Other than the memories, there is not one redeeming feature of Windy Hill anymore. Has not had $1 spent on it in 25 yrs.
Even the pool is just about the worst facility in the municipality.
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Yeah the fitness guys will tell you the GPS numbers are generally a couple of km’s down at Windy Hill compared to an AFL venue, it’s a lot smaller.
Parking problem solved. Blitz car park.
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Moonee Valley Council ran a thing early last year etc about refurbishing it up as a more open space with newer facilities for the community. I can’t remember if the club were involved in any maintenance or repair work on the stands themselves. It may have been mentioned but since Covid I’ve not heard/read much else.
Edit:
April 2019
The real meaning of HOME ground advantage.
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Would love to get the yearly charity game on Windy Hill.
Always seem to have road blocks
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I know it’s not the same, but the atmosphere at VFL games at the old suburban grounds is fantastic (well, before all this coronanonsense anyway). I actually enjoy going to VFL games now more than AFL, even though the standard isn’t as good. Less crowded, not all the ugly corporate stuff and you get a different perspective on the game because you’re almost guaranteed to be sitting closer to the play than at an AFL game. I guess it’s probably also because there is less expectation about the result.
I only went to one top level game at Windy Hill. Mid-1989, the ground was a bog and we lost narrowly to the Swans (!). But Neale Daniher played that day, so I can at least say that!
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I was lucky enough to see pretty much every game at Windy Hill from 1972 on.
It had an amazing atmosphere especially when we were kicking to the Reynolds Stand end in the last quarter and charging home. It still holds some wonderful memories, my favourite being Vander Haar’s comeback game. The noise was unmatched until Mercuri’s goal in the 93 preliminary final. But, make no mistake, when it rained in the middle of a cold winter’s day, no amount of peanuts (you oldies know what I’m referring to) could make Windy Hill a pleasant experience.
Still, I loved it so much it’s where I plan to have my ashes scattered. You can all come and visit me if you like!
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As a PS to this.
My dad was one of the Property Managers and those boots Rattler was wearing got ‘thrown out’ at the end of the season because he retired.
They ‘ended up’ at our place and I wore them playing in Ammo footy in 85-87.
Adidas Copa Mundial. They were like putting on slippers.
They must be somewhere at my mum’s place amongst boxes of stuff.
Is that that sniping ■■■■ Colin Robertson from Wynyard
Dippa was no.9
That’s a 6
No, Dipper, who had re-arranged Alan Stoneham’s face the last time we played them.
I’m still left answerless to whoever knocked out Watson in 83. There isn’t any footage, just rumours.
I won’t die wondering about most things but that will be one.
Got to 1 game as a 10 yr old. We got dropped off and picked up but it was a mad house on the streets. I’m so glad I got to go… Essendon got beat by Richmond on a wet and cold day.
We stood up the scoreboard end, my brother says there was a bar under scoreboard that dad was frequently attending.
I still love going back for VFL games. Glad we didn’t move them to the Hanger.
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I was there that day. Clayton lined Dipsh1t up from about 50 metres I reckon. The roar that went up was something I will never forget. Such a different game back then…….
I absolutely cherish the memories I have of Windy Hill. For all the so called drawbacks, it made you earn it which does seem a bit ludicrous compared to the basic comforts you should expect these days from a Gen Adm ticket. The toilets on the outer wing behind the Creighton Shelter were very basic and looked as if they hadn’t changed from the 1920’s. Your feet were pretty sore after standing for hours with no rail to lean on but it was real, the banter was raw at times and we dominated the support as you’d expect. A bit like playing GWS or GC at home.
I remember that last ever game against the Bears. It was a bleak day weather wise. My Dad was up in Queensland due to the recession down here, to pay off the mortgage, so I went alone. I was 14 and befriended some kid, he was raving on about getting “chets” at half time but I knew he was referring to hot chips. So, if that kid with the blonde hair is reading this, thank your old man for shouting me the bucket of hot chips and a coke, he’s a legend.
I think we ended up climbing to get a better view behind those advertising boards on the flank. You couldn’t get away with that sort of thing in the modern era.
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I was there, remember the game quite clearly as it was the last game at WH I ever went to with my now departed Dad. There was plenty of spare room in the outer near the windsock where we used to stand & it was a pretty lack lustre game. There were grown men playing kick to kick on the outer hill while the game was in progress, that’s how empty the ground was, & how boring & one sided the game itself was, even though there were lots of goals scored - it was one of those games that you occasionally go to were there no there was no real pressure happening on the field, like the Bears had conceded before they had run out on the field - a training run if you like.
I also remember Simon Madden playing with a bung shoulder the whole game & he couldn’t lift one arm above his shoulders, so I remember having cracks at the selectors for picking him in a game we were always easily going to win, when we should have been wrapping him in cotton wool for the upcoming finals. I just checked his stats for the game, 2 marks & 9 hit outs which is well down on his usual output. Salmon played & got 11 marks & 12 hit outs in the same game, he should have rucked solo.
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Just as an addition, I just checked & noticed the following week against Carlton, Madden only had 1 mark & 5 hit outs.
Sheeds playing injured players had been going on for while, it wasn’t just the 2001 GF when Hirdy & Longy played under an injury cloud that it commenced.