Southern River Falcons homeless

by Keira Swayn

May 8, 2008

SOUTHERLANDS Park in Gosnells won’t be flooded with the usual football spirit this season, as Southern River football club and the football league have deemed the oval unfit to play on.

Once the envy of other footy clubs, complications with fertilisers have killed chunks of lawn, and have left a dangerously uneven oval behind.

As a result, the Falcons have been forced to hold training and home games at Southerlands Park Reserve C, the next oval down.

The Falcon’s captain explained that there was too much at risk, to let footballers play on the oval.

“There is a risk of someone from our team or another injuring themselves on the oval and we don’t want to have to take that responsibility” said John Dorazio, who is no relation to the independent MP of the same name.

Despite earlier calls by the Falcons to have the oval repaired before the footy season commenced, the oval is still untouched.

Meanwhile, the City of Gosnells has pumped 8.5 million into a new sports and recreation centre in the neighbouring suburb of Maddington, boasting a world class drainage and irrigation system.

“I’ve got no problems with the council spending money, just as long as it’s our turn soon,” Mr Dorazio said. “All we want is a $50,000 dollar club room to continue to help our club grow.”

Losing their home ground has cost the Falcons big bucks, Mr Dorazio added.

“We are losing between $800 and $1500 per home game for the gate and bar, so it is frustrating that we haven’t had a home game yet,” he said.

A Gosnells City Council spokeswoman said that the city’s park and environments operations team were meeting with Southern River football club representatives on May 9 to discuss the club’s concerns. She refused to have her name published, or to comment before the meeting.