AFLW 2024: Ikon Park hosts 1000th Carlton game for premiership points

It looked impossible 20 years ago, but Carlton will celebrate a significant milestone when its AFLW side runs out on Saturday night.

Jarrad Waite with the match ball from the final AFL game at Ikon Park in 2005, along with Stephen Kernahan with the bronzed boot from his 200th match at the venue in 1996. AFLW star Breann Moody will play in the 1000th competitive Carlton game at the Princes Park venue on Saturday night. Picture: Mark Stewart

There was not even the hint of a breeze at Ikon Park on Tuesday, but Carlton great Stephen Kernahan will never forget how the air flowed through the ground.

“The wind used to go the scoreboard end down there,” he said motioning over his shoulder towards the eastern end of Princes Park.

“But you’d always want to come home against it to the Heatley Stand, with the crowd roaring – those were the days.”

The Blues’ AFLW side will warm up on Saturday night in the building that replaced the demolished Heatley Stand before running out to face Brisbane in the 1000th Carlton game for premiership points at Ikon Park.

For the former Blues president, it has been an unexpected joy to watch elite-level football continue at the venue after it held its last AFL game in May 2005.

Jarrad Waite with the match ball from the final AFL game at Ikon Park in 2005, along with Stephen Kernahan with the bronzed boot from his 200th match at the venue in 1996. AFLW star Breann Moody will play in the 1000th competitive Carlton game at the Princes Park venue on Saturday night. Picture: Mark Stewart

“It’s great to be able to watch games here again, seeing the girls play here and growing their stuff now,” Kernahan said.

“There are such great memories here, and the ground looks stunning at the moment.”

Former Carlton centre-half forward Jarrad Waite, who played in the final men’s game at the ground, recalled a day of deep sadness as Melbourne beat the Blues by 18 points to add extra pain to the farewell.

“It was a very emotional day … you had people who had been coming here for 50, 60 years, who had been watching games since they were little fellas,” Waite said.

“We lost that one to Melbourne, so it was a bit of a shame … but it was such a good ground to play at. This and the MCG were the two best grounds, surface-wise.”

Carlton fans gather on the field at Princes Park after the final AFL game between the Blues and Melbourne in round 9, 2005. Picture: Joe Castro / AAP

Waite recalled sitting in the Heatley Stand with his late father, dual premiership Blue Vin Waite, and watching Kernahan as he led the side towards the flag in 1995.

“When you drove in, it always had a really good feel about it. I spent a lot of time here with Dad,” Waite said.

“It was just a really good vibe here because you knew that 90 per cent of the crowd was on your side, and that was even when we weren’t going along so great, either.

“It’s good that the girls are continuing the tradition and play a lot of games here now … it would’ve been a shame to see this beautiful ground, in a prime location of the city, go to waste.”

Moody also played in the first AFLW game at Ikon Park. Picture: Dylan Burns / Getty Images

AFLW ruck Breann Moody said it was “so special” for her and teammates to be part of the historic milestone.

The 27-year-old said she would always feel a deep connection to Ikon Park after playing in the inaugural AFLW game against Collingwood in 2017.

“Seeing what it means to other people, and how important it was that we brought footy back here again, that’s probably what means the most to me,” Moody said.

“The Carlton supporters and local crowd that comes out are awesome – they’re loyal and always on the sidelines, and I can’t wait for us to find some form and play footy that gets them up and about.”

Originally published as AFLW 2024: Ikon Park hosts 1000th Carlton game for premiership points