7 March, Rouse Hill: Sydney vs Western Bulldogs

[jude_boltons_babe]

ill be going cant wait

[chalbilto]

Just so you all know, I can't make it either - I've got a friend's aunt's brother-in-law's God daughter's Bat Mitzvah to go to. Sorry to disappoint.

[Matt79]

Got my tkts today!

[sfan]

got tickets as well. Preregistered tickets today - general tickets tomorrow. Call Castle Hill RSL if you want tickets early I would suggest.

[Cheer Squad]

Don't think so. I got the same immediate response as the others above and I live in the Eastern Suburbs.

I got my ticket after all. The registration notice came through on Sunday.

It was a bloody nuisance trying to buy the ticket. The switchboard was jammed for an hour and their EFTPOS link was down. It was worse than buying tickets for the grand final.

[CJK]

Sell out claims 10 News - ground looks crap from pictures.

7 million don't get you a lot it seems.

[DST]

Sell out claims 10 News - ground looks crap from pictures.

7 million don't get you a lot it seems.

Are you referring to the surface or rest of the facilities?

The ground itself looked in great nick and most of that 7 mil would have gone into that.

DST

[CJK]

Facilities. Not even any seats.

Ground did look good, but $7m? Should have invested in grass!

[sfan]

Facilities. Not even any seats.

Ground did look good, but $7m? Should have invested in grass!

Have you tried to buy land in North West Sydney the size of an AFL ground, then turn it into an AFL standard surface - good luck and get change out of $7M. A house block 400 sqm costs $350k and up if you are lucky!!!

[CJK]

Have you tried to buy land in North West Sydney

God no.

[Old Royboy]

I have a spare tik. Anybody interested, please send me a pm.

[BSA5]

Squad named:

Sydney Swans (from)
1. Barry Hall
2. Rhyce Shaw
3. Jarrad McVeigh
5. Ryan O?Keefe
6. Craig Bolton
9. Nick Malceski
11. Ed Barlow
13. Patrick Veszpremi
14. Craig Bird
15. Kieren Jack
16. Darren Jolly
18. Jesse White
20. Luke Ablett
24. Jude Bolton
25. Ted Richards
27. Kristin Thornton
28. Jared Crouch
29. Martin Mattner
30. Lewis Roberts-Thomson
31. Brett Kirk
32. Amon Buchanan
33. Jarred Moore
34. Ryan Brabazon
37. Adam Goodes
38. Michael Pyke
39. Heath Grundy
42. Paul Bevan
43. Matt O?Dwyer

Interestingly.... no Currie, no Meredith, no Smith, but Pyke, Barlow, Thornton, White, Brabazon and O'Dwyer are all a chance of getting runs. Roos said the team that runs out against the Dogs will be very close to full strength, so this may tell us where the various youngsters are at in Roos' mind. I'm very surprised about Currie not getting a run, with Pyke seemingly favoured. I know it's a pre-season match, so we can't read too much into it, but Currie being left out makes me worry for my SC side....

[satchmopugdog]

no DOK...dear oh dear is he a dud?

[BSA5]

no DOK...dear oh dear is he a dud?

No DOK is not surprising. He's coming back form a long injury layoff, and some players need to miss out.

[Oscar]

Sell out claims 10 News - ground looks crap from pictures.

7 million don't get you a lot it seems.

$6.9 million gets quite a lot in terms of building a ground that is totally sustainable with its own water supply, amongst many other features. Don't wander too far down the back of the complex CJK ... you might fall in the 3 million litre retention basin that holds the key to the almost SCG like surface.

The AFL would not have permitted the match to proceed unless all of Jill Lindsay's requirements were met. The lighting is up to 840 lux in some parts of the oval, with an average of 550 across the the whole surface. The make up of the turf is identical to what is at the SCG, and as it further matures should be equal to anything across Australia.

The 22 kms of drainage from nearly every square metre of the Reserve feeds the rain water back to the retention basin and is used over and over again to water the ground. (See Henson Park currently for what a ground looks like without an alternative water supply.)

Whilst it is a purpose built AFL ground, it is still a public Reserve as far as Council are concerned. Having said that though, the Baulkham Hills Council have been extremely cooperative in getting what we (the East Coast Eagles) now have. Their further considerable input for tomorrow's match was unexpected, but is very welcome. They are as keen as mustard to have this game in their own patch.

Right from the start of negotiations with them back in 1996 (yes, it has taken that long) we suggested to them that "if we build it right, the Swans may come". 12 or so years ago that was probably a pipedream to most, but what the Eagles have now is a superb AFL football complex for local SFL footy. The fact that two national AFL Football Clubs will play the first ever match on it, is testimony to how good it really is.

Unfortunately most spectators will have to stand, but as someone said earlier, that's just a day at the footy to the true fan. The other important part of the equation however, (the players), will love what they see and feel when they get there. As will all Sydney footballers & supporters who arrive at the ground for the first time in 2009 when their team plays East Coast at home.

We just hope that the local community like what they see on Saturday night and come back every week to watch the Eagles go round on their home ground for many years to come. After all, we haven't had one for 10 years ....

Sorry CJK, but crap it certainly isn't ....

PS The complex is called Bruce Purser Reserve, but the oval itself is available for corporate naming rights.

Peter Physick