View source for Moorabbin Oval

{{Short description|Australian rules football ground in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox stadium
| stadium_name = Moorabbin Oval
| nickname = RSEA Park
| image = Training drill in front of stand, St Kilda FC 01.jpg
| caption = [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda]] training in front of the [[Graham Huggins|G. G. Huggins]] Stand (demolished in 2017) before the [[2009 AFL Grand Final]]
| location = 32–60 Linton Street, [[Moorabbin, Victoria]]
| coordinates = {{coord|37.9375|S|145.0439|E|display=it}}
| broke_ground = 
| opened = 1952
| owner = St Kilda Saints Football Club Ltd (since 1964–5)
| operator = St Kilda Saints Football Club Ltd
| surface = Grass
| construction cost = 
| former names = Moorabbin Oval
| tenants = [[St Kilda Football Club]] ([[Australian Football League|VFL/AFL]])<br>Administration & Training (1965–2010), (2018–present)<br />
[[St Kilda Football Club#Women's teams|St Kilda Football Club]]<br>([[AFL Women's|AFLW]]) (2020–)<br />[[Australian Football League|VFL/AFL]] (1965–1992)
[[Melbourne Reds]], [[Australian Baseball League (1989-1999)|ABL]] (1994–1999).
| seating_capacity = 8,000<ref>{{cite web |title=Moorabbin Oval |url=https://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums.php?id=75 |website=Austadiums |access-date=5 September 2019}}</ref>|
}}

'''Moorabbin Oval''' (also known as '''RSEA Park''' under a [[naming rights]] agreement<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Caroline |author-link=Caroline Wilson (journalist) |date=2017-03-10 |title=St Kilda's home base gets a new name |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/st-kildas-home-base-gets-a-new-name-20170310-guvhi9.html |access-date=2022-08-16 |website=[[The Age]] |language=en}}</ref>) is an [[Australian rules football]] ground in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia at Linton Street in the suburb of [[Moorabbin, Victoria|Moorabbin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/moorabbin-oval|title=RSEA Park|access-date=21 April 2022}}</ref>

The ground was most notable as the home of the [[St Kilda Football Club]] in the [[Australian Football League]], serving as its home ground for VFL/AFL matches from 1965 until 1992, and as its primary training and administrative base from 1965 until 2010. In 2018 the ground was once again reopened as the primary training and administrative base for St Kilda.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/moorabbin-oval|title=RSEA Park|access-date=21 April 2022}}</ref>

==History==
In 1951, the growing [[City of Moorabbin]] committed to developing a fenced football venue that was up to [[Victorian Football Association]] standards to be used by the [[Moorabbin Football Club]]. The strong club had been admitted from the [[Federal Football League|Federal District League]] to the VFA in [[1951 VFA season|1951]], and its continued admission was contingent on the council developing Moorabbin Oval for its use.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://australianfootball.com/clubs/info/Moorabbin/159|title=Moorabbin Football Club - Info|access-date=10 August 2013|publisher=Australian Football.com}}</ref> The venue became one of the highest quality venues in the Association and was noted for having the largest playing surface in the Association, similar in size to the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]].

Starting from 1960, the Moorabbin Council worked actively to bring VFL football to the venue. After it was found that the VFL was unlikely to admit the Moorabbin Football Club as a new team,<ref name="age25mar">{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|page=25|author=Ron Carter|date=25 March 1964|title=St. Kilda moving to Moorabbin next year}}</ref> the council began negotiating for existing VFL clubs, many of which were dissatisfied with their home grounds at the time, to move to Moorabbin. In 1963, both {{AFL Ric}} and {{AFL Fit}} were approached,<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|page=62|author=Scot Palmer|date=10 October 1963|title=Top VFA clubs in trouble}}</ref> and then in early 1964, the council came to an agreement with the [[St Kilda Football Club]]. St Kilda relocated its training, playing and administrative base from the [[St Kilda Cricket Ground|St Kilda Cricket Club Ground]] to Moorabbin Oval at the end of the 1964 season.<ref name="sun25mar">{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|page=52|author=Jack Dunn|date=25 March 1964|title=Saints will move to Moorabbin in '65}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.saints.com.au/news/455136/end-of-an-era-no-more-footy-at-junction-oval|title=End of an era: No more footy at Junction Oval|date=21 July 2015|access-date=27 March 2022}}</ref>

