Unley Oval renamed to Peter Motley Oval to honour great

STURT great Peter Motley made Unley Oval his own as he soared over packs and thrilled fans. Now the ground bares his name.

STURT great Peter Motley made Unley Oval his own as he soared over packs and thrilled fans. Now the ground bares his name.

Unley has been renamed Peter Motley Oval for at least the 2015 SANFL season in a three-way agreement which has left the former champion “humbled” and “speechless”.

Sturt sponsor Australian Gas Networks drove the renaming because it wanted the ground to have a “community” feel and also felt its company title was too long to give to the oval. Sturt and Unley Council agreed and the proposal was put to Motley, who was so moved he sought the opinion of his father — former Port Adelaide champion Geof — before accepting.

“It’s an incredibly humbling feeling,” said Motley, 50.

“I didn’t play football to have this. It’s unbelievable.”

Motley played 92 games for Sturt after debuting as a 17-year-old in 1982. He won Sturt’s best and fairest in 1984 and again 1985, when he was named in the All-Australian team. Such was his impact in his short time at Sturt he was named in its team of the 20th century.

Carlton recruited him in 1986 and he played 19 VFL games before a serious car crash in 1987 ended his career at just 22. He made a remarkable recovery and is now Sturt’s No. 1 ticket-holder. He and Helen have a four-year-old daughter Stella and Motley hardly misses a Sturt home game.

The family banter has already begun with Motley quick to point out nine-time Magpies premiership player Geof only has a gate named after him at Alberton — he conveniently overlooks the race at Adelaide Oval. “I’ve got a whole oval named after me,’’ Motley jokes.

Acting AGN chief executive Des Petherick said Motley was a “shining example to the community of how you can rise above adversity”.

Sturt chief executive Sue Dewing expected the oval would remain named after Motley for as long as AGN was the club’s oval naming rights sponsor and hoped the partnership would be long-term.