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[Timmah]

Belmore a backward step?
They change your jersey, change their name, thumb the area that created them... The club's got no soul. If you think Belmore's a backward step then you don't get what rugby league's all about.
Money and double headers at the expense of roots is sad. Is the club embarrassed by it's own supporters?
As a Saints fan and I would love to see us play each other at Belmore. I love that ground.

Couldn't help but :lol: at that comment.

The Sydney club with the highest home average attendance this year has no soul? The Bulldogs club has soul and character akin to that of South Sydney and the Dragons, there's no doubt about that.

 

[Bodsy]

Come on Timmah be fair here.

You guys are coming 2nd, It would be a disgrace if you didn't have a great home crowd average. Plus The double header, that's not fair to everyone else.

 

[trudge]

The Sydney club with the highest home average attendance this year has no soul? The Bulldogs club has soul and character akin to that of South Sydney and the Dragons, there's no doubt about that.

I absolutely agree. Canterbury supporters are probably the best in the comp.
The club shouldn't continually take them for granted.
Greenberg needs to come up with a plan to make Belmore happen atleast for a few games.

Could you imagine how beautiful that day would be. The hill, the slow train, the thumping Mediterranean Descendant stand... magic.

 

[Timmah]

Come on Timmah be fair here.

You guys are coming 2nd, It would be a disgrace if you didn't have a great home crowd average. Plus The double header, that's not fair to everyone else.

We're a clear first in Sydney without the Double Header, actually.

 

[trudge]

If ever an area needed it's footy team to repay the love and invest, it's now.

 

[Timmah]

I absolutely agree. Canterbury supporters are probably the best in the comp.
The club shouldn't continually take them for granted.
Greenberg needs to come up with a plan to make Belmore happen atleast for a few games.

Could you imagine how beautiful that day would be. The hill, the slow train, the thumping Mediterranean Descendant stand... magic.

I don't feel the club takes us for granted at all, they've had some fantastic initiatives this year and we still periodically use the stadium for training sessions and press conferences.

 

[Spitty]

Never happen.

 

[***MH***]

I am against the Bulldogs playing at Belmore permanently as I think it would be a backwards step, but I also don't think there is any harm in playing 2 or 3 traditionally low-drawing games there. By doing that, games at Belmore will be an 'event' and the place would be packed for every game because they are rare, same as what Wests Tigers currently do at Leichhardt Oval.

I'd rather have a novelty or 'event' crowd of 18,000 vs Cowboys or Canberra for 2 games a year at Belmore over a crowd of 10,0000 at 80,000 seat ANZ against the same teams.

Games against big Sydney rivals such as Parramatta, Souths, Tigers, etc should always be at ANZ.

Agreed, that's all we're really asking for... I love seeing the Tigers play at Leichhardt in front of a packed hill, and it makes it more special that it only happens on a few occasions a year.

 

[Cheesie-the-Pirate]

(a) The lighting at Belmore is fine

Fine by the standards of 1998. Fine by the standards of 2012? I honestly don't know but it's a possibility.

(b) The Stewart Stand just needs the Steve Mortimer Bar fixed up and the corporate boxes repaired. Otherwise, it's a 9500 seated grandstand which only just needs the seats washed.

Sounds like a reasonably comprehensive internal refurbishment. Raises further questions. Are the kiosks/toilets/dressing rooms/heating/ventilation up to scratch for NRL games? Are there any structural issues? What standard is the roof in?

This is the kind of stuff that they've needed to deal with at Kogarah Oval and was what I was alluding to.

(c) The things they need to work on around the hill is the Peter Moore Scoreboard, remove wooden seats and replace with seating, toilets and kiosks. Leave the ground as a suburban ground and keep the hill.

Usually I'm all for keeping eastern hills (Kogarah, Wollongong, Leichhardt) as the last stage of the development of suburban grounds. Usually I think this should include a 5-10 row terrace at the front of the hill plus improved amenities. I.e. basically what you've said above.

Problem with Belmore is:
(a) Extremely limited alternatives. Kogarah has space to develop on the NW and southern sides before the hill needs to be touched. Wollongong has the western stand to replace.
(b) Homebush works for the Bulldogs, at least better than say the SFS works for Saints. If they're going to relocate surely it's only going to be to a ground with greater than 11-12k seats.

