Kogarah Oval | |
Full name | University of Wollongong Jubilee Oval |
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Former names | WIN Jubilee Oval OKI Jubilee Stadium Kogarah Park Kogarah Jubilee Oval |
Location | Sydney, Australia |
Coordinates | 33°58′19″S 151°7′45″E / 33.97194°S 151.12917°ECoordinates: 33°58′19″S 151°7′45″E / 33.97194°S 151.12917°E |
Owner | Kogarah Council |
Operator | Kogarah Council |
Capacity | 20,500 (present) |
Record attendance | 23,582 - St George vs South Sydney, 1975 |
Surface | Grass |
Opened | 1936 |
Tenants | |
St. George Dragons (NSWRL/ARL/NRL) (1936, 1950–1985, 1989–1998) St. George Illawarra Dragons (NRL) (1999, 2003–2007, 2009–present) Sydney Olympic FC (NSL) (2003–2004) |
UOW Jubilee Oval, also known as Kogarah Oval, is a multipurpose stadium in Carlton, Sydney, Australia. The stadium is primarily used for rugby league and is the home of National Rugby League (NRL) team St. George Illawarra Dragons. The oval has also hosted soccer matches, including hosting Sydney Olympic FC during the 2003–04 National Soccer League (NSL) season.
The ground hosted its first game of rugby league in March 1936 when the St. George Dragons were defeated by the Newtown Bluebags in an exhibition match. The stadium has undergone several constructions over the years and one is still being planned for the foreseeable future. The first official game was played on 22 April 1950 in which the Dragons lost 17-15 to South Sydney.
Jubilee Oval currently stands on part of the original grant of 87 acres (350,000 m2) awarded on 23 December 1853 to Archibald McNab. Edmund English purchased the grant on 23 May 1854 for around 400 pounds. It officially became known as Kogarah Park when it was acquired by the Department of Lands on 1 July 1896 and dedicated as the first public park in Kogarah. Control of the park was eventually passed to the Council of the Municipality of Kogarah on 29 August 1906.
During Kogarah’s Jubilee celebrations in 1935, Jubilee Oval was constructed in Kogarah Park.
The ground was closed from 1986 until the end of 1988 because of the construction of the new grandstand being built on the western side of the ground. During this time the Dragons played their home games at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1986 and 1987, while using Belmore Oval, the home of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, in 1988.