Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club’s facilities are ranked in the bottom three per cent of all clubs across Victoria, according to the AFL.
Club president Craig Thompson said he wasn’t told where exactly Murchison-Toolamba was placed on the list of 3000 facilities audited across the state by AFL Victoria, but it was in the bottom 300.
However, he said “things are moving” following his public letter to Greater Shepparton City Council which called the facilities “barbaric”, “embarrassing”, and not fit for purpose.
WATCH: Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club
Mr Thompson gave The News a tour of the facilities, which included a netball change room and shower with one shower and space for three players to get changed, limited bathroom facilities to be shared by hundreds of spectators and men’s change rooms which hadn’t been upgraded in five decades.
He said there was a constant battle with vermin in the canteen which made it difficult for the club to keep its food-handling licence.
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Craig Thompson pointing to a door frame eaten away by white ants. Photo by Megan FisherImage 2 of 32
Grass growing through the centre of court two at Murchison Recreation Reserve. Photo by Megan FisherImage 3 of 32
Craig Thompson sitting in front of the Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club facilities. Photo by Megan FisherImage 4 of 32
The netball courts at the Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club. Photo by Megan FisherImage 5 of 32
The facilities at the Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club, which president Craig Thompson called not fit for purpose. He's calling for help from council to upgrade the buildings. Photo by Megan FisherImage 6 of 32
The facilities at the Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club, which president Craig Thompson called not fit for purpose. He's calling for help from council to upgrade the buildings. Photo by Megan FisherImage 7 of 32
The women's bathroom at the Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club, which president Craig Thompson called not fit for purpose. He's calling for help from council to upgrade the buildings. Photo by Megan FisherImage 8 of 32
The temporary building by the netball courts, which is used as a storage space by netball administrators. Photo by Megan FisherImage 9 of 32
The Murchison-Toolamba office and storage room, which once used to house umpire change rooms. Photo by Megan FisherImage 10 of 32
The front of the Murchison-Toolamba grandstand. Photo by Megan FisherImage 11 of 32
The small bar at the Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club. Photo by Megan FisherImage 12 of 32
The front of the Murchison-Toolamba grandstand. Photo by Megan FisherImage 13 of 32
The dilapidated state of the Murchison-Toolamba away change rooms, with the urinal split between both home and away rooms by a plaster wall. Photo by Megan FisherImage 14 of 32
The building by the netball courts, which is used as a storage space by netball administrators. Photo by Megan FisherImage 15 of 32
The Murchison-Toolamba office and storage room, which once used to house umpire change rooms. Photo by Megan FisherImage 16 of 32
The women's bathroom at the Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club. Photo by Megan FisherImage 17 of 32
The cramped umpires room at Murchison-Toolamba. Photo by Megan FisherImage 18 of 32
The run down canteen which president Craig Thompson says is always on the edge of losing its food-handling licence. Photo by Megan FisherImage 19 of 32
The umpires room at the Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club. Photo by Megan FisherImage 20 of 32
The run down netball facilities at Murchison-Toolamba. Photo by Megan FisherImage 21 of 32
Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club’s Craig Thompson looks out over the ground. Photo by Megan FisherImage 22 of 32
The netball change room and shower at Murchison Recreation Reserve. Photo by Megan FisherImage 23 of 32
Craig Thompson inside the Murchison-Toolamba football clubrooms. Photo by Megan FisherImage 24 of 32
The trainers' room at Murchison-Toolamba. Photo by Megan FisherImage 25 of 32
Grass sprouting through the cracks at Murchison. Photo by Megan FisherImage 26 of 32
The Murchison-Toolamba clubrooms. Photo by Megan FisherImage 27 of 32
Craig Thompson sitting on the bench which is breaking away from the wall in the away rooms at Murchison Recreation Reserve. Photo by Megan FisherImage 28 of 32
The netball storage space. Photo by Megan FisherImage 29 of 32
The canteen at the Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club Photo by Megan FisherImage 30 of 32
The clubrooms at the Murchison-Toolamba netball club. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 31 of 32
The facilities at the Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club, which president Craig Thompson called not fit for purpose. He's calling for help from the local council to upgrade the buildings and netball court. Photo by Megan FisherImage 32 of 32
The facilities at the Murchison-Toolamba Football Netball Club, which president Craig Thompson called not fit for purpose. He's calling for help from the council to upgrade the buildings. Photo by Megan FisherMr Thompson said there had been contact from AFL Goulburn Murray and AFL Victoria, who said there was potentially money for the club to tap into, while they could also provide assistance in applying for grants.
State Member for Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe, State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland and Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell had all contacted the minister for sport on the club’s behalf.
However, Mr Thompson said the club would keep fighting to have its facilities upgraded.