Power looks to neighbours for Season ’27 as ground crisis deepens

WONTHAGGI Power is officially searching for a temporary home for the 2027 season with nearby ovals in Dalyston and Inverloch emerging as the primary targets.

The move follows severe, ongoing ground problems at the Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve, which climaxed ahead of the clash against Sale. Record July rainfall and relentless wet weather left large sections of the oval holding stagnant water.

The surface was severely churned up with deep mud, while temporary sand was used to plug waterlogged holes. The ankle-deep mud sparked formal player safety complaints to the Gippsland League from Sale officials and coach Jack Leslie.

Following a tense pre-game inspection where league officials, club presidents and coaches walked the ground, the match was ultimately cleared to proceed.

However, the long-term reality has forced the club and local government to look ahead to urgent ground reconstruction before next season. Bass Coast Shire Council has locked in $720,000 to fully reconstruct the playing surface, a project slated to take up to 12 months if traditional seeding is used.

Bass Coast Shire Council Mayor Cr Brett Tessari confirmed council was actively trying to map out the complex logistics of relocating a major football club for an entire season.

“We are still working through the logistics,” Cr Tessari said. “Dalyston is aware their ground is an option. It’s Dalyston’s ground and we have to work with Dalyston and perhaps Inverloch.”

Council had always planned to begin at the end of the year according to Cr Tessari.

Dalyston Football Netball Club president David Bell said the club was aware the Dalyston Recreation Reserve oval was being considered as a potential option for Wonthaggi Power while their home ground is reconstructed, and it sympathised with the position they found themselves in.

“Having your home ground unavailable for any part of a season presents significant challenges for any club,” Mr Bell said. “At this stage, no agreement has been reached between Dalyston FNC, Wonthaggi Power or the Shire. We’re aware of the discussions taking place and will continue to work through the situation with the relevant parties.”

“A number of logistical and operational considerations and challenges would need to be worked through for this to be a viable option,” he added.

Inverloch Kongwak Football Netball Club president Peter Butcher all but ruled out sharing the Inverloch Recreation Reserve with Wonthaggi Power but said neither Power nor Bass Coast Shire Council had been in contact with the club.

“Very, very doubtful, I don’t think it could happen,” Mr Butcher said.

“Purely and simply from the amount of activity that’s already on the ground there’s enough participants using the ground on a weekly basis as it is.”

Wonthaggi Power president Darren Brown praised the tireless efforts of local council staff but admitted the upcoming displacement would be a massive hurdle for the club.

“What that will entail is the ground needs to be reconstructed, which may mean that home games are played at Dalyston next year,” Mr Brown said. “And they could end up in the same situation if the ground doesn’t have the right funding to allow us to play on it.”

“It’s terrible, it’s not ideal, it’s taken a big load,” he said. “We followed due process. A league official and both Sale and Wonthaggi club presidents and coaches walked the ground just to make sure it was safe to play, and the clubs were happy.”

With a 12-month displacement looming, the Power faces a critical off-season of negotiations to secure a stable home ground and ensure the heavy traffic of Gippsland League football does not compromise their neighbours’ playing surfaces.

“Council staff have been magnificent and had been there every day leading up the Sale match to make sure it was made playable. We had 220mm of rain in five weeks. We look at every condition as perfect; we just get on with the job and don’t complain.”