Creek our big target

Andrew Mathieson
NEW Cats president Colin Carter has labelled developing a full-time training facility at Armstrong Creek “one of the next big challenges” under his leadership.
Geelong Football Club has explored options for a base outside Skilled Stadium at Geelong new urban growth area, which authorities expect will be home to 60,000 residents within the next decade.
“It’s still a live idea with us but nothing has been formally agreed or a deal stitched up yet,” he said.
“But getting that decision right, both in itself and making sure the financial consequences for the club are sustainable, is one of the next big challenges.”
Members last week endorsed Mr Carter to take over the reigns from Frank Costa after the election of the new board.
Mr Costa told the Independent the board planned to boost capacity at Skilled Stadium past 40,000. Mr Costa planned to use his new role as club patron to lobby governments for additional funding of up to $80 million to upgrade the ground.
Mr Carter said Geelong’s unique position of running its own AFL home ground weighed the club down.
“The paradox is that the better the ground becomes the more the landlord (Geelong’s council) needs to use it for other purposes.
“That leaves us with a problem getting access to it all the time. If you’re running a 21st Century professional football team you can’t do it with access to training facilities on a part-time basis.”
Mr Carter said the Cats intended to overcome AFL draft and recruiting rules preventing extended periods of on-field success.
“The reality is the competition is designed to take successful teams back to the field and our biggest challenge is to prove we can be the first team to beat that system,” Mr Carter said.
“We’ve done extraordinary well without having ever bottomed out in the draft before. If we can prove we can continue to be successful having won a couple of flags then we have really re-written the rules.”