So theoretically, would they knock on the head an 'athletics' shaped ground, that was say, 190m long and 120m wide (fence to fence)?

why would AFL want to pay for that or give anyone else the opportunity to take over their ground..it technically dosnt fit an ISS minimum standard cricket ground....AFL only..hands off.

I'm just waiting for them to reshape the MCG.

It's actually amazing how different the grounds are to WAFL grounds. Not just in shape, but surrounding infrastructure. Grass banks barely exist over there. And what the hell is that backing onto Alberton? A bowls club?

SANFL venues tend to get pretty high use by the genera public because they're truly multi purpose. The downside is the football grounds tend to get wedged in a bit, but this does improve the atmosphere. I wouldn't go as far to say grass banks are non existent. All bar Norwood and Alberton have them. They just tend to be terraced a lot, or in the case of Noarlunga they've been graveled over for cars.

The worst ground of the lot would be Unley. The outer side is a playground and not opened on match day. The tennis club takes up an entire end. And the parts you can stand in you're packed in like sardines. And the whole ground smells like poodle crap.

They as in the AFL? They have. Those are the dimensions of the old Adelaide Oval (fence to fence), which has now be ovalised (word?!) for AFL.

Yep, its the Port Adelaide Bowling Club. Its been there forever and a day and it isn't likely to change anytime soon.

Alberton Oval Bowling Club actually. The Croquet Club used to be where the Quinn Stand is.

Amazing it never got relocated back in the 80's when Port was all conquering and no doubt drawing big crowds. No point doing it now.

Ditto Windy Hill.

It's a very English thing, being cramped for space to put in a footy ground. One of the good things about Oz. For the most part, we had space to put everything without encroaching on others.

In the words of the great Murray Walker.....unless I am very much mistaken the Bowling Club was actually there first. Without it the capacity of the ground would probably be around 25,000, though as Rob said....not needed these days. 30-50 years ago maybe but not in today's world.

For anyone interested South Australia will be playing Western Australia at the Glenelg Oval (Gliderol Stadium @ Glenelg) on Saturday 26 May. It will be a day game so they won't be making use of Glenelg's new lights, which are very good and up to television standard (and I saw on the ABC's telecast on the weekend when they showed U/18 highlights that they've put lights on the scoreboard at The Bay hehehe).

Also.....if you go to the South Australian Amateur Football League website you can see that while Thebarton Oval (now called Adelaide Airport Stadium) still has its six original light towers there have been four new ones put in place. The new lights are similar to those at Richmond, Norwood, Glenelg and Elizabeth Ovals.

http://www.saafl.asn.au/Adelaide_Airport_Stadium

I never understood advertising an airport.

What are you going to do. Not land?

It's more about being a good corporate citizen. Not a case of advertising per se but rather "We cause a lot of traffic jams around here etc. We're sorry. Look how we make it up to you." But it does remind me of a stupid case of Airport advertising.

I was at the Races one year and they were handing out gift bags for Sydney Aiport urging people to go and shop there. Reading between the lines, they were saying "come to the Airport, pay $25 for two hours of parking and buy stuff that's only 50% more expensive than the shopping centre down the road that offers two hours free parking." Predictably, the promo staff that day weren't really treated well by the punters. Interestingly, my parents say they used to socialise at the Sydey Airport Bar in the 1970s and early 1980s when parking was free. It was a big deal getting on the booze and watching planes fly up and down. Maybe why they bought in Stanmore.

Reminds me of Kath and Kel honeymooning at Tullamarine

I'll have some pics to post of AAMI Stadium (Footy Park) on Sunday night as rain, hail or shine I'm going to the SANFL Grand Final. Westies (West Adelaide) haven't won a premiership since 1983 and haven't been in a GF since we got thumped by Centrals in 2003 (this is the first GF this century that Centrals have not played in). We're playing Norwood who are favourites (they went 18-2 in the minor round and kept us to just 2 goals in the 2nd Semi).....but Premiership #9 is in its way to Richmond Oval!!!

Either way I'll have some pics to post