Jump to content

Centenary Oval

Centenary Oval
Centenary Oval in 2003
Map
Interactive map of Centenary Oval
Address1A New West Road
Port Lincoln, South Australia
Coordinates34°43′15″S 135°51′20″E / 34.72078888604777°S 135.85559971859666°E / -34.72078888604777; 135.85559971859666
OwnerCity of Port Lincoln
Capacity7,500 (225 seated)[1]
Construction
Opened1936; 90 years ago (1936)

Centenary Oval is an Australian rules football and cricket venue in the South Australian city of Port Lincoln.[2] It is used by the Port Lincoln Football League (PLFL) and the Port Lincoln Cricket Association (PLCA).[3] Two PLFL clubs – Boston and Wayback – play home matches at the venue.[4]

The venue was opened in 1936, with a turf cricket pitch – the only one on the Eyre Peninsula at the time – laid two years later.[5] The first international cricket match played at the venue was between South Australia and South Africa, while England also played there in 1963.[5] Don Bradman, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time, played on the ground in October 1939, where he was bowled for one run by local player Tom Mahoney.[5]

In 2005, an Australian Football League (AFL) pre-season match was played at Centenary Oval, with Adelaide defeating Geelong by two points in front of a crowd of 7,662 people.[6] Ten years later in 2015, the venue hosted an AFL pre-season match for the second time, which saw Adelaide defeat North Melbourne.[7][8]

The venue underwent redevelopment in 2013 with the construction of a new grandstand, which features undercover seating for 225 people.[1]

Since 2022, the Norwood Football Club have played one South Australian National Football League (SANFL) match at Centenary Oval every season.[9][10]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Centenary Oval". Austadiums. Archived from the original on 5 March 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  2. ^ "CENTENARY OVAL GRANDSTAND". Port Lincoln Times. 14 May 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  3. ^ Milic, Henry (9 August 2023). "Changing of the guard as Port Lincoln Centenary Oval secures new cricket pitch curator". ABC News. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  4. ^ "2026 SA Community Footy League Previews – Part 3". SANFL. 24 April 2026. Archived from the original on 22 May 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  5. ^ a b c Milic, Henry (10 April 2023). "Bradman's brief innings a highlight of Centenary Oval's turf cricket pitch, now its future is in doubt". ABC News. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  6. ^ "Wizard Home Loans Cup, 2005". Footystats Diary. 8 March 2005. Archived from the original on 8 March 2005. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  7. ^ Mangidis, Ricky (24 February 2015). "Pre-season history". North Melbourne Football Club. Archived from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  8. ^ "Adelaide Crows beat North Melbourne in AFL preseason tournament in Port Lincoln". ABC News. 1 March 2015. Archived from the original on 15 November 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  9. ^ "Three Regional Games a Highlight in 2022 Hostplus SANFL League Fixture". SANFL. 10 February 2022. Archived from the original on 22 July 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  10. ^ "Hostplus SANFL League heads to Port Lincoln". SANFL. 2 May 2025. Archived from the original on 18 May 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2026.