The Melbourne Football Club is delighted by the Victorian Government’s announcement of a major upgrade to the club’s AFL and AFLW training oval, Gosch’s Paddock.

The oval will be resurfaced and enlarged to MCG sized length and Marvel Stadium sized width.

The upgrade will allow players and coaches to professionally prepare for games, with training preparations no longer being compromised due to the smaller dimensions of the current oval.

Melbourne Football Club CEO Gary Pert said it was a significant step forward for the club’s football programs.  

“As we look to establish our new long-term training base, the number one priority in speaking to coaches and players was access to a training oval that reflects the dimensions of the MCG as closely as possible,” said Pert.

“Gosch’s paddock is the main training base for both our AFL and AFLW programs and to have the upgrade complete will significantly increase our ability to train at the highest possible standard.

“With both our AFL and AFLW programs playing their home games on larger ovals – the MCG and Casey Fields – this upgrade will be critical to allow our coaches to run drills that replicate match-day conditions.
 
“On behalf of the Melbourne Football Club I would like to thank the Victorian State Government, Department of Sport and Recreation, Melbourne and Olympics Park Trust and the AFL who have all helped in this complex planning process and assisted with funding to ensure the projects commencement.”

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said the redevelopment would positively impact both the football and local communities.

“The remade oval will be a win for the many members of the community who use the area year-round to run, walk, throw a frisbee and have a kick,” said Pakula.

“It means Melbourne’s women’s and men’s teams will have an oval on par with other Victorian AFLW/AFL teams – and that’s good for football.”

Preliminary work on the oval will commence in August 2021 and should be completed before the start of the 2022 AFL Premiership Season.

The Melbourne Football Club’s AFLW and AFL programs will train on alternative ovals until the project is complete.