$80k to light up Ellem Oval

Grafton Tigers in action against the South Coffs Swans at Ellem Oval last season.

Lynne Mowbray

AFTER claiming its historic premiership win last year, the Grafton Tigers Aussie rules club is going from strength to strength.

And its success is about to benefit the whole sporting community.

With the help of the deep pockets of the Australian Football League, the Tigers' home ground of Ellem Oval is about to undergo further improvements, with plans to add lights to the field, allowing for night matches.

"The AFL has chipped in $80,000 for the lights, with the other half to be matched by the Clarence Valley Council,'' Tigers secretary James Hourigan said.

"In total, the AFL have provided $140,000 in funding for our club, with the remainder to be used for developing the game in our region."

The windfall will also benefit the local cricket association, which already plays Monday night matches at McKittrick Park during the summer.

The addition of lights at Ellem Oval could also lead to night-time Australian rules matches being played in the future, Hourigan says.

"Initially, the lights will put out 100 lux, but the poles are being constructed so that we have the capacity to upgrade that to 200 lux in the future,'' he said.

"We can certainly play night footy matches under 100 lux, with our yellow ball, and I'm sure the cricketers will be keen to extend their night competition too.''

With the light towers already erected, the lights should be on at Ellem Oval prior to the start of the North Coast Australian rules season in mid-April.

"We're not 100 per cent sure on exactly when they'll go on, as we are waiting for a new transformer to be installed at the ground so we have enough power to run them,'' Hourigan said.

"Once the electricity company is finished, it should be all systems go and we can begin training under lights at Ellem.''

The Tigers have already begun their preparations for the premiership defence, with a couple of pre-Christmas training sessions, according to club president Warren Bagnall.

"Our team is looking pretty good.

"We have only lost one or two of our premiership team from last year and should be very competitive again this year,'' Bagnall said.

"We begin training again on Wednesday night at 6pm at Ellem Oval, and new players are always welcome to come along.''