Getting to the Whitten Oval on matchdays in the VFL days and Early AFL days

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

I saw a lot of the Yarraville matches from the 60's onwards. I vaguely remember Don Whitten had Ted give the 3/4 time address to the players. Not sure which game though.

Ted Whitten after leading Footscray into the 1961 GF was then invited to Coach Yarraville in their 1961 Premiership win. Their normal Coach, ex St Kilda full back and twice B&F winner , Keith Drinan, had led Yarraville into the GF but due to a business trip to South Africa was forced to miss the Grand Final which they won easily against Williamstown with Ted Whitten being invited to take over as its winning Premiership Coach.

[AshMac]

Bit late to this thread i know.... Grew up in Ivanhoe, my dad is the most diehard dogs fan north of the yarra in the 80's (and probably still now). For us it was always a drive - a fair drive too through clifton hill, parkdale, flemington, then into footscray. We'd always park a walk from the ground as we never paid for parking (i still dont). Spent my childhood weekends usually freezing my ass off in the forward pocket of the Barkly Street end of Western Oval. Or we'd trek out to opponents grounds, pay the 50c entry fee and be surrounded by opposition fans - but this thread is about WO.

These days I never go there, the last couple of times has been by train. Can only imagine the station has changed completely from those days.

[Eastdog]

Bit late to this thread i know.... Grew up in Ivanhoe, my dad is the most diehard dogs fan north of the yarra in the 80's (and probably still now). For us it was always a drive - a fair drive too through clifton hill, parkdale, flemington, then into footscray. We'd always park a walk from the ground as we never paid for parking (i still dont). Spent my childhood weekends usually freezing my ass off in the forward pocket of the Barkly Street end of Western Oval. Or we'd trek out to opponents grounds, pay the 50c entry fee and be surrounded by opposition fans - but this thread is about WO.

These days I never go there, the last couple of times has been by train. Can only imagine the station has changed completely from those days.

Parkville you mean AshMac :)

Yeah great stuff AshMac. Many Dogs supporters back in the day I reckon did indeed travel a quite a way each week to see us in action on the Saturday.

[Twodogs]

Bit late to this thread i know.... Grew up in Ivanhoe, my dad is the most diehard dogs fan north of the yarra in the 80's (and probably still now). For us it was always a drive - a fair drive too through clifton hill, parkdale, flemington, then into footscray. We'd always park a walk from the ground as we never paid for parking (i still dont). Spent my childhood weekends usually freezing my ass off in the forward pocket of the Barkly Street end of Western Oval. Or we'd trek out to opponents grounds, pay the 50c entry fee and be surrounded by opposition fans - but this thread is about WO.

These days I never go there, the last couple of times has been by train. Can only imagine the station has changed completely from those days.

The station has actually changed location. They knocked it down and moved it about 300 metres along Cross street about 3 or 4 years ago.

[Bulldog4life]

Ted Whitten after leading Footscray into the 1961 GF was then invited to Coach Yarraville in their 1961 Premiership win. Their normal Coach, ex St Kilda full back and twice B&F winner , Keith Drinan, had led Yarraville into the GF but due to a business trip to South Africa was forced to miss the Grand Final which they won easily against Williamstown with Ted Whitten being invited to take over as its winning Premiership Coach.

Thanks for that NBP. I was at the game but it is foggy at the best.:)

[AshMac]

Parkville you mean AshMac :)

Yeah great stuff AshMac. Many Dogs supporters back in the day I reckon did indeed travel a quite a way each week to see us in action on the Saturday.

Yes Parkville. Good spot. I’m Bayside now so parkdale round the corner!

[Eastdog]

Yes Parkville. Good spot. I’m Bayside now so parkdale round the corner!

Yeah I’m in the east and my Sunday drive there the other week:

From Balwyn took Balwyn Rd then Canterbury Rd which becomes Rathmines Road then a right turn onto a small street called Kildare st which takes you out to Barkers Road which becomes Victoria Street then Victoria Parade then Victoria Street again then onto Hawke street then a right turn onto Spencer Street which becomes Dynon Road which then becomes Hopkins Street in Footscray and then Barkly Street and turned onto Hocking street. Discovered Cross Street which takes you out to Buckingham Street past the old pub The Buck towards Victoria st and also Errol st going towards the ground which becomes Cross st.

Got to Footscray from the east without going through the CBD. It is just good to know how to drive there to the Whitten Oval - the challenge in the future will be the parking.

[AshMac]

Yeah I’m in the east and my Sunday drive there the other week:

From Balwyn took Balwyn Rd then Canterbury Rd then a small street called Kildare st which takes you out to Barkers Road which becomes Victoria Street then Victoria Parade then Victoria Street again then onto Hawke street then a right turn onto Spencer Street which becomes Dynon Road which then becomes Hopkins Street in Footscray and then Barkly Street. Discovered Cross Street which takes you out to Buckingham Street past the old pub The Buck towards Victoria st and also Errol st going towards the ground which becomes Cross st.

