Glenferrie Oval facts for kids
Glenferrie Oval in 2009
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| Former names | Hawthorn Football Ground Ausdoc Oval |
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| Location | 34 Linda Crescent, Hawthorn, Victoria |
| Coordinates | 37°49′14″S 145°1′58″E / 37.82056°S 145.03278°E |
| Owner | City of Boroondara |
| Operator | City of Boroondara |
| Capacity | 10,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Opened | 1903 |
Glenferrie Oval is a famous Australian rules football stadium. You can find it in Hawthorn, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
This oval is well-known as the historic home of the Hawthorn Football Club. The team played their games here from 1903. They continued to play at Glenferrie Oval as a VFL/AFL club from 1925 until 1973. Even after they stopped playing matches there, the club used the ground for their offices and training until 2006. In 2006, Hawthorn moved to a new and improved Waverley Park before the 2006 AFL season began.
History of Glenferrie Oval
Before Glenferrie Oval became their main home, the Hawthorn Football Club moved around a lot. They played their home games at different grounds each season. Their very first home was the Hawthorn C.G. (West Hawthorn Reserve). But they left after just one season because of rules set by the Hawthorn Cricket Club. In 1903, the Hawks played at John Wren's Richmond Racecourse. Then, in 1904, they moved to the Richmond Cricket Ground.
In 1905, the Hawthorn club joined with another team called Boroondara. This merger meant they moved to Boroondara's home ground, which was the East Melbourne Cricket Ground. Hawthorn changed their team colours from blue and red to Boroondara's black jersey with a red sash. However, they kept the name Hawthorn FC.
When the Hawthorn council opened Glenferrie Oval in October 1905, they wanted a senior football club to play there. The Hawthorn FC, along with another popular club called Hawthorn Rovers, joined together. They formed the Hawthorn City Football Club and made Glenferrie their new home. The "City" part of the name was later dropped. The club became simply the Hawthorn Football Club when it joined the VFA in 1914.
From 1906 to 1973, the Hawks played all their home games at Glenferrie Oval. The stadium was located in the middle of Hawthorn. Its good condition and location, very close to the Glenferrie train station, were important. These factors helped the club join the VFA in 1914 and then the VFL in 1925. Even though the club wasn't winning many games back then, both leagues saw the importance of having a team from the eastern suburbs. Glenferrie Oval was key to these steps forward for the Hawthorn Football Club.
In 1914, when Hawthorn joined the VFA, the council had to build new dressing rooms. These were needed to meet the league's standards. The new dressing sheds were built in the north-west corner of the ground. They were later moved to the Rathmines Road Reserve in Hawthorn, where they still stand today. In 1922, the ground was made wider by 30 yards and longer by 50 yards. This made the field the same size it is today.
The improvements in 1922 also brought Glenferrie Oval's first main stand. This was a wooden building called the Kennon-Owen Stand. It was bought from the East Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1921 when that ground closed. The Kennon-Owen Stand was later replaced by the Dr A S Ferguson Stand. This new brick stand opened in 1966. It was 185 feet long and could seat 1,450 people, with 400 seats under cover. Part of the Ferguson stand was later taken down to make way for the Victorian Weightlifting Building.
Glenferrie Oval's main grandstand was built in 1937. It has a special art-deco design. This stand was later named the Michael Tuck stand, after a famous player from the club. It held the new changing rooms and the club's offices. Today, it is a protected heritage building. In 1963, a large scoreboard was put up at the eastern end of the ground. After the club won the 1961 premiership, they bought houses near Linda Crescent. They built a Social Club there, which opened in 1962.
The ground was quite small compared to other VFL stadiums. But its close-up feel, with grandstands and the train line all around it, created an amazing atmosphere. The Hawks played 584 matches at Glenferrie Oval during their time there. The last game Hawthorn played at Glenferrie Oval was in August 1973. Hawthorn won against South Melbourne by 37 points. There were 9,842 people watching that game.
Features of the Ground
The location of Glenferrie Oval has always made it hard to expand. It is squeezed between the Belgrave/Lilydale railway line and nearby streets. Because it was small and had narrow wings, fans sometimes called it the "sardine can."
The ground includes:
- The heritage registered art deco Michael Tuck Stand (built in 1938). It is named after Hawthorn legend Michael Tuck.
- The Ferguson Stand (built in the 1960s).
- The Victorian Weightlifting Stadium.
- The social club (built in 1963). The Hawthorn Football Club sold this building in 2008, and it was later pulled down.
Glenferrie Oval Today
Today, Glenferrie Oval is open to everyone. People use it for many fun activities and sports. In March 2010, the playing field was re-covered with couch grass for public use. The Hawthorn Football Club still holds Supporters' Days at the ground after winning the AFL Premiership. These days often bring in crowds of over 20,000 people.
Record Crowd
- 36,786 people – on April 17, 1965. This was for a game between Hawthorn and Carlton (VFL).
- Glenferrie Oval at Austadiums
