Pratten Park

Pratten Park

File:PrattenParkClarkebatting.jpg Michael Clarke batting at Pratten Park 2012
Location	Ashfield, New South Wales
Surface	Grass
Opened	12 September 1912
Tenants
Western Suburbs Magpies (NSWRL) (1912-1914; 1920-1941; 1943-1967) 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 Park is best known as the original home of the Western Suburbs Magpies rugby league team, who played there from 1912 to 1966, before moving west to Lidcombe Oval.

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