Melbourne's New Stadium

[Old Diehard]

I think the people of Melbourne are very lucky- a new stadium on the go and a very talented Rugby League team. Bellamy's side for the most part is young and with Greg Inglis and now Israel Falou, the future is very bright for them on the field. And now a new field to draw the crowd.
The old Northern Storm Development System has paid benefits for the Melbourne storm but I regret to say that is finished as the Storm has cut it's ties there (and that may come back to bite them) . The latest protege, 17 year old ,Israel Falou apparently started his footy career at the feeder club, Norths St Josephs, so why would you ruin a good thing particularly when you're are benfiting from it (only Waldron would know).

Incidently Norths, Valleys , Brighton, Samford, Albany Creek, Norths St Josephs, Banyo and Aspley juniors were all Northern Storm Development clubs and I couldn't list all the players that came from them into the Storm (because their is just too many). It's just a shame that Melbourne Storm doesn't see a future in continueing it's ties with clubs up here.

[DIEHARD]

Yea it seems ridiculous to me that the Storm would abandon such a gold mine.

Norths would be an asset to any NRL club.

[Capital_Shark]

Spot on Old Diehard, Storm has gotten an absolute ton of talent out of its association with Norths, why you'd sever that I have no idea, at least not until Victoria was producing its own quality juniors.

Your right about the Storm's future looking so bright as well. A young squad that went so well and so close last year, has plenty of time to learn, but doesn't seem to have a great deal to learn in that time. Provided things out of their control such as injuries, suspensions etc. are kind to them, they should be hoisting a premiership trophy above their heads in the next couple seasons, if not this one.

[DIEHARD]

Foundations for 50,000 fans

MELBOURNE'S new soccer and rugby league stadium will be designed so it can be expanded to seat 50,000 fans.

The plan to ensure that the stadium's foundations will allow its expansion followed Victory's refusal to play at the new stadium unless it could seat at least 40,000.
The stands will be built to seat 27,750, but that will be increased to 31,000 if the Victory agrees to play there.

The $256 million stadium at Edwin Flack Field, in the Olympic Park area, will be built by Grocon.

Under FIFA rules, international soccer games must be held at stadiums which can seat at least 40,000.

Major Projects Minister Theo Theophanous said that by ensuring the foundations could accommodate an expansion to 50,000 seats, the Government was "future-proofing the stadium" in case soccer in Australia became big enough.

But the Victory has not yet agreed to the deal.

Yesterday, the Government gave it just weeks to sign on as a tenant.

It's believed Victory is considering playing at Telstra Dome instead.

But Mr Theophanous said the club's bosses had told him they liked the size of the stadium, as long as they could play "blockbusters" at Telstra Dome.

Premier Steve Bracks said yesterday the increasing popularity of the stadium's other tenants would ensure it was not a white elephant, even if the Victory did not agree to the deal.

The Melbourne Football Club and Melbourne Storm have signed as tenants. But the Government is keen for the A-League champions to make the new stadium their home.

"We are reasonably confident the Victory will come on board," Mr Bracks said.

"If they don't, we know that by 2010 there is very likely to be a second soccer team in this city," he said.

Victory CEO Geoff Miles refused to comment yesterday, saying discussions with the Government were continuing.

Football Federation Australia boss Matt Carroll called on the Victory to play at the new stadium.

"We welcome the extra capacity, and we are encouraging the Victory to reach an agreement where the Victory can play the majority of games at the new stadium, and play marquee matches at Telstra Dome," Mr Carroll said.

He said the FFA was still considering a second team in Melbourne.

Source: http://www.NEWS.com.au

[mb63]

Melb Victory are still yet to commit despite the compromise.They have been a pain in the neck with the new stadium.If they don't come to the party this time they will be told to get nicked.

[DIEHARD]

WORLD CLASS STADIUM FOR STORM A REALITY

Melbourne Storm fans are set to get a world-class 27,750 seat rectangular-pitch stadium, providing the best facilities for rugby league the state has ever had.

Premier Bracks, who made the announcement on Sunday from the Olympic Park precinct where the stadium will be built, is delighted to have finally set the wheels in motion for the new stadium.

