Point Cook pokies plan attacked Dogs savage Cats

Andrew Mathieson
AFL club Western Bulldogs has attacked Geelong’s plan to build a $3.5 million community sports club in the Bulldogs’ heartland at Point Cook.
Wyndham City Council last month approved a planning application that included bar and bistro facilities, a 350-seat function room and a gaming room for 80 poker machines.
The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation had already sanctioned the increase in gaming to the area, against the wishes of councillors.
Bulldogs chief executive Campbell Rose said the Cats’ move to infiltrate Melbourne’s western suburbs next year with the Point Cook Community Sports Club was a “complete contradiction”.
“For the Geelong Football Club to brand this as a pitstop for the club travelling from games in Melbourne is outrageous,” Mr Rose said.
“I, for one, will not be surprised when all we see is the Geelong Football Club taking money out of Point Cook and the western region and simply relocating it back into Geelong and re-investing it back into their football – in a complete contradiction.”
Mr Rose said its audited community benefit statement showed the Bulldogs have provided more than $1.9 million to the community in the last financial year.
The club has worked closely with the local residents’ association to establish Point Cook Football Club from “nothing” to 19 teams in just five years, he said.
Geelong chief operating officer Stuart Fox defended the Cats’ position after planning the Point Cook move for eight years.
“We’re about branching our business into a national market and Point Cook is an obvious extension for us,” he said.
“It’s close, it’s a half-way point between here and Melbourne and it’s an attractive market for us – we’ve got plenty of members in Point Cook.”
Mr Fox said the club had committed to donating $100,000 each year to western suburbs organisations, along with players appearing at post-match functions and football clinics.