Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne’s renews calls for Leichhardt Oval upgrade to become women’s sports hub

It’s the A-League’s very own answer to the NRL’s ‘Magic Round’, but ‘Unite Round’ has put Leichhardt Oval back under the microscope. Read the latest.

It’s the A-League‘s’ very own answer to the NRL’s ‘Magic Round’.

However, its jam-packed ‘Unite Round’ – hosting 13 games over four days in Sydney – has put Leichhardt Oval back under the microscope, with the local mayor left blindsided by news the ground will host back-to-back double-headers.

Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne has long called for adequate funding for the storied “community institution” and has previously said the ground was substandard for women’s sport.

Yet, after reading the newspaper that Leichhardt Oval would be hosting four A-League‘s Women’s games on Friday, January 12, and Saturday, January 13, Mr Byrne has renewed calls for federal and state funding to save the stadium.

After a railing collapsed during a school rugby game last year, he said it was “lucky no-one was killed”.

A guard rail on a grandstand collapsed at Leichardt oval in August last year during a school rugby match.

“It couldn’t be clearer that if Leichhardt Oval is going to remain the community institution that it is, then there has to be … investment,” he said.

Despite its desperate need for funding, Mr Byrne said he was happy to continue hosting professional sporting games, especially the women’s soccer, considering its “explosion” at both the “grassroots and elite level”.

“It has taken place so quickly that the infrastructure isn’t remotely keeping up,” he said.

While it’s long history has mostly been hosting men’s sporting games, including the Wests Tigers, Waratahs and Sydney FC, Mr Byrne is excited about establishing a women’s sport hub.

And he doesn’t believe he’s asking for much.

Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne has reiterated calls for more funding at Leichardt Oval.

Photos of Leichhardt Oval’s proposed masterplan.

“We’re not looking for a fancy stadium, we’re looking for a basic upgrade that will keep this institution up and running,” he said.

“Our highest priority is fixing the change rooms … [Leichhardt Oval] doesn’t have female friendly change rooms, so it’s not possible for two teams to be in there at a time.”

An A-League‘s spokeswoman said Leichhardt Oval was a “traditional sporting venue” and it plans on introducing additional infrastructure “to guarantee the venue’s conditions and standards” meet its guidelines to better support players and match officials.

Despite Mr Byrne also confirming a “temporary fix”, he said the lack of women’s facilities was the “core” of the venue’s problems.

Leichardt Oval will host four A-League Women’s games in two days.

“We want to be the main hubs for women’s sport in Sydney, we already are in a way,” he said.

“We host a huge number of women’s rugby league, rugby union and soccer fixtures each year [but] we’d like to go further … if it is converted to a women’s sporting hub, we’re all for that.”

Mr Byrne said Leichhardt Oval was already hosting a “majority” of Sydney FC women’s home matches this year, and having been an official FIFA Women’s World Cup training ground – hosting champions Spain for its pre-final captain’s run – were great signs.

“We think we’ve already proven to the state and federal governments what a fantastic facility it is,” he said.

“For one reason or another we’re the only suburban ground in Sydney that’s missed out altogether, we haven’t received a single cent of state or federal funding, and that’s not good enough.

“The alternative [to funding] is the ground is going to have to close.”