Sydney will cement itself as the home of women's AFL and Rugby League with the Showring Oval at Moore Park one step closer to a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence, thanks to a $15 million grant from the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government.
Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said women's sport is booming across NSW and the multi-sport project, in partnership with AFL NSW/ACT and the Sydney Roosters would provide grassroots players access to a world-class training hub.
"This facility will be a fantastic community asset, bridging the gap between elite and grassroots sports, which will help grow participation and provide local talent pathways for our future AFLW and NRLW stars year round," Mr Henskens said.
"Since 2017, the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government has invested more than $2 billion grassroots community sport, through infrastructure grant programs and our nation-leading Active Kids voucher program."
The project will deliver a community oval and multi-purpose green spaces, universally inclusive change rooms and amenities, and a high-performance training and administration centre.
Head of AFL NSW/ACT, Tiffany Robertson, said this is a truly exciting moment for Australian football across community, talent pathways and the elite game in Sydney and across NSW.
"A revitalised Showring Oval in Moore Park will help accommodate the increasing number of women and girls striving to be their best on the football field as well as provide a world-class facility for multiple sporting groups and the broader community to share," Ms Robertson said.
"Thank you to our project partners and the NSW Government for acknowledging and supporting the value of a reimagined Showring Oval."
Roosters CEO, Joe Kelly, said the first Women's rugby league match was played in Australia in 1921 on what was previously known as the showgrounds of the Royal Agricultural Society.
"More than a hundred years later, it is a wonderful reflection of the pace at which women's participation in sports like rugby league and AFL is growing, that the NSW Government has committed to re-developing Showring Oval with both the Sydney Roosters and AFL," Mr Kelly said.
Projects funded through the Centre of Excellence Fund must include multi-purpose facilities, enabling organisations to expand community programs and engage with the community.
