Rectangles in Ovals

A recent observation is the ever increasing number of ovals now having soccer pitches marked in the middle of them.

The most recent venue I have come across is at Mahoneys Road Reserve in Forest Hill on my recent trip to photograph Nunawading City. The ground opposite the sky blues facility used to host Nunawading Football Club, but since the club has moved onto greener pastures the ground and clubrooms are now being shared by Nunawading City and Crossway who play in the Vic Churches League.

It is fantastic to see our brand of football getting hold of some of these venues some of which have some pretty good facilities. I would assume most of these venues would have been occupied by AFL clubs at one stage or another, some might simply be used by cricket clubs with no previous use during winter, but it does make me wonder if this trend of rectangles being put into ovals is a sign of the growth of Soccer at a suburban level at AFL's expense, or if it is yet another example of how councils are ignoring the world game when it comes to funding for new venues with priority continuing to going to AFL clubs?

As a rough guide here are the examples from the few venues I have visited this year. 

Crossway Churches - Mahoneys Road Reserve No.2 (Ex Nunawading FC - MOVED)

Noble Park United - Parkfield Reserve (Ex Noble Park Bears - DEFUNCT)

Maribyrnong Greens - Skinner Reserve (Ex Sunshine VFA - DEFUNCT)
Dandenong Wolves - WJ Turner Reserve (Ex Silverton Junior FC - DEFUNCT)
White Star Dandenong - Fotheringham Reserve (Can't find any history of AFL clubs using this venue)

Skinner Reserve in Braybrook, now home to Maribyrnong Greens.

Harrisfield Hurricanes in State 5 South have also recently been allocated Alex Nelson Reserve in Springvale, previously one of two grounds used by Noble Park Junior Football Club.

Of course the downside to using such big ovals is trying to best make use of the area to mark out a rectangular pitch. Some clubs try to squeeze two pitches into the area given, but unfortunately most venues are only suitable for one pitch, which in the middle of a big oval doesn't endear itself to spectators.

Also, as it is an oval you are guaranteed it will have a cricket pitch of some description in the middle of it, which will be a bug bear for most visiting teams who's home venues are cricket pitch-less.

If I get time and motivation I will try and research some more ovals now being occupied by soccer clubs and post it here.