The announcement is welcome news to the Melbourne Storm, with the popularity of rugby league in Melbourne growing noticeably in recent times.

"The popularity that is getting behind Storm and has got behind Storm, grand finalists just recently and already has a grand final win under their belts, has been building and building," said Mr. Bracks.

The staging of marquee events such as State-of-Origin and Tri-Nations games in Melbourne, as well as Melbourne Storm's participation in the 2006 NRL grand final, which was watched by over 1 million Victorians, is testament to the need for a stadium of this nature.

With the Storm set to be one of the founding tenants, Mr. Bracks is under no illusions as to what will make the new stadium a success.

"Let's not make any mistake here, the anchor tenants are really what's going to make this work. That is the Melbourne Storm who are a great partner and given so much to Melbourne over such a long period of time," said Mr. Bracks.

The stadium will maintain the iconic bioframe roof design and house sports training and administration facilities which will rival the word's best.

The 27,750 seat stadium would cost around $256 million and is due to be completed in 2009.

The stadium will be built with strengthened foundations to allow future expansion.

To lessen the impact on the state's water supplies, the stadium would capture storm water for use in stadium facilities such as toilets.

Source: http://www.melbournestorm.com.au

[mb63]

Still no word from the Melb Victory.

[Old Diehard]

I'm glad its' done and dusted- as for the Vic Soccer team, c'est le vie!
The dragging on was to much and the Storm needs a new stadium ( don't care about the victorian soccer team).
Just quitely stick some money on the Storm to win the final this year- they have a great line-up!

[DIEHARD]

Melbourne Council stripped of sports precinct control

The State Government will introduce laws stripping Melbourne City Council of any control over the Olympic Park sports precinct.

Legislation to be tabled in State Parliament will end the council's 100-year-old powers to control a large tract of land at the southeastern corner of the precinct, including Gosch's Paddock.

Premier John Brumby has ordered the move to try to ensure a $268 million rectangular stadium set to open in 2009, on crown land between Olympic Park stadium and Gosch's Paddock, proceeds without delay.

The three tenants of the new stadium -- the Demons AFL club, Victory A-League soccer club and Storm NRL club, had been concerned they could only secure three-year leases from the council to train on Gosch's Paddock.

To advance negotiations, the Government will take control of the land, offer leases of a minimum 21 years, and cut the council out of the area entirely.

To offset the lengthy leases, the Government will proclaim parts of the land adjoining Gosch's Paddock as public open space.

A dispute with major tenant Victory over the size of the stadium has already delayed the project by several months, and new Premier John Brumby appears determined to get the stadium back on track.

The day before he was chosen as Premier to replace Steve Bracks, Mr Brumby signalled a new direction in major projects such as the rectangular stadium, saying: "We will be putting in place new measures to ensure that we can better implement major projects in Victoria."

The sports precinct move marks the second time Mr Brumby has stepped in to take power away from the council since he became Premier on July 30.

The Government said it would legislate to take control of the Carlton Gardens away from the council to allow the International Flower and Garden Show to go ahead after council decided to end the event, citing damage to the gardens.

Most of the sports precinct, which runs from Batman Ave in the south to the tram lines in the north and Punt Rd in the east, is run by the Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust but the land is controlled by a range of bodies including the council, VicTrack, and several government departments.

The Melbourne and Olympic Parks Amendment Bill due to be tabled today will bring all of the land under the control of the trust, which will report to Sport Minister James Merlino.

Ellen Whinnett
Herald Sun

[DIEHARD]

It is tremendous to see the new Victorian Premier so keeningly behind the new development of Olympic Park II.

But much thanks has to go to the Victory for wasting months of development time!

[Old Diehard]

Ths thing about Melbourne is they get NO media coverage, NO promotion and they play out of the worst stadium in porfessional sport in Australia!


Give them a nice stadium and you'll help their crowds right away.

Give the Storm a chance.

The thing about Melbourne is the NRL has transplanted all these players from elsewhere to make the Storm successful. Victorian Rugby League isn't generating any quality players yet or likely to in the near future but still the Melbourne Team won the premiership!

