Footy fans will flock to Mt Barker next week for the AFL’s Gather Round

A couple of years ago, this oval was little more than a paddock on the outskirts of the suburb – now an AFL match has the entire town talking.

Jordan Houlahan has a tip for the AFL players who will be taking over his patch at Mt Barker’s Summit Sport and Recreation Park next Saturday: Avoid the dead pocket.

When kicking for goal at the end where you have a view of the mountain that makes it Mt Barker, there’s going to be a breeze.

“Always aim left because the wind pushes it right,’’ Houlahan advised.

“It’s hard to kick goals from the left hand pocket down near the coach’s box.’’

Generally, the other end of the ground is regarded as the scoring end in these parts.

“Normally downhill is the scoring end but uphill here is definitely the scoring end. The wind comes straight over this grandstand and heads over to the summit.’’

Houlahan is a fair player himself. The 24-year-old is back home playing for the Mt Barker Roos, but spent two years on Essendon’s list without playing an AFL game before turning out for Sturt in the SANFL.

But like around 9000 others he will be watching on next week as the North Melbourne Kangaroos take on the Brisbane Lions in Mt Barker as part of the AFL’s Gather Round.

It’s a game that has galvanised the community. Houlahan will be on BBQ duties, as will his mate Samuel Collins, another Barkeroos A-Grade player and Hills Football League (HFL) Mail Medallist.

Mount Barker Football Club A-grade players Jordan Houlahan and Samuel Callins (back) and under-17s Taya Rogers and Emma Faber-Paul, both 14. Picture: Morgan Sette

“I’ve had a few people talk about it, so it’s definitely on a lot of people’s minds,’’ Collins said.

He also said the AFL players, who if nothing else are used to the very best of facilities, will love running out on the Mt Barker oval.

“It’s by far the best in the HFL. It’s what most teams want to play on. So yeah, for sure it’s unreal to play on,’’ he said.

It’s a sentiment echoed by Houlahan who said the oval’s surface was better than most of the grounds he played on in the SANFL.

The grass does look in perfect condition. The ground is as long as the Adelaide Oval and as wide as the MCG.

But it was only a couple of years ago that it wasn’t much more than a paddock.

That was before a combined $21 million investment from federal and state governments, the AFL, SANFL and Football Federation SA.

The town’s soccer team also has an adjacent new facility and there are plans for an aquatic centre as well.

But for now, an AFL ground is rising up around the oval. The site is a hive of activity as temporary grandstands to hold 3000 people are built, as well as a media centre and coach’s boxes.

Fencing is also being erected around the site. Taller AFL goalposts have been installed, complete with goal line and “snicko” technology.

Mount Barker Football Club players Samuel Callins and Jardel Barker at the football ground, with Jordan Houlahan, club president Matt Schultz, Taya Rogers, Emma Faber-Paul and senior coach Daniel Lackenby. Picture: Morgan Sette

It’s all quite the sight and locals are turning up for a quick look. Mates Warren Crook and Dave Crispin have popped over from nearby Burson Auto Parts

They think the spotlight is good for the town and will attract more visitors, Crook cracking a joke about what Victorians will be up to this weekend with no footy to go to.

“They don’t like it when there’s no games at the MCG do they?’’

About half the tickets to the game have been sold to interstate fans but Mt Barker mayor David Leach said the influence could be felt even wider, having been contacted by friends in Tokyo and London who would be watching.

“Having this match also is going to bring a lot of people who wouldn’t think of Mt Barker as a destination place,’’ he said.

“We’ve really got a spectacular view from this oval. We’ve got the mountain in the background, surrounding countryside, and then you can see the new additional Mt Barker that’s been built, we’ve got a tremendous explosion of houses and people moving into this district.’’

Mt Barker is a rapidly growing town. Its population, and that of the surrounding communities is expected to top 50,000 by 2035, making it the state’s second-largest population centre.

It’s a town already bulging at the seams and the investment at the Summit Sports Park is part of the effort to prepare for the population surge coming to the region.

Mr Leach said the game between the Lions and the Roos had been the “biggest topic of conversation for me in the last 10 days’’.

Mount Barker Mayor David Leach. Picture: Nathan Baldwin

“All of the businesses are getting geared up to sell extra meals, extra drinks, the sporting clubs, who do the sausage sizzles and the community clubs are all getting together,’’ he said. “They see that it’s an opportunity to raise money for themselves and also so they can be part of the buzz there on the ground.’’

Local businesses including Howard Vineyard, Golding Wines, Beerenberg and Melba’s Chocolate will be promoting their products and Adelaide Hills Tourism chair Martin Radcliffe said the game was a great promotion for the region.

“I think it’s a really good opportunity to showcase local products and not just wine that we’ve got in the Hills. There’s heaps of things out there, there’s artisan producers, there’s breweries, cideries. It’s a really good opportunity to show everyone in the world that the Hills are more than just cool climate wines,’’ Mr Radcliffe said.

He also said it should provide a catalyst for more and bigger events – including multicultural festivals and concerts – that could be held in the region. It’s a view shared by the Mayor who said he was already talking to council staff about potentially hosting an international cricket match featuring an Australia A team.

In the town’s picturesque main street, the Barker Hotel and Gray’s Inn are preparing for a boost in trade.

Barker Hotel manager John Dinan said the pub would be showing games on a big screen and had introduced a more “footy-tehemed’’ menu, featuring pies and sausage rolls.

“If you can’t get to the game then we’re trying to bring the game to you,’’ he said.

But for Barkeroos president Matt Schultz and senior coach Daniel Lackenby the hope is the game provides a sustained boost to footy in the Hills.

The football ground in Mount Barker. Picture Morgan Sette

“We’re big club about plenty of teams plenty of juniors, women’s sides, the whole lot. Mt Barker is the place to be. Where else would you want to play?’’ Mr Schultz said.

The day before the game, both Brisbane and North will conduct open training sessions which will also attract thousands. Lackenby said that should also mean “Clarko (North coach Alistair Clarkson) will work out’’ the tricky winds.

And there should be plenty of blue and white in the crowd as well, given it’s also the colours of Mt Barker. “I’ll be wearing the Roos beanie on Saturday. It’s a Roos home game, so we’ll be supporting them,’’ Lackenby said.

Neither even minded they had been kicked out of the ground for a few weeks and had to train elsewhere while the oval was set up. But Lackenby said he was hoping for a bumper crowd “of more than 1000’’ when Mt Barker took on traditional rivals Hahndorf in the Anzac Day round.

Jardel Barker plays in the club’s senior women’s team and the 18-year-old in her second season said it was “pretty cool that AFL players will play on this ground’’.

“I’m so excited to see them here and hopefully it brings a new crowd to our games too and gives more exposure to the women as well,’’ she said.

But 14-year-old co-captains of the under-17 team Emma Faber-Paul and Taya Rogers have bigger dreams. Both have ambitions to make it to the AFLW and would also love to see a big-time women’s match in Mt Barker.

In the meantime the men will have to do.

“Brisbane and North Melbourne aren’t really teams I go to but I’m excited to watch it because it’s something so different up here. So it’s exciting,’’ Taya said.