The council invested a further £100,000 to bring the venue to VFL standards and expand its capacity to 50,000.
The St Kilda Football Club signed a 75-year - £5,000 per year (initially) deal for the ground with an up front lump sum payment, under which it became ground manager, and committed to invest £120,000 in establishing a [[liquor licence|licensed]] [[social club]] and to invest £375,000 for ground improvements over the first 45 years of the deal (a period which expired at approximately the end of 2009). The Moorabbin Football Club, then the defending VFA premiers, supported the move and attempted an amalgamation with St Kilda, actions which resulted in its [[1964 VFA season#St Kilda's move to Moorabbin Oval|suspension from the VFA]].<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|page=20|author=Peter Stone|date=4 April 1964|title=V.F.A. suspends Moorabbin for season}}</ref> A new grandstand was finished before the 1965 VFL season. St Kilda FC also agreed to lease parkland belonging to the local council on the outer side of the ground outside the clubs property - so that if further spectator seating or carpark developments occurred there would be more room for the constructions.

The St Kilda Football Club completed its financial obligation to make ground improvements prior to the end of 2009, including redeveloping the G.G. Huggins Stand into the main training and administration base for the club when home games at Moorabbin ceased in 1992.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|page=56|author=Rex Pullen|date=5 August 1964|title=Saints given 75-yr. lease}}</ref> The 75-year deal precludes Moorabbin Oval from being sold until approximately 2039.

==St Kilda Football Club==
[[File:Rseapark2021 b.jpg|thumb|Moorabbin Oval entrance]]
The [[St Kilda Football Club]] left their original home ground, the [[Junction Oval]] after the [[1964 VFL season|1964 season]] and moved to Moorabbin Oval, motivated by the desire to operate its own venue.<ref name="age25mar" /><ref name=About>{{cite web |title=About |url=https://www.saints.com.au/club/about |website=saints.com.au |access-date=17 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.saints.com.au/news/455136/end-of-an-era-no-more-footy-at-junction-oval|title=End of an era: No more footy at Junction Oval|date=21 July 2015|access-date=27 March 2022}}</ref> In March 1964, the club arranged a deal to move its playing, training and administrative base to Moorabbin Oval with all home games at the new venue starting the [[1965 VFL season|1965 season]].<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|publication-place=Melbourne|page=52|author=Jack Dunn|date=25 March 1964|title=Saints will move to Moorabbin in '65}}</ref> 
<br> <br>The club signed a preliminary purchase agreement in August 1964, locking the club into Moorabbin Oval facilities for 75 years with no bail-out clause, provided it completed required works at the ground to establish a social club, training facilities and spectator seating on the site in time for the 1965 Premiership season. The club had to invest a set amount, combined with funds from the local council, and complete the required works by a deadline date to ensure the agreement was ratified and the purchase was complete. The remaining purchase cost of Moorabbin Oval was scheduled to be repaid over the subsequent agreement period of 75 years, which ends in 2039.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Whitehead |first1=Graham |title=The Saints Come to Moorabbin {{!}} Kingston Local History |url=https://localhistory.kingston.vic.gov.au/articles/238 |website=localhistory.kingston.vic.gov.au |access-date=17 March 2022}}</ref> <br> <br>
St Kilda Football Club's move to Moorabbin Oval was highly successful. In its first season at the new ground the club played in front of capacity crowds. The Saints' first ever home game at Moorabbin attracted a record crowd of 51,370 against [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]] in Round 1, 1965, a record that was never broken. When it was first used, Moorabbin Oval was the third largest ground by capacity in metropolitan Melbourne after the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] and [[Princes Park (stadium)|Princes Park]]; it was relegated to fourth place following the opening of [[VFL Park]] in 1970. St Kilda FC won its first Minor Premiership in 1965 and played in the Grand Final.

