In Round 5 of the Peter Jackson VFL I headed to the suburb that was known until 1870 as Pentridge. Due to the stigma connected to the prison of the same name that was built in 1850, residents petitioned the government of the day for a change of name, to disconnect the stigma of the prison from the suburb itself. In March 1870, the government officially declared Coburg as the new name, and it has remained so until this day.
In 1891, the Coburg Football Club was formed and commenced playing at what is now Mantello Holden Oval, formerly known as Coburg City Oval. The club and venue have a proud history, with six 1st Division Premierships, and two in the 2nd Division. The club has also been home to three J.J. Liston Trophy winners, and two winners of the Recorder Cup, which preceded the JJ Liston Trophy. Famously, some of Coburg’s favourite sons include Phil Cleary, Ray ‘Slug’ Jordan, Col Kinnear, Mick Erwin, Brad Nimmo, and Nick Carnell, but a less well-known example is the fact that Bob Pratt kicked 183 goals for the Lions in the 1941 VFA season.
As we crossed the busy Sydney Road, we found ourselves mixing with locals undertaking their normal Saturday morning shopping rituals. The area is now incredibly diverse and cosmopolitan, as can be noted when you look at the array of retailers of different backgrounds in the vicinity. From here, we head down Harding Street, through the car park, and to the main gate at Mantello Holden Oval.
This brings a tinge of sadness to those who, like myself, have attended the venue many times in recent years. The sight you’d normally see is volunteer George Parry, either clicking memberships or selling footy records. Sadly, George passed away over the summer, leaving quite a large hole in the volunteer base that makes the Coburg Football Club a great organisation. Many regulars have a story to tell about George, whether it be handling the club BBQ, cooking the steamed dim sims, or welcoming people to the ground, and club, he loved so much.
We enter the ground before the 1:10pm start time, and see Ross Booth with Phil Cleary on the boundary line doing their pre-match routine. Phil is decked-out in his old Coburg jumper, talking-up the prospects of the club as they go it alone in 2014.
The terraces are quiet today, with both Coburg’s and Essendon’s AFL affiliates playing on the same day. The terraces are an item of note, somewhat oversized for a Peter Jackson VFL venue. This is because they were built when the venue hosted North Melbourne games in 1965, including a record of 21,626 when Collingwood visited during that season. The main grandstand still awaits funding from the local council to be rebuilt after a fire almost destroyed it nearly a decade ago.
As we settled in to the first quarter, the Burgers kicked-away early, and we did too with a sausage with onions from the BBQ. The snag was top notch, clearly a butcher variety, and was a perfect start to our day out. We complemented the sausage with a barista-brewed coffee, which was also excellent. A fully-fledged coffee machine, whilst welcome, is not something you’d expect to see on the terraces at a venue like Mantello Holden Oval!
For the regulars at Coburg, there is a real community atmosphere at this ground. You run in to people you see regularly, and always see someone who you haven’t seen in a long time. Great conversations ensue, old jokes come to the fore, and generally a good time is had by all.
Coburg had extended their lead from 28 at quarter time to 40 by half time, at which stage it was necessary to sample more of the tasty treats on offer. The kiosk at Coburg has actually started selling South Melbourne Market Dim Sims! A masterstroke! For anyone who has not tried this famous delicacy, words cannot describe the experience whatsoever.
The second half of the match felt as though both teams were playing for time. Coburg extended their lead to 67 at the final change, and the clouds rolled in with a chilly wind. Essendon fought back respectably in the final term, kicking six goals to one to reduce the margin at the siren to 34 points. At this point, it was time to grab our bags and head back to Coburg station, celebrating a very enjoyable day at this classic Peter Jackson VFL venue.
And for the final word, I’ll leave it up to ground announcer Graeme Douglas: “It’s Mother’s Day next weekend, and the State game is on, so there’s no game on here. Do something nice for Mum instead!”
Last Modified on 22/05/2013 11:44