Got to Footscray from the east without going through the CBD. It is just good to know how to drive there to the Whitten Oval - the challenge in the future will be the parking.

Love your commitment!

These days for me it’s down Nepean, inkerman, Canterbury road then through Docklands and down Footscray road. Same way to Marvel, only shorter - park behind city Mazda.

Hopefully we get the chance to do the trip a lot this year!

Fingers crossed.

[Eastdog]

Love your commitment!

These days for me it’s down Nepean, inkerman, Canterbury road then through Docklands and down Footscray road. Same way to Marvel, only shorter - park behind city Mazda.

Hopefully we get the chance to do the trip a lot this year!

Fingers crossed.

Thanks AshMac :) Yep I hope we have a chance to go to see the Dogs this season as we Victorians are keen to get back to the footy. Will just have to wait and see.

[Eastdog]

Went to Whitten Oval yesterday just for another Sunday drive and had a coffee at the McDonalds in Yarraville afterwards. Drove down Victoria St, Charles St and Gamon St in Seddon as well as a bit on Willy Rd. Took a few photos of the great ground:

https://i.postimg.cc/9rtSYDKB/2-F766797-E9-EB-4-B62-8-C34-99-A0478-E46-DF.jpg (https://postimg.cc/9rtSYDKB)

https://i.postimg.cc/mch548Dd/583388-D6-107-D-491-B-85-E8-DC841-A66-BAE5.jpg (https://postimg.cc/mch548Dd)

https://i.postimg.cc/GTvfNt2d/5-E6-DFCF0-6183-423-C-A3-F6-E414-BA43-A410.jpg (https://postimg.cc/GTvfNt2d)

https://i.postimg.cc/Mc4rpVfz/BC6-AF772-5-CA7-487-F-8805-C3-A9-FE05773-F.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Mc4rpVfz)

https://i.postimg.cc/hX25NHSz/E28-D9-F2-A-36-E7-4-EE3-9-BF1-5654-B7-E7-AAAD.jpg (https://postimg.cc/hX25NHSz)

https://i.postimg.cc/75HRsxyr/F38-E356-C-0-E62-4-FDF-BD4-C-3588-AB7-BC773.jpg (https://postimg.cc/75HRsxyr)

https://i.postimg.cc/ykMJLmY8/B558-E8-D9-3-B4-E-4945-AACB-B12662-B9-D95-E.jpg (https://postimg.cc/ykMJLmY8)

[comrade]

Careful Easty, Bevo might have you taken in for interrogation for getting too close to WO :D

[Eastdog]

Careful Easty, Bevo might have you taken in for interrogation for getting too close to WO :D

Yes I probably should have been aware of that :D :D

[Eastdog]

NoseBleed had that great image of the ground from the air.

[josie]

Hey Easty-not sure you are following our AFLW side but as a lot of woofers have noted it’s great to watch our women’s side play at WO and a wonderful, friendly atmosphere. I also really missed VFL last year - possibly as much as watching live AFL. Nothing like watching footy up closer, although with covid restrictions not as close as we used to be permitted for a while.

[Eastdog]

Hey Easty-not sure you are following our AFLW side but as a lot of woofers have noted it’s great to watch our women’s side play at WO and a wonderful, friendly atmosphere. I also really missed VFL last year - possibly as much as watching live AFL. Nothing like watching footy up closer, although with covid restrictions not as close as we used to be permitted for a while.

Yep plenty of opportunities now josie to go there to watch some footy which is great. I’m looking forward to the future re-development of the ground.

[azabob]

Eastie next time stop off at a local cafe such as Migrant Coffee or DUMBO which are five mins from the ground. I’m sure other posters can provide recommendations also.

Support local small business!

[Eastdog]

Eastie next time stop off at a local cafe such as Migrant Coffee or DUMBO which are five mins from the ground. I’m sure other posters can provide recommendations also.

Support local small business!

Yeah sounds good. Will keep that in mind. As I mentioned in a previous post it is great that I know how to drive from the eastern suburbs without going through the Melbourne CBD to Footscray and the west. Lots in the hospitality industry did it tough during the lockdown so yes they definitely need that community support more than ever. Are you in the Footscray inner west area now azabob or in the inner north west still?

[Eastdog]

No 4. Our next door neighbours were on the corner of Clarke street. Russell was the other end of the block.

I have been on Clive st past your old house Twodogs :) Certainly would have been handy to park around there and walk to the Whitten Oval. Will have to catch up one day at a pub somewhere in Footscray or Yarraville.

[Twodogs]

I have been on Clive st past your old house Twodogs :) Certainly would have been handy to park around there and walk to the Whitten Oval. Will have to catch up one day at a pub somewhere in Footscray or Yarraville.

It was a great place to live. The people who bought it from my old landlord got a bargain when they bought it.

[Eastdog]

It was a great place to live. The people who bought it from my old landlord got a bargain when they bought it.

The West Footscray area certainly is becoming popular with young families. Gettimg expensive but still very good value close to the city.