St Kilda ceased playing home games at Moorabbin Oval after 1992 and began playing home fixtures at [[Waverley Park]], as part of the AFL's grounds rationalization strategy of the early 1990s. The club received $430,000 upfront and $120,000 per year for three years from the AFL as part of the change, which helped to clear some of the club's debt.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|page=40|author=Patrick Smithers|date=14 July 1992|title=Saints vote for move to Waverley}}</ref> St Kilda's final home game for premiership points at Moorabbin Oval was the Round 20 match on 1 August 1992, an 18-point win over the Fitzroy Lions in front of 27,736.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/teams/stkilda/allgames_vn.html#31 |title=AFL Tables – St Kilda All Games – By Team |publisher=AFL Tables |access-date=10 December 2011}}</ref>

The [[St Kilda Football Club]] played 254 matches for premiership points at Moorabbin Oval between 1965 and 1992, with an average attendance of 21,232. In the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s, when St Kilda suffered from severe financial hardship and had generally weak results, the ground was often quite muddy due to ground management issues including security. Other organisations who did not own their home base or stadium took exception at St Kilda FC's "groundbreaking" deal to buy Moorabbin Oval in the 1960s with the 75-year payment deal and attempts to force St Kilda out of Moorabbin Oval by those who claimed to take offence at the club ownership of it were common – particularly after St Kilda won its first Premiership in 1966.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/st-kilda/danny-frawley-looks-back-at-moorabbins-memorable-moments/news-story/69711843fdee51f4541936e09bb4eebe|title=Danny Frawley looks back at Moorabbin's memorable moments|date=1 September 2016|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC|newspaper=Herald Sun|access-date=2 September 2016|author=Glenn McFarlane}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan=6 align="center" style="background:white"  | St Kilda Football Club Match Record at Moorabbin Oval
|-
! align="center" width="320" | Venue
! align="center" width="80" | Played
! align="center" width="80" | Won
! align="center" width="80" | Lost
! align="center" width="80" | Drawn
! align="center" width="320" | Most Recent Match
|-
! align="center" style="background:white" | Moorabbin Oval
! align="center" style="background:white" | 254<br>~
! align="center" style="background:white" | 134<br>(52.76%)
! align="center" style="background:white" | 118<br>(46.46%)
! align="center" style="background:white" | 2<br>(0.78%)
! align="center" style="background:white" | [[1992 AFL season|1992 AFL Premiership Season Round 20]]
|-
! colspan=6 style="background:light grey"  | 1965 to 1992
|}

After home games ceased being played at Moorabbin Oval, the club maintained its training and administrative base at the ground. The ground was extensively renovated to provide training, administration and entertainment facilities within the Huggins Stand and a heritage museum in the Drake Stand. The G.G. Huggins Stand had three internal floors that contained player rooms, a fully equipped player gymnasium, football department meeting rooms, administration offices, a membership department, gaming room and bar, the Trevor Barker Room (a function room with a bar), club shop, trophy and memorabilia display areas and other facilities.

In 2007, the relationship between the club and the [[City of Kingston]] deteriorated, and St Kilda announced that it would move its primary administrative and training base away from Moorabbin. A new facility was built at Belvedere Park in [[Seaford, Victoria|Seaford]], approximately 21 kilometres south of Moorabbin; the development was a St Kilda Football Club development in conjunction with the Frankston City Council, the State Government of Victoria and the AFL. St Kilda moved to the Seaford base after the 2010 season;<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Herald Sun|date=3 January 2011|author=Matt Windley|access-date=14 December 2013|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/saints-ready-for-life-at-seaford-training-base/story-fn6bn647-1225980630649|publication-place=Melbourne|title=Saints ready for life at Seaford training base}}</ref> but, the club still managed Moorabbin Oval and used it as a retail, museum, entertainment and occasional training venue.<ref>{{cite news|access-date=14 December 2013|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/south-east/talks-on-multi-million-dollar-upgrade-for-st-kilda-football-clubs-spiritual-moorabbin-home/story-fngnvmhm-1226601363696|title=Talks on multi-million dollar upgrade for St Kilda Football Club's spiritual Moorabbin home|newspaper=Moorabbin Kingston Leader|publication-place=Moorabbin, VIC|author=Paul Amy|date=20 March 2013}}</ref>

