By Lance Jenkinson
Years of behind-the-scenes planning went into the AFL’s push into Wyndham last weekend.
The Chirnside Park precinct, transformed into an AFL-standard venue through its redevelopment, broke new ground when a JLT Series game between North Melbourne and St Kilda was played there on Saturday, followed by an AFLW game between North Melbourne and Adelaide on Sunday.
Despite abnormally hot weather for the first week of March, fans flocked to the venue to catch the stars in action.
It was a proud moment for Werribee Football Club chief executive officer Mark Penaluna, who was a key player in initial conversations with the AFL about hosting a match.
“We were really fortunate to have the relationship with [AFL facilities and project manager] Ken Gannon, who was advocating on our behalf, as well as people like [AFL Victoria chief executive] Ricky Bell,” Penaluna said.
Once the green light was given by the AFL for Werribee to host the two games, the venue had to pass all the safety checks and meet entrance and staff requirements.
Planning for the big weekend had been ongoing since the fixtures were released in November.
“Our staff, such as [venue manager] Deanne Musa and [match-day co-ordinator] Zach Thornton, have put a huge amount of work into setting up external areas and arranging staffing to accommodate the large crowd expected,” Penaluna said.
“Council have also been totally supportive, with the work they’ve put in through people like Tom Delahunty.
“The way the ground has turned out is nothing short of immaculate, so they should absolutely get a pat on the back for the effort they’ve put in.”
Photo Gallery: JLT match North Melbourne vs St Kilda
The original vision of both Penaluna and late Werribee Football Club president John Nicol was not solely about football.
The club wants to use the venue as a community hub and to attract major events.
“Our city didn’t have a major events centre, which we saw as pivotal from a sporting point of view,” Penaluna said.
“But there was also the question of how we could use a facility like this to attract larger-scale events. We’ve now done that with the JLT and AFLW, we’ll be hosting an outdoor cinema night later this month.
“There are all sorts of other things like A-League games and concerts that we can potentially look at.”
