SOCCER
FALCONS 2000
By SEBASTIAN HASSETT
HAILED as the “best regional soccer facility in Australia”, the reopening of the redeveloped Gippsland Sports and Entertainment Park (GSEP) heralds a new era for the world game in the Latrobe Valley.
The $40-million redevelopment was officially celebrated on Friday by representatives from the state government, Development Victoria, Latrobe City Council, Football Victoria and the venue’s primary tenant for the past 45 years, Falcons 2000.
While final works are still ongoing, the facility will be ready for use before the end of the year, barely 18 months since renovations commenced.
The venue has known many names – ranging from Crinigan Road Reserve, Falcons Park, Mobil Park to Latrobe City Stadium and now GSEP – since it was first opened in 1981, but the affection locals have for the facility has never wavered.
“This is the single most important sporting facility east of Melbourne and it’s a credit to the state government and Latrobe City Council that they have invested in such a way that ensures the future of the site,” Falcons president Tony Salvatore said.
“What we now have is a facility that gives us the opportunity to grow as a club and make the most of everything it has to offer.
“Our vision is to deliver outstanding programs for men, women, boys and girls, and to build a club that is active every week, bringing people together and engaging all parts of our community.
“As the custodians of this venue, we are inheriting a big responsibility. Morwell has been hit by some tough times and we want to build a club that can make everyone proud. We want to work with the council, state government and local business to get this town moving again.”
While the iconic clubrooms and the legendary, barrel-roofed Don Di Fabrizio grandstand (opened in 1994) are no more, in its place is a facility that meets the needs of grassroots right through to high performance.
No longer is GSEP a solitary pitch with a collection of unkempt fields at the rear; there are now five premium pitches – two synthetic and three natural turf – which Latrobe City Council has promised to maintain to elite standards.
The main pitch will now be in the ‘middle’ of the precinct, surrounded by the four other pitches. As a result, the new Don Di Fabrizio grandstand will now face east, which might take some getting used to for those familiar with the site.
However, the old stadium field – which has hosted the Olyroos, international clubs from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea and China, the Victorian state side, nine seasons of NSL football and one-off A-League matches – will remain, aided by new seating.
GSEP will also be used by the junior boys team of Gippsland United, who are based in Warragul but are planning to play a selection of their matches at the new facility.
“We certainly welcome Gippsland United to the facility and hope there’s some natural opportunities for collaboration, particularly in coaching, player pathways and junior development,” Salvatore said.
Plans are well underway for how the facility will be utilised, with discussions already being tabled around hosting marquee NPL fixtures and the possibility of A-League Men’s and Women’s matches in future years.
GSEP’s first big test will come on July 3-5, 2027 when it hosts the Football Victoria Country Championships.
“The 2027 Country Championships will bring an estimated 4000 people to Morwell, including 70-odd teams and 1200 direct participants, making it one of the region’s biggest economic events,” Football Victoria Regional Development Coordinator Gippsland, Jackson Landy said.
“We’ll look to bring a number of significant FV matches and events to the facility, whilst GSEP will also be home to the region’s referee development and coaching courses.”
But it’s GSEP’s anchor tenant who plans to make the biggest splash as they return to the venue once carved out of rural farmland when it was first proposed as a site for soccer way back in 1975.
“For the past couple of years, everyone at Falcons has always had this day in mind, and that’s why we’ve been targeting young talent that we can grow the club around for the future,” Salvatore said.
“We set ourselves a high bar each year – to compete for titles in the men’s and women’s competitions – and we won’t apologise for recruiting ambitiously. We want to start preseason as soon as they give us the keys.
“Longer term, this facility allows us to build out our vision of what this club can be. Our goal is to have the best junior development system in the region, led by the best coaches. We’ll certainly have the best facility; it’s arguably the best in regional Australia. This really will be our field of dreams.”