==RSEA Park Development and St Kilda Football Club return to the ground==

Renamed RSEA Park - St Kilda's Moorabbin venue was approved for a $30 million redevelopment financed by the State Government, St Kilda Saints Football Club, Australian Football League, Kingston Council and local football leagues. The [[St Kilda Football Club]] returned to Moorabbin Oval as its primary training and administrative base in March 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saints.com.au/news/2018-03-19/saints-return-home|title=Saints Return Home|date=19 March 2018|work=St Kilda Football Club Official Site|publisher=saints.com.au|access-date=14 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saints.com.au/moorabbin|title=Moorabbin Oval|date=4 April 2017|work=St Kilda Football Club Official Site|publisher=saints.com.au|access-date=3 May 2017}}</ref>

The venue will also serve as the home ground for the [[Sandringham Dragons]] and the [[Southern Football League (Victoria)|Southern Football League]] and other local community clubs and leagues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/south-east/moorabbin-oval-to-get-8m-injection/story-fngnvoeu-1226903633314|title=Moorabbin Oval to get $8M Injection|date=5 May 2014|first=Troels |last=Sommerville|work=Moorabbin Kingston Leader}}</ref> Stage 1 was due for completion in November 2018. As part of the upgrade, the Drake Stand and G. G. Huggins stand were removed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvsWzpeKIIkBt3VTk5S8rZ8EBrHmsp2zr|title=RSEA Park Moorabbin Cunstruction Updates|date=23 August 2017|work=St Kilda FC}}</ref>

As part of the deal, the leased parkland outside the property borderline on the outer side of the ground was released back to the local council, with St Kilda FC no longer required to maintain rental payments.

=== Stage 2 ===
Moorabbin Oval commenced a second stage of development after a state government grant of $13 million was publicly announced on 13 April 2018. Stage 2 will include the construction a Community Health & Wellbeing Centre, a four-lane lap pool, a hydrotherapy pool, male and female changerooms, an additional gym, integrated classroom/suite spaces and a 1000-seat grandstand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saints.com.au/news/2018-04-13/rsea-parks-13-million-state-government-grant|title=RSEA Park's $13 million State Government grant|date=13 April 2018|work=Moorabbin Kingston Leader}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Official AFL Website of the St Kilda Football Club|url=https://www.saints.com.au/rsea-park/our-facility|access-date=2021-10-15|website=saints.com.au|language=en}}</ref> Work on Stage 2 commenced in August 2019.<ref name=":0" /> In November 2020 the Saints renamed the Health and Wellbeing Centre to the [[Danny Frawley]] Centre for Health and Wellbeing, in honour of their former captain. The facility is a multi-purpose space capable of delivering wellbeing programs to schools and community groups of up to 250 participants and will also include dedicated mental health facilities and consultation rooms. It also houses a 25m lap pool, hydrotherapy pool, a community gym, recovery centre and yoga studio.<ref name=":1" /> The centre was opened on 1 March 2022 with VIPs in attendance including AFL CEO [[Gillon McLachlan|Gillion McLachlan]], [[Nick Riewoldt]], [[Stewart Loewe]], [[Garry Lyon|Gary Lyon]], [[Jason Dunstall]] and film star [[Eric Bana]].<ref>{{Cite web |title='New beginning': Stars and Saints gather to open Danny Frawley Centre |url=https://www.saints.com.au/news/1069893/-new-beginning-stars-and-saints-gather-to-open-danny-frawley-centre |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=saints.com.au |date=March 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Victorian Tourism Minister [[Martin Pakula]] and Senator [[Jane Hume]] also attended.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saints officially launch the Danny Frawley Centre |url=https://www.saints.com.au/news/1069658/saints-officially-launch-the-danny-frawley-centre |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=saints.com.au |date=28 February 2022 |language=en}}</ref> 

In August 2021, the Saints announced a multi-million dollar upgrade of the ground’s turf, drainage and irrigation system and footpaths. Funding was contributed by the Federal Government, Victorian Government, Kingston City Council and the AFL. The turf upgrade was expected to be completed by mid-February 2022.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Moorabbin Oval to undergo multi-million dollar upgrade|url=https://www.saints.com.au/news/1007928/moorabbin-oval-to-undergo-multi-million-dollar-upgrade|access-date=2021-10-15|website=saints.com.au|date=25 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

==Melbourne Reds==
Moorabbin Oval was the home of the [[Melbourne Reds]] in the former [[Australian Baseball League (1989-1999)|Australian Baseball League]] from 1994 to 1999.

