TOPIC:

1 Fremantle: Doesn't need a lot of people in the ground to have a proper "league" atmosphere. Always feels like you're at a big game as you walk through the old turnstyles. The heritage listed stand is a classic. Great spot to find a beer afterwards.

2 Steel Blue Bassendean: Beautiful old heritage listed stands. Great atmosphere. Bars and others facilities in the outer are the best in the league.

3 Brownes Lathlain: Very picturesque. Good atmosphere. Always some good banter to be had in the Pigpen. Classic ground.

4 Medibank Leederville: Good cauldron like atmosphere. Well maintained. Seating areas a plenty. Outer area comes up well.

5 Arena Joondalup: Really well maintained. Outer grass like a putting green. Outer could do with a bar, toilets etc though.

6 Bendigo Rushton: New facility actually looks like a WAFL ground instead of a country venue. If and when they start winning and getting bigger crowds will be a really interesting place to watch football and a damn tough place to win at.

7 Claremont: Not bad atmosphere because it's so compact in the outer. Bar open in the outer most weeks. A bit run down but with the new redevelopment it should be a top facility by 2014 or 2015.

8 East Fremantle: Run down, outer overrun by plagues of ants and prickles. Way too much space in the outer and behind both goals in this era to create any atmosphere unless a Derby crowd rocks up and even then it's still too big. Even the toilets in the outer are shut down. Only ground not near a railway line.
Only the SHARK PIT and morning home made breakfasts by the Past Players make it worthwhile. EFFC have said they hope to redevelop it. Would be a better move to build a new facility on the railway line around Bullcreek or Winthrop or thereabouts.

Photo of The new Rushton Park courtesy of the Subiaco Football club.

My favourite ground is anywhere EF win

Laithlan is definately my favourite ground. Parking is good. Ground is central.
They still have seats around the boundry and a classic WAFL oval.

Love the Shark pit at EF and great atmosphere. Never fail to use that area and the EF guys welcome you. The Banter is good and always in fun.

Leederville was good for parking in Loftus street but I see they now have parking machines there. Will go to the Subi v WP games.

Freo ok but parking can be a pain if you get there at the wrong time. Parry street usually full but if you time it right and the colts games is over the carpark opens up.
Dont mind Claremont as parking ok if you get there during or before the Ressies game otherwise you could be out of luck. Public transport excellant as right at a Station.

Rushton and EP home grounds dont care any more as wont be going to their home games.

La Hincha wrote: 1 Fremantle: Doesn't need a lot of people in the ground to have a proper "league" atmosphere. Always feels like you're at a big game as you walk through the old turnstyles. The heritage listed stand is a classic. Great spot to find a beer afterwards.

2 Steel Blue Bassendean: Beautiful old heritage listed stands. Great atmosphere. Bars and others facilities in the outer are the best in the league.

3 Brownes Lathlain: Very picturesque. Good atmosphere. Always some good banter to be had in the Pigpen. Classic ground.

4 Medibank Leederville: Good cauldron like atmosphere. Well maintained. Seating areas a plenty. Outer area comes up well.

5 Arena Joondalup: Really well maintained. Outer grass like a putting green. Outer could do with a bar, toilets etc though.

6 Bendigo Rushton: New facility actually looks like a WAFL ground instead of a country venue. If and when they start winning and getting bigger crowds will be a really interesting place to watch football and a damn tough place to win at.

7 Claremont: Not bad atmosphere because it's so compact in the outer. Bar open in the outer most weeks. A bit run down but with the new redevelopment it should be a top facility by 2014 or 2015.

8 East Fremantle: Run down, outer overrun by plagues of ants and prickles. Way too much space in the outer and behind both goals in this era to create any atmosphere unless a Derby crowd rocks up and even then it's still too big. Even the toilets in the outer are shut down. Only ground not near a railway line.
Only the SHARK PIT and morning home made breakfasts by the Past Players make it worthwhile. EFFC have said they hope to redevelop it. Would be a better move to build a new facility on the railway line around Bullcreek or Winthrop or thereabouts.

Photo of The new Rushton Park courtesy of the Subiaco Football club.

Another great topic LH ..our WAFL grounds are a massive part of not just WA sporting history but WA history full stop & it beggers belief to me how some have been left to rot by local councils, state governments etc. Im not just talking about the stands, club rooms either even the surfaces & outer banks havent been touched in decades! But I guess there is no votes in it for them so why bother!

