Newbridge play first game at home this season in Loddon Valley

After floods ravaged through their grounds at Newbridge Recreation Reserve in October last year the Loddon Valley league club will finally return home to play on Saturday against Calivil United.

“We’re over the moon,” Newbridge president Andrew Friswell said,

“We’re pretty excited about where it is headed (the ground).”

The floods inundated the ground, destroying everything including tennis courts, netball courts, the ground, scoreboard, and the teams change rooms and function area.

Friswell said the floods went 2m high on their buildings and the club and Recreation Reserve committee have had to replace almost everything.

“Right now, as we speak, we are 90 per cent done,” he said.

“The building won’t be quite finished but the weekend after it will be.

“Our canteen, bar, kitchen and functioning area are not cleaned up.”

Friswell said the cost to fix up the reserve would be around 2.5 million dollars.

Insurance has covered 2.2 million dollars of the cost with the club and the reserve footing the rest.

The club has replaced the scoreboard and made sure the ground is in good shape for football.

“We’ve been working really closely with the shire (of Loddon) and the insurance company to get it running again,” Friswell said.

“We’ve done a lot of work with volunteer labour around.

“Everyone has been chipping in, it’s been pretty good.”

Friswell now hopes the team can celebrate with a couple of wins during the day.

Earlier this season the team defeated Calivil in their only win in seniors to date.

The Newbridge president hopes a repeat performance can happen in what has been a tough year for the club.

“It’s made it pretty hard (to recruit after the floods), you haven’t got a home,” Friswell said.

“You lose your identity a bit.

“We’ve been able to train out here but not the norm, we haven’t had showers up and running.

“It makes it a bit hard.

“We’re working through that and will only improve.

“Hopefully we can come away with a few more wins and there would be nothing better than coming home to play and getting a win.”

Friswell said the day, win, lose or draw, would be a great one for the community as it came together to celebrate the return home.

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“Skyline Services have been the builder and they have done a fantastic job of the building works,” he said.

“We’ve had help from our local CFA, our community and we wouldn’t be where we are without their help, we really appreciate all of that.”

The game starts at 2.15pm in seniors.

Originally published as Newbridge play first game at home this season in Loddon Valley