? 

Nice investment deal for the Hawks.

They put a lot of money into developing it.

[Francois Jackson]

So Hawthorn purchased the ground and stand from the AFL for only $1 and sold it back to them for 10 million? 

Nice investment deal for the Hawks.

They put a lot of money into developing it.

Not sure about that. Mirvac certainly did though. They used hawks as the power tenant to sell off the units.

Hawks have played this beautifully .

H

[Hard Roar Tiger]

I reckon Waverley would be the perfect home away from home. Heaps of Gen X’ers grew up there in the 80’s following them because it was our recruiting zone. All their kids now young adults or teens.
A much better location to have training days than Craigeburn or Beaconsfield.

[camboon]

A few relocatable’s on the wing should do the trick