THE Mernda Football Club is hoping to kick more goals after its successful premiership win last year – provided its ground holds up.
Whittlesea council has resurfaced part of the ground after the club complained it was unplayable many times last year.
But club stalwart Tom Felle (pictured) said the entire area needed to be done. He said because the club was moving to new grounds in 2014, the council had not budgeted for major works.
Club president Jason Berry said the council had improved spoon drains around the ground but could not do drainage work in the centre of the ground because it was on bedrock.
He said that last year the ground had been reduced to a “mud pool”.
The club was named the 2012 Northern Football League’s club of the year. Its seniors and reserves won the third division premiership and have moved to second division, despite the poor condition of the ground, he said.
Mr Berry said the club would move to new facilities and a new ground next year in the Woodland Waters estate in Mernda.
Council’s manager parks and open space, Bruce Schroder, said $26,000 was spent on ground improvements.
“Works involved spreading 250 cubic metres of topsoil to raise the surface level and the planting of grass seeding while the drain itself was redesigned to work more efficiently.”
– Sue Hewitt