WAFL grounds-

1.Bassendean Oval- my second home for 32 years
2.Lathlain Park- played a fair bit of footy there
3.Subiaco Oval- the scene of 5 of the greatest days of my life
4.Perth Oval- loved going there as a kid dont remember losing there in the 80's
5.Fremantle Oval- historic (some would say pre-historic!!)
6.Leederville Oval- hated it in the 80's but has been done up since
7.Joondalup Arena- great surface, close to home
8.Rushton Park- good size ground, nice new stand
9.East Fremantle Oval- our record hasnt been too bad there since the 80's
10.Claremont Oval- ordinary facilties, but did see us keep Cl to 1 goal there in 96

SD didn't lose much any hwere early 80's 27....

EF oval for it's 'rustic' look.....not too sure why folk are complaining about EF toilets being closed....considering the beer runs out by 1/2 time of the colts, can't see how anyones bladder could be that sfull come the league match....

Bassendean oval for it's 'can bar charms'....lots of good interesting folk there advertising their celebrated/inebriated IQ's

Freo Oval for all those good folk with grapes growing out of their backsides....

Leederville and Perth Oval are fantastic ovals from memory, lots of good memories playing footy at both grounds....

Lathlain because my old man used to take me there when I was a nipper....supposedly the scoreboard is run by a father & illegitimate son combo....Grassy & Demon Forever apparently.

Bassendean = more character than all other grounds, nxt best Lathlain then Frem...EF and Clare wouldnt make anyones list thats for sure! Joondalup is a nice ground to watch footy too

In all seriosness this is a great topic and i love WAFL footy wherever its being played and may that live on forever!

This would make a fantastic topic for a book "Great Grounds of WAFL Football" or something similar, with pics, anecdotes and stories from past players, club stalwarts and fans etc. It gives me an idea to work on.

Freo Oval - real caldron, only genuine Melbourne style suburban football ground in Perth, a great sense of history (oldest football ground still in use in WA), and of course home to SFFC. Easy to get to by Rail and Bus, heaps cafe and pubs nearby.

Perth Oval (sadly gone) always liked this ground.

Bassendean, great atmosphere, I am nostalgic about this place and just a glimmer on WAFL's glory days.

Leederville preffered it in WP's days - needed a big crowd for atmosphere. good now with two bar facilities.

Subi - never really liked this joint, even before the eagles took it over. Was always weird going to a ground that held 50,000 to play subi mid season when 4000 turned up.

Lathlain - never liked this place, seems run down now, never had much atmosphere and in a boring location.

Claremont - its a hole now , but in its day was OK, should be good with the make over.

EF Oval - easliy the worst, grass banks in poor state, piles of sand in random spots, run down buildings, crap location,

Bazza wrote: Freo Oval - real caldron, only genuine Melbourne style suburban football ground in Perth, a great sense of history (oldest football ground still in use in WA), and of course home to SFFC. Easy to get to by Rail and Bus, heaps cafe and pubs nearby.

Perth Oval (sadly gone) always liked this ground.

Bassendean, great atmosphere, I am nostalgic about this place and just a glimmer on WAFL's glory days.

Leederville preffered it in WP's days - needed a big crowd for atmosphere. good now with two bar facilities.

Subi - never really liked this joint, even before the eagles took it over. Was always weird going to a ground that held 50,000 to play subi mid season when 4000 turned up.

Lathlain - never liked this place, seems run down now, never had much atmosphere and in a boring location.

Claremont - its a hole now , but in its day was OK, should be good with the make over.

EF Oval - easliy the worst, grass banks in poor state, piles of sand in random spots, run down buildings, crap location,

Hey Bazza whats with the comment that Frem oval is the only ground that is like a suburban Melbourne ground? We are in Western Australia mate and all our grounds absolutely shit all over the old suburban grounds in Melb, even my local Gosnells oval is a better ground than for example the Western Oval, better than EF oval and Claremont too, are you a Victorian? But i do agree a packed Frem oval with 20 K was a great atmosphere!

just on a different but related subject...surely the time has well and truly come for ground rationalisation...

Leederville - WP & WCE reserves
Basso - SD & Perth
Freo - SF & EF
Claremont - Cl and Subi
Peel...who cares?

and while we're at it let's move cricket to the new Burswood stadium with a drop in wicket when it's built and the WACA can sell off the land in East Perth....