==VFL/AFL Records==
[[File:Training drill, St Kilda FC 01.jpg|thumb|300px|An estimated crowd of 10,000<ref name="crowd">{{cite web|url=http://www.saints.com.au/season2009/news/newsarticle/tabid/5315/newsid/85174/default.aspx|title=Huge crowds flock to training|date=2009-09-22|work=St Kilda Football Club Official Site|publisher=saints.com.au|access-date=2009-10-03}}</ref> packed into Moorabbin Oval to watch [[St Kilda Football Club]] train prior to the [[2009 AFL Grand Final]]]]
* Highest attendance:  51,370 - [[St Kilda Football Club]] vs [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]] - 1965
* Highest winning margin: 140 points - [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton Blues]] vs St Kilda - 1985
* Most goals: 323 - [[Tony Lockett]] [[St Kilda Football Club]] - 1983 to 1992
* Most goals in a game: 15 - [[Tony Lockett]] [[St Kilda Football Club]] vs [[Sydney Swans Football Club]] - 1992
* Most games at Moorabbin: 128 - [[Barry Breen]] - 1965 to 1982
* Highest Score:  26.20 (176) - [[Sydney Swans]] vs St Kilda - 1985
* Lowest Score: [[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]] 3.3 (21) vs St Kilda - 1971

===St Kilda FC Club Records===
* Highest attendance:  51,370 - [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda FC]] vs [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]] - Round 1, 1965
* Highest winning margin: 131 points - [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda FC]] vs [[Adelaide Football Club]] - Round 7, 1991
* Most goals: 323 - [[Tony Lockett]] - [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda FC]] - 1983 to 1992
* Most goals in a game: 15 - [[Tony Lockett]] - [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda FC]] vs [[Sydney Swans Football Club]] - Round 13, 1992
* Most games at Moorabbin: 128 - [[Barry Breen]] - [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda FC]] - 1965 to 1982
* Highest Score:  27.12 (174) - [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda FC]] vs [[Brisbane Bears Football Club]] - Round 23, 1991
* Most disposals in a game: [[Paul Callery]] - [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda FC]] vs [[Sydney Swans Football Club]] - Round 19, 1974
* Most consecutive wins: 19 - [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda FC]] - Round 1, 2009 vs [[Sydney Swans Football Club]] to Round 19, 2009 vs [[Hawthorn Football Club]]

==Grandstands==
* [[Graham Huggins|G. G. Huggins]] Stand (1965–2017)

==Naming rights==
* RSEA Safety Park (Sponsorship deal with St Kilda Saints FC LTD 2017–present)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.saints.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/5315/Default.aspx?newsId=39760 |title=A new name for Moorabbin Oval - Official AFL Website of the St Kilda Football Club |access-date=6 May 2009 |archive-date=29 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029214018/http://www.saints.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/5315/Default.aspx?newsId=39760 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==In popular culture==
An abandoned Moorabbin Oval was the site of a police targeting sniper in [[List of Rush episodes|Season 1 Episode 3]] of the Melbourne-based police drama ''[[Rush (2008 TV series)|Rush]]''.

Weddings Parties Anything references the Oval in their song ''A Decent Cup of Coffee''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Moorabin Oval}}
* [http://www.afltables.com/afl/venues/moorabbin_oval.html Scoring records]
* [http://www.afltables.com/afl/crowds/vn_moorabbin_oval.html Attendance records]
* {{Austadiums|75}}

{{St Kilda Football Club}}
{{AFL grounds}}
{{Melbourne Reds|state=autocollapse}}
{{australian-baseball-stadiums}}

[[Category:St Kilda Football Club]]
[[Category:Former Australian Football League grounds]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Melbourne]]
[[Category:Sport in the City of Kingston (Victoria)]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in the City of Kingston (Victoria)]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1952]]
[[Category:1952 establishments in Australia]]