Pratten Park
 Michael Clarke batting at Pratten Park 2012 | |
| Location | Ashfield, New South Wales |
|---|---|
| Operator | Inner West Council |
| Surface | Grass |
| Opened | 12 September 1912 |
| Tenants | |
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Western Suburbs Magpies (NSWRL) (1912-1914; 1920-1941; 1943-1967 1971-1973; 1977; 1985) Western Suburbs District Cricket Club (Sydney Grade Cricket) | |
Pratten Park is a sporting complex in the Sydney suburb of Ashfield. It was officially opened on 12 September 1912 by the then NSW state Governor Frederic Thesiger.
Pratten Park was named after Herbert Pratten a alderman and later Mayor of the Municipality of Ashfield. The first ever rugby league match to be played at Pratten Park was Western Suburbs against Annandale on 24 August 1912 in front of 500 people. Annandale won the match 15-6.
The Park is best known as the original home of the Western Suburbs Magpies rugby league team, who played there from 1912 to 1966 and then sporadically over the following 2 decades 1971-1973, 1977 and 1985. The final ever first grade rugby league match to be played at Pratten Park was on 18 August 1985 against Penrith. Penrith won the match 42-16, in total 353 first grade games were played at Pratten Park. [1]
Pratten Park has also hosted National Soccer League matches and was the home ground of Sydney Olympic FC for a brief period in the 1980s, the ground has also been used for lower league NSW Soccer matches.
The ground is still home to the Western Suburbs District Cricket Club, a club that has had Michael Clarke and Bob Simpson among its playing ranks over the years.
Facilities
Pratten Park is very simple in its facilities. There is a small grandstand in the north-western corner with the rest of the ground surrounded by grass hills. For several years the grandstand had fallen into disrepair and had been closed; but restoration work saw it re-opened in late 2007.
Highest Attendance
- 12,407 - For a 1964 New South Wales Rugby Football League season game between Western Suburbs and St George.
- 13,556 - For a Soccer game in 1984, Sydney Olympic v A.P.I.A Leichhardt
Sources
- Pratten Park at Austadiums
- www.westsmagpies.com.au
Coordinates: 33°53′35″S 151°7′23″E / 33.89306°S 151.12306°E