Messenger sport reporters hand-pick 10 of SA’s best local footy ovals
What makes a footy oval great? The atmosphere? The canteen? The oval itself? Messenger sport has come up with a list of SA’s top local footy grounds. Take a look and see if yours features on the list and vote in our poll if its is.
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As the Adelaide Footy League prepares to return to action in July and our now eight SANFL clubs begin training again, Messenger sports reporters Gordon Armstrong and Daniela Abbracciavento have picked 10 of SA’s best local footy grounds to watch our great game.
From the cosy, the quirky and those with a touch of intimidation about them for opposing teams.
The decisions were based around the ovals’ setting, the atmosphere and the clubrooms.
Did your favourite oval make the list? If it did, vote in our poll below, but if not, tell us what it is and why it should be there.
UNIVERSITY OVAL
A trip to Uni oval is generally a relaxing day out if you can a find a park and then avoid the posse of parking inspectors looking for you to overstay your visit by a minute.
The old stand is a top place to watch the game while the scoreboard, with its missing light globes making it nearly impossible to read what’s on it, is a big part of the tradition. Someone, somewhere will be singing a Bob Neil song (an iconic Uni figure known around the world).
One flaw of this one, though, is that on a wet day the ground is a bog at best and trying to work out where the outer boundary line is anyone’s guess.
ALBERTON OVAL
Home to the Port Adelaide Football Club and the Magpies in the SANFL the Queen St ground is iconic to the area so we just had to include it.
Love or hate Port, the side’s stomping ground was a fortress back when the Magpies dominated the SANFL, winning 36 flags between 1884 and 1999.
The Fos Williams stand was packed with supporters from the Lefevre Peninsula who all knew each other.
To opposition teams and fans the drive down to Alberton was the ‘graveyard trip’.
Nowadays the grandstands are a little less full but the bar under the old scoreboard (which has since been removed) still usually has a long line flowing during quarter breaks and rowdy fans can still be heard loudly cheering their beloved black and white team on.
Amateur women’s and men’s footy finals are also hosted at Alberton due to it being a neutral ground.
EDWARDSTOWN OVAL
This ground arguably take THE cake for the most unusual local footy oval in metropolitan Adelaide.
There is a cycling track separating the boundary to the oval’s viewing area.
The Towns are now also enjoying an $8.8 million upgrade of the ground.
The revamp, which was completed last year, included new changerooms, a resurfaced velodrome, a new spectator mound, and a new surface with top irrigation and drainage.
It’s a great place to watch footy with a fun atmosphere.
HOUGHTON MEMORIAL OVAL
Houghton Memorial Oval is surely one of the most picturesque grounds in the league with its amphitheatre-like setting.
The home of the Raiders is a little hidden gem because the team doesn't usually play higher than division five, meaning others may not know much about the ground.
It’s located in the picturesque area of the Adelaide Hills and has a real village feel about it. One negative, according to some observers, is that there are too many kangaroo droppings on the oval.
LARGS NORTH RESERVE
Largs Reserve oval is the home base of one of the proudest clubs on the Lefevre Peninsula — Port District.
Similar to Alberton Oval, Largs Reserve has a reputation among most on the peninsula as being filled with boisterous supporters who just love having a beer with mates and watching footy.
The canteen is always full of delicious treats to warm you up on a cold winter’s day and the lines to the bar are usually long.
The chatter inside the clubrooms with past players and members can always make those walking by chuckle with banter about who was the best during their time on the field.
There’s also a playground close by for families with young children, adding to the family-friendly atmosphere.
NOARLUNGA OVAL
This oval isn’t for the faint-hearted in winter as the temperature here can get very, very chilly.
But it’s the only SANFL oval where fans can drive their cars around the ground on the northern and eastern sides.
If it’s too cold and rainy to watch games from on the outer, fans can sit in the comfort of their cars.
This gives the ground a bit of a country feel.
But if you can brave the freezing cold, the grand stand at the oval is not too shabby for watching footy and you can generally see the action quite easily.
Noarlunga, home to South Adelaide, is just one of three SANFL grounds that isn’t used for cricket during summer, meaning the centre square isn’t likely to become a mud patch after rain.
PAYNEHAM OVAL
Parking can be a bit tricky but the ground has plenty of atmosphere as spectators can get quite close to the action.
Back in the day (and maybe now) opposition clubs would need a thick skin to ignore the “encouragement’’ coming from the home supporters, many gathering on the club’s first-floor balcony to tell them what’s what.
A vocal home crowd just might have given the Falcons a bit of strength over the years in tight finishes.
A playground near the oval is not a bad distraction for the families with kids.
An intimidating venue for some but the canteen is good.
SALISBURY OVAL
This northern hub ticks most boxes.
A spacious oval, has a great community and park area for families, usually a top canteen/barbecue and is so highly regarded by the Adelaide Footy League hierarchy that it is often scheduled for grand finals for various divisions.
It possibly doesn’t get the attention it deserves as its home side, Salisbury, usually competes in lower divisions.
Known as the Magpies’ home base with its black and white colours, the ground (which will be even better after its major upgrade) is highly regarded by home and away supporters.
SCOTCH COLLEGE
A visit to Scotch College for footy is such a peaceful and inviting experience.
Not many grounds can boast the nice, white-picket fences around the ground and miniature marquees dotted around the oval.
Parking is usually quite good inside the grounds but be prepared for a bit of a walk if you are on the streets.
There’s lots of top places to watch some good games and join in the old boys’ conversations (even if you didn’t go to Scotch).
Plenty to drink and eat, possibly even Scotch.
THEBARTON OVAL
Thebarton is the home of the Adelaide Footy League and is the place where all teams want to be playing come September.
Higher division finals are hosted at the Ashley St site and the ground is packed with local footy fans during September.
The grandstand is great to watch footy from and there’s plenty of shelter for supporters if it rains.
But on a nice, sunny spring day there’s also lots of room for people to sit on the steps and get right up close to the action.
The timekeeper’s box is quite roomy – big enough to fit a reporter or two – and it’s not hard to see from inside.
Expect this oval to become even better if a multimillion-dollar upgrade is completed.