The 5 STRANGEST Stadiums in AFL History

Discussing some of the strange stadiums to have hosted an AFL game throughout history
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[@tdb7992]

That picture of Optus Stadium in Perth at the start of the video is great. Perth knocked it out of the park with that stadium. It's a shame Brisbane isn't doing something similar for the olympics. The stadium has really good public transport links with a huge station right beside it, and due to some clever infrastructure, special event trains from that station can move directly onto other lines so passengers don't have to change trains.

[@hydrohelic]

Usually I just take special event buses to the stadium very close to where I live, public transport is so nice when going to optus

[@BDub2024]

I remember watching Fitzroy vs West Coast Eagles on TV. It appeared to be sunny conditions, but I remember the commentators saying that it had a chill factor below 6 degrees. It may have been colder even. But the players from Perth were struggling with the cold. I'm surprised there isn't footage of it as it was broadcast by Seven.

[@BDub2024]

I'm disappointed the NZ experiment in Wellington hasn't continued. We need to be playing matches there.

[@themetroboy22]

Maybe even a team or 2

[@listey]

It's a perfect stadium for AFL. I've watched rugby there and thought the same at the time.

[@titoelcomombiano]

No one gives a fuck about AFL outside of Victoria and the wasteland states to the west of it

[@Gus.MonFries]

Why'd did they stop playing there?? Wat was the primary reason ​@@listey

[@pacjman9360]

@@themetroboy22I miss the rvb comeng horn

[@ashcoops6962]

Went to the Jiangwan Stadium a few years back to watch the exhibition match. One of the wierdest matches I've ever seen, simply because many of the people there were locals and simply didn't know what was going on. Even the expats were quiet. So no barracking. Not even umpire abuse. Very odd.

[@RobertWilson-nm1qy]

I remember AFL exhibition games in England around the 90s, maybe London. Also there was a game in the UAE around the 2000s.

[@pillwolak]

Loving the content on this channel!

[@sentimentalbloke185]

The motordrome was a long & interesting saga between the two world wars. It was built by a private company known as Melbourne Carnivals Ltd & John Wren was a shareholder in the business. They leased the site (previously known as the Amateur Athletic ground) & built the stadium for speedway which was a dangerous motorsport that attracted many spectators for a few years but the track degraded quickly & lost favour with the public. The company spent many years trying to get the VFL & the VFA to play there; the VFA actually held 3 of their GFs at the ground. Richmond actually agreed to move their home games to the Motordrome in the mid-1930s but that was blocked. People questioned why a private for-profit company was allowed to lease crown land (susposedly for the use of amateur athletes) for the purpose of making money; the venture was an early attempt at a multi-purpose venue. Early in the war years, the lease expired & Melbourne Carnivals was dissolved. The govt used the area for military purposes & it was pretty run down & neglected. Then came the redevelopment to cater for the 1956 Olympics, but also to restore it to its original purpose as a facility for amateur sports.

[@jmull91]

Great video, would love to see an nrl version of this video

[@TimmyTickle]

There would be enough material for a "10 Strangest RL Stadiums" video

[@pavementpounder7502]

There's about 10 hardcore Chinese Port fans in Shanghai spewing they axed the China game.

[@Gary-vv5gt]

The shanghai experiment was pretty funny tbh

[@samuelbartel3104]

Very successful considering it made more viewers then the Super Bowl and any other afl game. And made port so much money

[@Jdid625]

Amazing video! The motodrome one is great and reminds me of my local club's old home ground which is situated in the field inside of the town's racecourse 🤣

[@danieljdtaylor]

A game in Yallourn is so bizarre

[@footy2rock]

I thought I mowed ya lawn last week lol

[@TimmyTickle]

Apparently Fitzroy were planning to play a total of four home games at Bruce Stadium (two in 95 and two in 96) with the ACT Government paying them handsomely for doing so. But the AFL, aware that this potential revenue stream would have kept them alive for longer, and therefore keeping Port Adelaide out of the league, blocked the move,

[@Trevy21]

I’m a dees man myself and was aware that we had played at the motodrome for a little while.. I thought once I had read it was actually during the war time we weren’t able to be at the G as the defence force had taken over and stored stuff there but you seem to have done your homework so I’ll agree with you. Some great photos you’ve included. An honourable mention would be Abu Dhabi 2008 nab cup between pies and crows. Great vid mate, keep them coming!

[@TimmyTickle]

The MCG was unavailable during WWII as the US military had taken over the ground (they renamed it Camp Murphy). During this time, the Dees shared Punt Road with Richmond.

