As we race towards the finishing line, I took our famous supporter Margie Gill - the lady we always see wearing her scarf, big sunnies and regulation teal parka - to the ground for a tour with our general manager of member services Matt Richardson.
It was fantastic to see the new-look Oval as it approaches completion. For those who went to the ground during the cricket season, you'll have some idea of what I mean.
But in contrast to many of us who went to the cricket, this tour offered the opportunity to observe the ground from every available angle (access to the Eastern Stand isn't possible just yet) and this will truly be a wonderful experience for football supporters.
While I'll be lucky enough to sit in the media centre with the rest of the portadelaidefc.com.au team, our Essential Power and premium-grade season ticket holders will be treated to unreal views from the stands on the wings.
The perspective is something to behold; you can see practically the entire playing field from your seat in a way Football Park really couldn't match.
For those who've purchased seats in the Riverbank Stand at the southern end of the ground, you too will have great views - far better than what was possible at West Lakes.
Even the upper levels of the Riverbank Stand offer views like you've never seen - those who went to the Ashes or any of the domestic cricket fixtures will know exactly what the view is like if they sat there.
Imagine 36 blokes running around the field and you can picture what an AFL game will look like!
Port Adelaide's corporate facilities, particularly its premium facility 'One', offer equally as impressive views and the hospitality to match. That's one thing I won't be getting in the media centre!
And then there's the ambience.
As you walk around the bows of the Oval, you're greeted with a cavern of escalators, heritage brickwork, and history.
Port Adelaide's corporate facilities, particularly its premium facility 'One', offer equally as impressive views and the hospitality to match. That's one thing I won't be getting in the media centre!
And then there's the ambience.
As you walk around the bows of the Oval, you're greeted with a cavern of escalators, heritage brickwork, and history.
It comes close to that which you can experience at the MCG and is certainly something to take the time to absorb when you're there.
The Bradman Collection and the trophies dotted around various floors of the stadium offer something fantastic to explore and observe.
The views from the back of the Riverbank Stand - whether you're in the expansive function areas or the outdoor area which forms part of the Peter Carey Bar - are magnificent.
The Bradman Collection and the trophies dotted around various floors of the stadium offer something fantastic to explore and observe.
The views from the back of the Riverbank Stand - whether you're in the expansive function areas or the outdoor area which forms part of the Peter Carey Bar - are magnificent.
It's Adelaide like you've never seen it before, and certainly something you can't match anywhere else in the city (barring standing atop a very large building... or Mount Lofty).
What an experience, and it's now less than a month away, so make sure you secure your place at the Adelaide Oval for the historic first Showdown against the Crows on Saturday March 29 - it's a twilight game, it will finish with the lights on, and it's going to be the biggest game this city has ever seen (short of any of those classic grand finals featuring Port Adelaide back in the day).
You can get your 11-game reserved seat or Essential Power membership at weareportadelaide.com.au here.
So without further adieu, here's Margie's tour of our new home ground...
We entered through the South Gate. It's a grand looking entrance to the ground with two long ticket sales areas close by. Out of shot is the southern plaza which looks fantastic walking across War Memorial Drive, a great way to enter the Oval from the new bridge.
History, unsurprisingly is important to the Port Adelaide Football Club and it will be recognised as part of a broader football museum facility at the new Oval. Here Margie looks at an Adelaide Oval historic display including a prison bar guernsey (above) and a display of significant cricket games and state football (below).
What an experience, and it's now less than a month away, so make sure you secure your place at the Adelaide Oval for the historic first Showdown against the Crows on Saturday March 29 - it's a twilight game, it will finish with the lights on, and it's going to be the biggest game this city has ever seen (short of any of those classic grand finals featuring Port Adelaide back in the day).
You can get your 11-game reserved seat or Essential Power membership at weareportadelaide.com.au here.
So without further adieu, here's Margie's tour of our new home ground...
We entered through the South Gate. It's a grand looking entrance to the ground with two long ticket sales areas close by. Out of shot is the southern plaza which looks fantastic walking across War Memorial Drive, a great way to enter the Oval from the new bridge.
History, unsurprisingly is important to the Port Adelaide Football Club and it will be recognised as part of a broader football museum facility at the new Oval. Here Margie looks at an Adelaide Oval historic display including a prison bar guernsey (above) and a display of significant cricket games and state football (below).
The view from the second level bar facilities of the Adelaide Oval's Riverbank Stand.
Margie checks out the view from the second level of the Riverbank Stand's Platinum seating.
Margie enjoys the views of the Oval from the club's premium hospitality suite - 'One' - which offers an angled perspective of the entire ground.
This the second-level function area in the Riverbank Stand. Port Adelaide will host functions in this suite including post-match events with the superb views of the river and city.
Here Margie observes the view from the top level Peter Carey Bar which includes the Adelaide Hills, CBD and Riverbank Precinct and west towards the coast.
What a view! Here Margie looks out across the Oval from the top level of the Riverbank Stand.
"This is my seat." Margie will be in full view of the boundary line camera here in her favourite position next to the Port Adelaide bench in the Sir Donald Bradman Stand. Notice the completely level view of the playing surface.
Stay tuned to portadelaidefc.com.au for more photos from our tour of the Adelaide Oval.
