Finding Fritz

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Noel Mugavin

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Not Germany unfortunately. Adelaide, Courtesy of my $450 credit from my American Express card.
With football season starting and my weekends being taken up with coaching commitments, I had a limited window to use my travel credit. Only had a weekend, 20+ prior visits to Melbourne ruled that out, Sydney flights only allowed me to get in Saturday morning and probably too tired to have a decent look, Brisbane too far for to little time, Darwin flights wouldn't work, so Adelaide it was.
Had been to Adelaide 5 or so years ago coaching in a football carnival, so had seen a little of it. My plans for the 2 days were to, and I apologise to the people who have no interest in Australian Rules or cricket, visit the Adelaide Oval, as well as the SANFL grounds that I had not previously coached at. On the Sunday a drive through the Barossa and Adelaide Hills. Not a thrill a minute weekend, however something different to sitting on the couch all weekend.

Knocked off work a little earlier than normal, and headed to the Qantas terminal. Parked in the long term parking, didn't bother with waiting for the bus and made the 5 minute walk to the terminal.
Soon enough, into a quite empty Qantas Club

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Grabbed a seat by the window, intermittently grazed on a toasted sandwich or two, guacamole and sipped a cappuccino.
Big bird at the international side

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Qantas activity

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Trying to cut down on sugar, but the licorice allsorts were too tempting

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Boarded on time, only about a 50% full flight. I was near the back and had all three seats of the 737 to myself. Some very ordinary smells from the galley. A selection of a salmon dish or a pork and spinach curry.
Not touching salmon, so went the pork. I don't mind plane food, but the pork curry was an absolute abomination. Two small forkfuls was all I could manage. Cheese and crackers were good though.

Flight was over quite quickly, had purchased a book on Roger Rogerson at the airport and that had kept me entertained for the duration.

Didn't check any baggage, so quickly off the plane and to the car rental counter, and 10 minutes later was on Don Bradman Drive as it started raining and to the Greenway Apartments, a short 5 minute walk from Adelaide Oval.

Found my key and my room and hit the hay.
 
Indeed a different weekend :cool:
 
I am in for this! Although I thought you were going to take us through Hahndorf.
 
Warning -Football Ground cough coming up - look away now if easily bored

Not a great sleep, older building and some people with heavy feet in the room above. Hit the road about 7.30, heading north up O'Connell Street towards Prospect, and Prospect Oval, home of the North Adelaide Roosters

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Nice setting, parkland across the road and nice leafy streets. Few dog walkers around, however not too busy as a bit of rain around

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Been a while since they've had some success, not since the Bloodbath Grand Final against West Adelaide in 1991

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Beautiful surface

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Grand stands and function rooms

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To the outer, and the Croweaters do like their concrete terraces. Us Sandgropers much prefer the grassy banks in the outer.
Rows of trees a nice touch though

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Can bar

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A few information boards here and there around the ground which is a nice touch

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And a not too enticing entrance to another function room/bar

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Why Prospect Oval? It hasn’t been developed in years. It was MrPs cricket club 35 years ago and it looks just the same.
 
Why Prospect Oval? It hasn’t been developed in years. It was MrPs cricket club 35 years ago and it looks just the same.
Obviously a North supporter?
Yeah it hasn’t changed much for years. Have played some cricket on it years ago and have been going to the SANFL there for 40 years and nothing much has changed
 
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Headed north and up to Alberton Oval

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No open gates, but plenty of areas to take photos through the fence

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Again a beautiful surface, which is of course to be expected being the training base of an AFL club

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More of the terrible bitumen terracing
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Old stands viewed from the outer of the outer

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A couple of long neglected mobile billboards

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And something to give Essendon supporters the cold sweats - an adjacent bowls club

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Drove over to Westlakes to see how the demolition of Football Park was going, however nothing to see from the outside, so kept going and returned to the apartments and officially checked in

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Plenty of room in the unit

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Adelaide Women and Children's Hospital over the road from the apartment

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Stopped for a coffee on the short 5 minute walk to Adelaide Oval

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Russell Ebert statue

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Malcolm Blight

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Barry Robran

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Memorial Drive Tennis Centre

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I had arrived very early for the 10 o'clock tour, however the stadium is open and anyone can walk in to the concourse area. The SA Shield team were having a bit of a run around on the oval, with a game against the Queenslanders starting the next day.

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There was/is a Bradman Collection in the concourse area, well worth a look, and again open to anyone who wanders in, and no entry fee. Even had a water tank set up with the wicket and golf ball to have a crack at. No photos allowed within the collection, so no photo evidence of me middling every ball.

Soon enough time for the tour, about half a dozen of us including a couple of fellas from the old dart.
Up to the cricket media centre, then up again to the Riverbank Stand.

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Down in to the footy changerooms, then on to the field. Unfortunately could only as far as the edge of the astro turf as the cricket was starting the next day.

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Did you get to see the Sheffield Shield Room?
Would you believe the guide couldn't find the key to open the door. Was able to look in through the glass, the shield wasn't there though, removed for a bit of a touch up if I recall correctly.
 
Would you believe the guide couldn't find the key to open the door. Was able to look in through the glass, the shield wasn't there though, removed for a bit of a touch up if I recall correctly.
That’s rather awkward. It’s rarely open.
 
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