Leads me to think that a B2B compaign would need to be based upon a nice new stand on the eastern side, particularly to include additional corporate facilities.

((d) With the Southern (Hospital) End, knock down the lot and install terrace style seating only. With the Northern (Railway) end, construct multilevel corp boxes aka BelleVue in ESL

I think it's highly unlikely that they could do anything with the northern side. Southern side, as you said, whack in some terrace seating with a walkway in front. I'd have thought you woud have to leave a gap too for vehicular access.

 

[Bodsy]

We're a clear first in Sydney without the Double Header, actually.

So you should be.

 

[***MH***]

Fine by the standards of 1998. Fine by the standards of 2012? I honestly don't know but it's a possibility.

NSW Premier league soccer play regular fixtures at Belmore during the night. They have two powerful towers on the hill and full length lighting on top of the grandstands roof.

Sounds like a reasonably comprehensive internal refurbishment. Raises further questions. Are the kiosks/toilets/dressing rooms/heating/ventilation up to scratch for NRL games? Are there any structural issues? What standard is the roof in?

This is the kind of stuff that they've needed to deal with at Kogarah Oval and was what I was alluding to.

Last weekend, Sydney FC and Sydney Olympic had a preseason trial match with over 5500 spectators in attendance. The dressing rooms and the roof are fine and the structure is sound. You're looking at general facelift work to refresh the amenities.

Usually I'm all for keeping eastern hills (Kogarah, Wollongong, Leichhardt) as the last stage of the development of suburban grounds. Usually I think this should include a 5-10 row terrace at the front of the hill plus improved amenities. I.e. basically what you've said above.

Problem with Belmore is:
(a) Extremely limited alternatives. Kogarah has space to develop on the NW and southern sides before the hill needs to be touched. Wollongong has the western stand to replace.
(b) Homebush works for the Bulldogs, at least better than say the SFS works for Saints. If they're going to relocate surely it's only going to be to a ground with greater than 11-12k seats.

Leads me to think that a B2B compaign would need to be based upon a nice new stand on the eastern side, particularly to include additional corporate facilities.

The grandstand solution for the eastern hill only comes in if you're looking to move back full time. Most Dog fans are happy with the Homebush arrangement and realize that it is the future but still want Belmore for part time home games and trials.



I think it's highly unlikely that they could do anything with the northern side. Southern side, as you said, whack in some terrace seating with a walkway in front. I'd have thought you woud have to leave a gap too for vehicular access.

My idea for the Northern side structure is a multi level vertical structure that houses corporate boxes. See Belle Vue for a similar concept.

It fits within the physical space of the area available and it could have multiple uses when games aren't being played. Something nice and simple to add to the atmosphere of Belmore Sportsground.

 

[BIKER_DRAGON]

Why do the dogs bother to stay in Sydney. They will never play back in there own area. Take the relocation money and build a new area.

 

[Perth Red]

Brisbane Bulldogs?

 

[Bluebags1908]

Belmore a backward step?
They change your jersey, change their name, thumb the area that created them... The club's got no soul. If you think Belmore's a backward step then you don't get what rugby league's all about.
Money and double headers at the expense of roots is sad. Is the club embarrassed by it's own supporters?
As a Saints fan and I would love to see us play each other at Belmore. I love that ground.

Mate, are you sure you read all of my post? I know a hell of a lot of what Rugby League is all about.

And because I do know what Rugby League is all about, I would like to see the Bulldogs play 2 or 3 games a year there. Those 2 or 3 games will be packed to the rafters, but playing every game there will lose it's charm and won't get packed houses because it will be a regular occurrance.

When I refer to a 'backwards step', I am referring to playing big-drawing Sydney teams in front of 18,000 at Bemore vs 25,000 to 30,000 at ANZ (I know they don't get that many all the time but the potential is there at ANZ to get bigger crowds vs Sydney teams than what Belmore would).

Playing games at the easily accessible and centrally located ANZ will attract heaps more Tigers, Souths, Parramatta, and other away Sydney fans in comfort than you would get going to games at Belmore.

Unlike Souths, ANZ suits the Bulldogs as it is not far from their district. Souths shouldn't be playing at ANZ.

And for the record, I want the 'Canterbury-Bankstown' name to return, and I am glad they are bringing back a proper Bulldog logo next year.