Double delight Tasmania has a knack of punching well above its weight in terms of exceptional sporting facilities. The Twin Ovals complex, or simply ‘the Twins’ as it known by the locals, just south of Hobart is a prime example. Team leader
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Brad Marsh provides an insight into the facility and their management practices.
he Twin Ovals complex was a concept born in the early 2000s to have two high class sporting ovals in the one location to cater for both AFL and cricket in the growing municipality of Kingborough. The construction of a new shopping centre nearby provided the necessary fill to level the sloping site of the proposed ovals and construction started in 2009 and was completed in late 2010. The grounds are situated 15 minutes south of Hobart with views of the Derwent River and Mt. Wellington providing a picturesque backdrop for the complex. They were officially opened in 2011 and have hosted several 30
high-level competitions including A-League soccer, AFL preseason cup matches, WNCL and Futures League cricket as well as being a training facility for Big Bash League cricket teams, AFL preseason camps and two teams for the 2015 World Cup cricket tournament. The capacity for the AFL ground is 7500 with seating for 1200 patrons, while the cricket ground has a 300-seat grandstand which sits high above the ground giving an excellent view to spectators. The pavilion sits between the two grounds and offers views of both ovals. The ovals play host to the two local sporting teams being the Kingborough Tigers AFL side, who play in the Tasmanian State
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League (TSL), and the Kingborough Knights who play in the Tasmanian Premier League cricket competition. The demands on the two ovals are very different, with the AFL ground hosting training nightly during the season and matches most weekends which can be difficult to manage in the winter months when growth is at a minimum. The cricket oval boasts a 10-wicket turf block measuring 30m x 30m as well as a 12-wicket turf practice facility. The Kingborough Knights have six teams that play on turf pitches and there are matches every Saturday and Sunday from October through to March. Training is on most weeknights with the
PHOTOS: JAMES DI SAIA/BRAD MARSH
GROUNDS