I know AAMI Stadium was a pain to get to for many people. But at least it was a dedicated AFL oval. I had reservations when I heard they were going to move all AFL matches to the Adelaide Oval. I wasn’t at all happy with the fact that they had to share it with the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA). Who would get to the last say of there was a disagreement between the AFL moguls and SACA?

Personally I would have preferred a brand new purpose built stadium to be built where they’re currently building the new Royal Adelaide Hospital. It could have been bigger, better and come with a retractable roof. Not only would it have been better for AFL but it could have been used for concerts and a lot of other venues that we’re currently missing out on.

If the Government were smart they could have collaborated with the business community. Who knows, perhaps they would have shared with the cost. It could have been a complete entertainment hub with cafes and the like around it. There could have even have been provision for extra car parks.

But no. They went the Adelaide Oval route. Don’t get me wrong, They did a brilliant job with the Adelaide Oval upgrade. No-one will argue with that. But it could have been a whole lot better. But that is neither here nor there. The Adelaide Oval is our home for AFL matches.

Adelaide Oval Limiting Crows / Power Match Training

News.com.au has just reported that the Crows are going to miss out on some Adelaide Oval training. Why? Because the oval is going to be converted into a stunt area for Nitro Circus Live on April 2nd. Stadium management say they can get the oval up to AFL standard for the Crows vs North Melbourne within the 3 days they have to complete the task. I sure hope they’re right.

“It’s always been stated by the State Government and the (Stadium Management Authority) that we want to host as many major events as possible, be that cricket, rugby, soccer, concerts or other events,’’ SMA general manager Darren Chandler told The Advertiser yesterday.

“We will always ensure that the oval is in fantastic condition for AFL matches but there may be some restriction on (AFL) training access on rare occasions.”

Again, I sure hope they can pull it off.

I understand that both the Crows and Power can train at AAMI and Alberton but wouldn’t it be better to train on the actual oval that they will be plying on? Even if it’s just a minor advantage, sometimes that could be all that is needed to convert a loss into a win.

Am I the only one who thinks this way. I know it’s too late to do anything about it now. I just needed to get it off my chest.