AFL club Melbourne welcomes A-League’s Melbourne City to Casey Fields

If A-League club Melbourne City was wondering what life would be like at its new home, it need look no further than long-time AFL tenant Melbourne.

Max Gawn and the Demons have made a home away from home at Casey Fields. Picture: Getty Images

Melbourne says there is room in the city’s southeast for more sport as the biggest soccer organisation on the planet prepares to set up shop in the same growth region.

Melbourne City FC, the Manchester City-owned A-League franchise, will move its junior teams to Casey Fields in February, with its senior teams and administration set to start relocating from Bundoora in July next year.

The soccer giant is establishing a new Etihad City Football Academy within the 84-hectare sporting precinct, a facility that will ultimately contain six training pitches for the club and community and a large scale administration and high performance hub.

Speculation is rife that the move will also spark the development of a 15,000-seat rectangular stadium next to Dandenong Train Station that the Greater Dandenong Council has been advocating for since 2018.

Melbourne City will make the shift from Bundoora to Casey Fields in Cranbourne East. Picture: AAP

The Demons have locked in Casey Fields as their AFL home for 2021, with coach Simon Goodwin and his players making the drive to what has become the club’s temporary home since COVID-19 struck in March this year.

“We do a lot of work in the community and we’ll be doing all our main training at Casey this year,” chief executive Gary Pert said.

“That’s to do with the fact that with the (Melbourne) Storm and (Melbourne) Victory in at AAMI Stadium it’s not COVID compliant because you can’t have the multiple clubs in the one place.

“So we’ll train all of the pre-season and all of next year out there. The ground is MCG-sized and in amazing nick.

“We just finished a redevelopment out there so we’ve got a new gym and indoor kicking facility.”

Casey Fields rolls out the welcome mat for elite sporting clubs. Picture: Richard Serong

Dees players and coaches were pleasantly surprised by their Casey Fields experience, enjoying exclusive access to the facilities and the privacy that was unavailable at Gosch‘s Paddock.

But Pert said the nomadic Demons were openly targeting an AFL hub within a few drop punts of the MCG to house both its administration and training facilities.

“We’re very much focused on our new home base being as close as possible to the MCG and in that Melbourne sports precinct,” Pert said.

“But we’re supportive of more sporting clubs going out there (to Casey) and setting up the base.

“We’re very happy out there – but at the same time we’re very aware that Casey is wanting to encourage other teams to go out there.

“We just think it’s good for the area, to be quite honest.”

Several pre-season AFL games have been played at Casey Fields. Picture: AAP

MELBOURNE CITY ON THE MOVE

The “Team 11” bid for A-League inclusion is over after glamour club Melbourne City’s decision to tap into a potential supporter base of 1.9 million people with their move to a new sports facility in southeast Melbourne.

The club’s new Etihad City Football Academy will be located at Casey Fields, already the home of the Melbourne Demons’ AFL, AFLW and VFL teams.

The academy will include an elite training tablet pitch, four full-sized floodlit pitches, a two-storey elite performance and headquarters building and eventually a 4000-capacity mini stadium.

Currently based at La Trobe University in Bundoora, City’s move comes after signing a heads of agreement with the City of Casey and City of Greater Dandenong.

It’s a move that has met the approval of the region’s “Team 11”, who had promised to keep fighting for A-League inclusion despite being beaten by Western United to a licence in 2018.

“Team 11 was different to all the other bids,” said Team 11 project manager Matt Windley, who initiated talks with Melbourne City 18 months ago.

“It was community driven, it was grassroots driven, it was driven by the councils.

“We didn’t care what the team was. We just wanted a team out here because it’s the most multicultural place in Australia, it’s got grassroots soccer clubs coming out its noses ... we’re a long way from the city.

“We wanted a team to call our own ... we don’t get to choose the name, we don’t get to choose the colours but in terms of what it does for community, everybody wins with Melbourne City.

“Team 11 dies but it’s because of Team 11 that this is happening. Melbourne City is our team.”

Jamie Maclaren and his Melbourne City team are on the move. Picture: Getty Images

Melbourne City CEO Brad Rowse said: “Our infrastructure strategy is fundamental to the success of Melbourne City and City Football Group, creating the foundation for our long-term and sustainable growth.

“The opportunity presented at Casey Fields is clear – a brand-new purpose-built facility with bigger capacity, more pitches and right in the heart of a diverse and growing community with a deep footballing tradition.

“Today’s announcement marks the end of an extensive process and the beginning of an exciting journey.

“We are delighted to call southeast Melbourne our new home.”

When you're on, your're ON! 🔥🔥🔥

Macca doing Macca things and there was nothing @TheRealBozza could do about it at today's @FOXFOOTBALL @ALeague event in Sydney.🔥 pic.twitter.com/cNaUAUaMbX

— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) December 14, 2020

City of Greater Dandenong Mayor Angela Long said: “Today’s announcement is an incredible reward for four years of hard work by many people across the City of Greater Dandenong, the City of Casey and Cardinia Shire,”

“Our previous southeast Melbourne A-League bid set out to foster grassroots football development with professional pathways, to connect with and grow our burgeoning business community, to market the region to national and international audiences and to provide a platform for community outreach programs.   

“The proposed Dandenong Sports and Events Centre was an important part of that bid, and today’s announcement marks a step forward in bringing that idea to life.

“In Melbourne City FC we have found an established and well-loved partner with the same long-term and sustainable approach to development, a deep-rooted passion for community and a global network through its owners City Football Group.”

City’s move is sure to increase their small fan base, with football the number one participation sport in southeast Melbourne.

There are 115 grassroots clubs and 23,000 registered players across the wider region, which has a population of 1.9 million people.

City’s academy will shift to the already completed “stage 1” community and academy facilities in February 2021.

“Stage 2” facilities will be completed by early 2022 when City takes full occupation of the site.

City’s W-League team will play their first home match of the season on January 2 at Dandenong City Soccer Club.

“To be able to welcome Melbourne City’s extraordinary W-League team within a matter of weeks makes today’s announcement all the more exciting and will serve as a huge inspiration to young girls across Greater Dandenong and the region,” Ms Long said.