So why don't we look to doing the same with Adelaide - no one down there is good enough to play professional Rugby League but we could transplant a team like this there-
-
Tangi Ropati (Wynnum Manly)
Smith Samau (Gold Coast Titans)
Andreas Bauer (Hull KR)
George Carmont (Newcastle Knights)
Afa Lesa (Samoa)
Nigel Vagana (South Sydney & Captain)
Joseph Paulo (Penrith Panthers)
Hutch Maiava (Hull FC)
Chris Vae***a (Canterbury Bulldogs)
Frank Puletua (Penrith Panthers)
Tony Puletua (Penrith Panthers)
Ali Lauitiiti (Leeds Rhinos)
Harrison Hansen (Wigan Warriors).

Interchange:
Chris Lei Sam (Samoa)
Ponifasio Vasa (Samoa)
Manulua Lafi (Samoa)
Phil Leuluai (Salford City Reds).

They are all Samoans which goes to show that Rugby League has got a strong following there! We have to think about bringing a South Pacific Team into the NRL!

I mean have a look at this team , and there are players already good in Tonga, Fiji, PNG...Maybe we should bring them here to OZ & put them in as an NRL Team based down in Aussie Rules terrority

Lets face it ,Victorian Rugby League could not put a team together good enough to field in the 2nd division up here and won't in the next 5 years! The Melbourne Storm are premiers because of transplanted players from League Playing areas and are successful .Why not try and copy the idea by putting together a team of south pacific islanders in Adelaide to give that City some representation in the NRL (Lord know the locals down there in don't play the game much!)

Worthy idea to make the NRL more national and at the same time raise the profile of the game in place where the locals already excel at it!

[Super Cronk]

You obviously know nothing mate. You have a problem with the Storm and cant seem to get over it.

How long do you think it takes for a team in an all AFL state to get players into first grade? Certainly doesnt happen over night.

And Victorian rugby league is produceing some quality players. There are 9 players VIC league comps signed up by the Storm recently and some i believe will be taking part in the U/20's comp. Like i said it takes alot of time to build juniors up from scratch let alone in an AFL dominated state. Honestly i dont know what your problem is with the Storm...but its sad that you continue to whinge and whine over it and you dont know jack ****.

[hugebrianfan]

You obviously know nothing mate. You have a problem with the Storm and cant seem to get over it.

How long do you think it takes for a team in an all AFL state to get players into first grade? Certainly doesnt happen over night.

And Victorian rugby league is produceing some quality players. There are 9 players VIC league comps signed up by the Storm recently and some i believe will be taking part in the U/20's comp. Like i said it takes alot of time to build juniors up from scratch let alone in an AFL dominated state. Honestly i dont know what your problem is with the Storm...but its sad that you continue to whinge and whine over it and you dont know jack ****.

dont a lot of people have a problem with the storms..? When they beat newcastle in round 4 (I was at that game) I was pretty upset but then I got over it. You cant just keep on hating teams, although I dont like some teams but i dont hate them.

[Old Diehard]

You obviously know nothing mate. You have a problem with the Storm and cant seem to get over it.

How long do you think it takes for a team in an all AFL state to get players into first grade? Certainly doesnt happen over night.

And Victorian rugby league is produceing some quality players. There are 9 players VIC league comps signed up by the Storm recently and some i believe will be taking part in the U/20's comp. Like i said it takes alot of time to build juniors up from scratch let alone in an AFL dominated state. Honestly i dont know what your problem is with the Storm...but its sad that you continue to whinge and whine over it and you dont know jack ****.

Name the 9 players? Go on who are they ? And which club in the Vic Rugby League did they play for? Ya idiot - their is no 9 players!

Ya talking crap son!

But although we are a Rugby League State our Aussie Rules Ream - The Lions is already getting players who have come out of the Queensland Aussie Rules Juniors! You Sir can not after 11 years name one player from Victoria Rugby League who has played for the Storm AND NOW I CHALLENGE YOU TO NAME THE 9 WHO WILL PLAY NEXT YEAR IN THE U20s' COMP! Common ! Name them!

[Queenslander]

Name the 9 players? Go on who are they ? And which club in the Vic Rugby League did they play for? Ya idiot - their is no 9 players!

Super Cronk is not talking "crap"......I remember hearing it on the news a while back that at least 9 players from Melbourne will play for the Storm in the Under 20's competition.