Melbourne Football Club general manager of football operations Chris Connolly hosted the club’s Connecting with Casey breakfast at Casey Fields last Friday morning. Picture: Luke PlummerBy Marc McGowan
MELBOURNE could play a NAB Cup game at Casey Fields as soon as next year if club officials get their way.
Officials from the AFL club launched the Demons’ community camp with a ‘Connecting with Casey’ breakfast at Casey Fields last Friday morning.
The biggest news out of the event was that Melbourne officials will apply to play a NAB Cup match at the venue in 2010 and that the Demons’ proposed 30-year deal with the City of Casey is close to an agreement.
Melbourne general manager of football operations Chris Connolly, who has been a huge advocate of the club’s move to Cranbourne East, confirmed his club’s intentions.
“The original agreement (with the City of Casey) had a $500,000 land component, but Melbourne was happy to put that back into this structure to help extend this building with the hope of one day playing NAB games here,” he said.
“We’ll be striving to get this building done and will be requesting NAB games for 2010.
“If we don’t get NAB games here in 2011 or 2012, we’ll be bitterly disappointed.”
Demons head coach Dean Bailey, captain James McDonald and chief executive Cameron Schwab all spoke glowingly of the facilities at Casey Fields at the breakfast.
Schwab is thrilled with the decision that has seen the players train three times a week at the venue over summer. Melbourne will continue to train at Casey Fields on Tuesdays during the year.
“Our players have had the best pre-season they’ve had in 20 years because they’ve trained on one of the great facilities and have had a routine, which they had not been able to establish previously,” Schwab said.
“We shifted off the MCG in 1985 and we haven’t had a good training venue since.”
Schwab, who has worked off-and-on at the Demons for 12 years since 1982, also said a deal between the AFL club and the City of Casey is imminent.
“There haven’t been any aspects in a practical sense that have actually been slowed down by the fact we haven’t got an agreement signed away – we’re well on track,” he said.
“There’s been the normal argy-bargy of negotiations.
“(City of Casey chief executive) Mike Tyler is a tough little negotiator and I’d like to think we’re solid little negotiators as well.”
Connolly is also looking forward to altering the perception of the City of Casey in the wider community.
“One of the things we’ll do for the City of Casey is change the misconception that a: it’s a long way from the city and b: that it doesn’t have a lot to offer,” he said.
“It has everything to offer and has everything every other place in the city has.”
Melbourne is playing an intra-club match at Casey Fields on Saturday from 10.30am.