[@BDub2024]

Have you got footage of when the Eagles played a match in US. I think it may have been Portland. Not sure. But it was a baseball field and I think the half backs wre taken out. I remember Matera racing off half back and thumping into the goal square. It was on astroturf so some players had elbow and knee protection. Also, the Dockers played in S Africa and at one stage wanted more matches there. But that stopped too.

[@TenaciousAC]

12 October 1990 - West Coast vs Melbourne at Civic Stadium, which, after a few renovations, is now Providence Park, home of Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers. I had a random memory from my youth of watching a game the year before, when a game was held at BC Place in Vancouver.

[@M9tigersadventures]

Where’s GMHBA Stadium AKA Kardinia Park in this video?

[@NoovaRB]

If you’re into it, I would love to see an NRL version! There have been some interesting grounds as well. Also, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs also played a home game at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane in 2007

[@danielbradley9805]

I would include Stadium Australia/Accor Stadium as being one of the strangest stadiums to host AFL games, given that the stadium is more suited to host Rugby League, Rugby Union and Football games there.

[@iconicsnz]

Can you do a video on NZ stadiums? Interested to see your opinion compared to the larger more modern looking Australian stadiums.

[@sandrafowler6717]

The old Olympic Park which is next to AAMI Park is now the training ground for the Collingwood Football Club.

[@albertmiller2electricbooga897]

Could so do a part 2, even unusual home game venues such as Gold Coast “hosting” Freo in 2018 at Optus

[@raymorris3882]

In my opinion for AFL to progress and develop further they must come up with an extra hybrid game fitted to an oblong field like rugby has with 7s Otherwise there are not enough oval fields of size in the world to accommodate the game as is

[@rmar127]

I could be wrong, but I’m almost certain that Brisbanes Exhibition showground hosted some VFL matches mid last century.

[@AdamFordGhostships]

Bit of extra trivia - the Tigers were on the verge of moving all their home games from Punt Rd to the Motordrome in the 1930s, but the vote to move was lost at borad level by a single vote.

[@sentimentalbloke185]

The club determined to move for the1936 season, but the VFL delegates' vote to permit the move was locked at 12-12 so the VFL president Bill McLelland had a casting vote & according to protocol his casting vote was for the status quo. By that time it had been renamed to Olympic Park. The sequel came during the season when there were challenges to the Richmond CC, the head tenant of the ground, and their right to charge admission fees to an area of crown land, designated for public use. Groups of spectators were organised by John Wren & Melbourne Carnivals to gatecrash a couple of matches & the matter went to court, the decision being in favour of the cricket club due to its historical occupancy of the ground. The govt didn't renew the lease when it expired c1939 & Melb Carnivals was dissolved. The area was used for military purposes during the war.

[@AdamFordGhostships]

@@sentimentalbloke185 yes, you're right it comes back to me now - it was a VFL vote. And yes, supposedly Wren had employed a slew of less than savoury tactics worthy of the CFMEU in "persuading" the club to make the move. It took them another 60-odd years to finally evict the cricketers. A measure of how much power has shifted between the two sports down the years.

[@sentimentalbloke185]

@@AdamFordGhostships Right from their admission to the league in 1908, Richmond understood the drawbacks of Punt Road as a venue & explored options to move. They thought about an upgraded City Reserve (Citizens Park, behind the Town Hall) but opted to build the grandstand instead, just before WW1. There was another move in the mid 1920s, then the mooted Olympic Park move in 1936, after which they built the King stand. Following WW2, the club once again explored moves, this time to the MCG, before that actually happened in 1965.

[@Randomstuff1342]

Cardman sent me here

[@NickSamon]

same.

[@thetwosmartbros]

AFL match in china, my honest reaction:😂

[@tdnic1]

For some reason I got unnecessarily annoyed when you mentioned Olympic Park as only being the home of Melbourne Storm. Not sure if you’re deliberately shitting on Melbourne Victory there or just misinformed.

[@qizza7142]

Probs just misinformed

[@user-pp7ye2sj6j]

geelong v melbourne at u.s?

[@btoogood]

The VFL is not the AFL it was a inner Melbourne competition. Doesn’t make sense to list both together- why not throw in WAFL and SANFL?

[@raymorris3882]

In my opinion for AFL to progress and develop further they must come up with an extra hybrid game fitted to an oblong field like rugby has with 7s Otherwise there are not enough oval fields of size in the world to accommodate the game as is