Thebarton Oval
Encyclopedia
Thebarton Oval was formerly the home ground of SANFL club West Torrens
who played their last game at the ground in on 2 September 1989 ending a run of 68 seasons at Thebby Oval. The ground had subsequently deteriorated through lack of usage and maintenance, however, with the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club
using the oval as their pre-season base as well as playing one or two games per season, there have been efforts to upgrade the ground in the past few years including upgrading the areas surrounding the ground, replaced the perimeter fencing and installing new seating in the stands.
The Eagles want to upgrade the six light towers at the oval in a bid to be able to play SANFL night games at the venue for the first time since the mid-1980s. The lights have been in place since the 1950s and along with Norwood Oval
, Thebarton was a regular host of the SANFL night series including hosting most of the night Grand Finals until Football Park's lights were first used in 1984. Indeed Thebarton hosted the last ever SANFL Night Grand Final held at a suburban ground when the 1983 SANFL Escort Cup Grand Final was played between West Torrens and South Adelaide. The Eagles won their last SANFL championship by defeating the Graham Cornes
coached Panthers 7.15 (57) to 5.7 (37).
The ground consists of concrete terracing all around the oval with a mound extending the entire outer wing as well as two grandstands on the north-east wing with seating for up to 3,500 people. The grounds football dimensions are 160m x 130m.
Thebarton Oval is owned by the City of West Torrens
which has leased out the ground to a series of tenants since 1991.
The current major tenant is the South Australian Amateur Football League
(SAAFL), who use the venue as an administrative and training base, as well as a venue for some matches during the season. The SANFL Umpires department is also based at Thebarton, with umpires training there during the SANFL Season.
Thebarton has been home over the years to a number of other sports including speedway
, soccer, gridiron
, baseball
and rugby league
.
The record crowd at Thebarton was set on May 26, 1962 when 20,832 fans turned up to see West Torrens take on SANFL rivals Norwood
.
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...
who played their last game at the ground in on 2 September 1989 ending a run of 68 seasons at Thebby Oval. The ground had subsequently deteriorated through lack of usage and maintenance, however, with the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club
Woodville-West Torrens Football Club
Woodville-West Torrens Football Club is an Australian rules football club playing in the South Australian National Football League . It was formed in 1990 from an amalgamation of the neighbouring Woodville and West Torrens football clubs and played its inaugural game in 1991...
using the oval as their pre-season base as well as playing one or two games per season, there have been efforts to upgrade the ground in the past few years including upgrading the areas surrounding the ground, replaced the perimeter fencing and installing new seating in the stands.
The Eagles want to upgrade the six light towers at the oval in a bid to be able to play SANFL night games at the venue for the first time since the mid-1980s. The lights have been in place since the 1950s and along with Norwood Oval
Norwood Oval
Norwood Oval is a suburban oval in the western end of Norwood, an inner eastern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council own the Oval but rent it, for a peppercorn rental, to the Norwood Football Club...
, Thebarton was a regular host of the SANFL night series including hosting most of the night Grand Finals until Football Park's lights were first used in 1984. Indeed Thebarton hosted the last ever SANFL Night Grand Final held at a suburban ground when the 1983 SANFL Escort Cup Grand Final was played between West Torrens and South Adelaide. The Eagles won their last SANFL championship by defeating the Graham Cornes
Graham Cornes
Graham Studley Cornes OAM is a former Australian rules football player and coach, as well as a media personality with a weekday drivetime sports program that he hosts on Adelaide 5AA with Stephen Rowe....
coached Panthers 7.15 (57) to 5.7 (37).
The ground consists of concrete terracing all around the oval with a mound extending the entire outer wing as well as two grandstands on the north-east wing with seating for up to 3,500 people. The grounds football dimensions are 160m x 130m.
Thebarton Oval is owned by the City of West Torrens
City of West Torrens
The City of West Torrens is a Local Government Area in the western suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia. Since the 1970s the area was mainly home to many open spaces and parks, however after the mid-1990s the LGA became more residential.-Suburbs:...
which has leased out the ground to a series of tenants since 1991.
The current major tenant is the South Australian Amateur Football League
South Australian Amateur Football League
The South Australian Amateur Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in Adelaide, South Australia. Comprising sixty-seven member clubs playing over one hundred and ten matches per week, the SAAFL is one of Australia's largest and strongest Australian rules football...
(SAAFL), who use the venue as an administrative and training base, as well as a venue for some matches during the season. The SANFL Umpires department is also based at Thebarton, with umpires training there during the SANFL Season.
Thebarton has been home over the years to a number of other sports including speedway
Dirt track racing
Dirt track racing is a type of auto racing performed on oval tracks. It began in the United States before World War I and became widespread during the 1920s and 30s. Two different types of racecars predominated—open wheel racers in the Northeast and West and stock cars in the South...
, soccer, gridiron
Gridiron
Gridiron may refer to:*Gridiron Secret Society, a secret society at the University of Georgia.* Gridiron , type of grill that can be used to cook meat or other food over a fire; most of the other usages derive from this term due to their fancied resemblance* Gridiron plan, in urban planning, a...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
.
The record crowd at Thebarton was set on May 26, 1962 when 20,832 fans turned up to see West Torrens take on SANFL rivals Norwood
Norwood Football Club
Norwood Football Club, nicknamed, Redlegs, is an Australian rules football club belonging to the South Australian National Football League in the state of South Australia...
.
External links
- Thebarton Oval at austadiums.com