Richmond Cricket Club moved to Central Reserve, Glen Waverley, before the current Premier Cricket season. Roy Ward visited the Tigers during their home clash against St Kilda this month to see how they were fitting into their new home.RICHMOND president Ken Sharp is dealing with the regular troubles a sports side goes through on game day.
There is food to be prepared, drinks to be arranged, doors to unlock and a playing venue to set up.
But unlike the previous 150-odd years, Tigers clubmen are doing so at Central Reserve, Glen Waverley, and not their historic spiritual home at Punt Road Oval, deep in the heart of Melbourne.
That venue became the sole home of the Richmond Tigers AFL club after the previous Premier Cricket season with the Tigers cricketers moving out to Central Reserve.
Sharp said the club was "euphoric" about how the move has worked out but he also concedes plenty of work remains to be done in terms of developing links with the community, City of Monash council and local sub-district and club level sides.
"We gave ourselves 12 months to focus on moving into Central Reserve and setting ourselves up," he said.
"We have put in a hell of a lot of work to set the place up and move everything we need here.
"Our coaches and players haven't been too happy because we didn't have turf nets until two weeks ago.
"So lots of our time has been spent trying to get them set up. Luckily our players have still got good results without those nets."
Sharp said the Tigers wanted to make strong links in the local area but knew it would take time to weave themselves into the local fabric.
"We are here for the long haul. People aren't used to having a senior-level cricket side in the area. They've got sub-district sides and club teams but not anyone at Premier level.
"They are used to sides coming and going on Central Reserve. We are here to stay."
Hawthorn-Monash University Cricket Club have been established in the area for some years but Sharp makes a distinction between the Hawks and his club because of the former's close ties with the Clayton-based university.
The Tigers have made some small headway into the area, hosting an invitational Tigers development squad evening before the season for local teenage players.
Sharp said 50 local players and about 100 parents attended with a couple of players added to the Tigers fourths and more being placed into age group squads for further training.
The Tigers haven't snared many local supporters or members but have attracted a couple of local volunteers.
Glen Waverley resident Glen Munday is a game-day volunteer with the Tigers, helping prepare the players meals and filling any other role required.
Munday said he wanted to help the Tigers because of his passion for the Tigers AFL side and his proximity to the ground.
"When I read in your paper that the Tigers were moving to Central Reserve I thought it was too good of an opportunity to miss," he said.
"All sides need volunteers or they can't function. I live just a few hundred metres from the ground, so I came down during their first home game and introduced myself, the rest is history."
Sharp said the Tigers wanted to spent the next year making stronger connections with the area and with local businesses.
He said Mulgrave Country Club had already signed on as a club sponsor and the Tigers hoped to lure other Monash area businesses to their cause.
The subject of Richmond's precious club name is one that divides supporters because deep down everyone knows the team will need to acknowledge its new home at some point in the future.
Sharp knows this will cause divisions and apprehension but in his mind the team will eventually need to make an addition like South Melbourne did with its move to Casey and Hawthorn with its move to Monash University.
"I think we will have to something to show our links with the municipality and the ground," he said. "But any changes would have to go to the members and be voted on. It will be a tough subject but in the long term, at some point, I think something like that will happen.
"What we have to remember is the Richmond name has a long history attached to it along with a dozen Test players and 50-60 Victorian players. You can't just throw that away."
Central Reserve is listed to receive a new grandstand over the off-season and that, combined with turf nets and more familiarity with their new home, has Sharp excited about the future.
But one more hurdle remains for the Tigers officials and coaches: the tyranny of distance for players based in the city. "When we made the move that was a concern," Sharp said. "We only lost one player from last year because of distance and we have made some concessions for those who are based far from Glen Waverley.
"I don't expect us to lose too many in the offseason because of where we play and over time I think the demographics of our club will change and more players from this area will make up our sides.
"We aren't here to steal talent from clubs. We are here to help players make the next level and, hopefully, play for Australia.
"They won't do that from club cricket but if they come to us and don't do well they will return to their old clubs better players. It's win-win."
Munday is also looking forward to the future of the Tigers at Central Reserve. "It should be really good next season with the new grandstand," he said. "I have an interest in, that is I enjoy, the food preparation side of things, so I will be in my element."
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