Dandenong Thunder to enjoy $700,000 LED lighting upgrade at George Andrews Reserve

Dandenong Thunder lighting upgrade

Greater Dandenong Council and Dandenong Thunder have recently confirmed that works have commenced for new powerful lighting towers to be built at George Andrews Reserve.

The upgrade will cost $700,000 and is being jointly funded by Greater Dandenong Council ($500,000) and the State Government ($200,000) with a plan to improve the ground’s overall quality for both training and matches. They formerly had 200-lux LED towers and they will be replaced by 500-lux towers.

For the Greater Dandenong local council, the focus was to improve the facility for the community to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits through the increased amount of playable hours at the reserve.

Importantly, the project ensures that the Thunder have a ground that is up to professional competition and broadcast standards which means they can broadcast and host games that are viewed by a national audience, a huge step forward for the NPL Victoria club.

This broadcast upgrade also opens up the possibility to expand to national matches involving the Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City A-League women’s teams and an even more ambitious goal of hosting a Matildas game. The ground can easily hold 5000 people and the lighting and broadcasting standards will be fantastic after this upgrade.

Dandenong Thunder shared the positive implications this light upgrade has for the club.

“The new lights mean the club will be able to host a number of games, not only that but it’s a step forward to the clubs ambition to be part of the NSD (national second division),” a club spokesperson told Soccerscene.

“The support from local council has been nothing but fantastic, Dandenong want to be a sporting hub for the south east suburbs.

“With the FA cup we have seen A-League clubs play at local level clubs, having these new high powered lights we will be able to broadcast at a higher quality, no more yellow light broadcast.”

This news presents an exciting future for Dandenong Thunder and the matches played at George Andrews Reserve. The quality of training, matches and broadcasts has improved tenfold and it matches the size of the NPL Victoria side that have big ambitions.

Previous ArticleNext Article

Western United Teams Up with Rebuild Health and Performance

United Rebuild

Western United has welcomed Rebuild Health and Performance as the club’s Official Physiotherapy Partner for the 2025 Junior Boys National Premier League (JBNPL) season.

Through the partnership, Rebuild will form an integral role in Western United Junior Academy’s physical health and performance. For three nights a week, junior players will spend time with Rebuild physiotherapists at training, as well as on matchdays.

Additionally, junior players will receive 20% discounts off of physiotherapy services, and strength and conditioning gym memberships.

The Rebuild team will be led by sitting Western United Men’s strength coach Louis Mezza, and former Western United Woman’s Head of Performance George Mcheileh. Together they will work in tandem with Western United Academy staff and coaches to help care and develop Western United’s young talents safely.

Western United Academy Director, Anthony Frost detailed his optimism for partnering with Rebuild.

“We are excited by the prospect of working with the staff at Rebuild to help our players physical development and wellbeing in 2025. The quality of care and experience that Rebuild’s staff can provide ensures we are able to offer the very best to our Western United Academy players.

“What is so reassuring is that there is clear alignment between the club and Rebuild to ensure the we are recognised as one of the most progressive and effective football academies in the country.

“This partnership reinforces our commitment to our vision and will look forward to seeing our athletes flourish with Rebuild’s support.”

Director of Rebuild Health & Performance, George Mcheileh outlined what Rebuild would deliver to Western United as a part of the collaboration.

“A partnership opportunity with Western United Football Club to provide our services presents an exciting chance to enhance athlete wellness and physical development.

“By integrating specialized physiotherapy into the club’s training regimen, we can address injury prevention, rehabilitation, and overall physical conditioning. Our experienced physiotherapists would work closely with coaching staff to create tailored treatment plans, ensuring players receive the best care possible while optimizing their readiness for competition.

“This collaboration aligns with Western United’s vision of athlete development, and we are excited to give the Junior Academy players every opportunity to flourish and be successful.”

Through the partnership, Rebuild will receive prominent advertisement on the lower back of Junior Academy kits, in addition to game day LED signage across A-League Men’s and Woman’s home matches.

Optus Sport teams up with beIN SPORTS for live venue streaming

Optus Sport has announced an exciting partnership with beIN SPORTS, enabling commercial venues across Australia to stream premium live sports content from February 2025.

This collaboration allows pubs, clubs, and other venues to access beIN SPORTS’ top-tier coverage through Optus Sport Business’s streaming platform.

The deal significantly enhances Optus Sport’s content offerings, adding major leagues and tournaments such as LALIGA, Serie A, the Carabao Cup, the English Football League, and ATP & WTA Tennis.

With three dedicated beIN SPORTS channels integrated into the Optus Sport Business platform, fans can enjoy seamless access to world-class sporting action in public venues.

Building on the success of UEFA EURO 2024™ and its ongoing coverage of the Premier League, Optus Sport expects this collaboration to elevate the viewing experience, attract more visitors to venues, and create an unmatched atmosphere for sports fans across Australia.

Scott Davoren, Associate Director of Optus Sport Business spoke on the importance of delivering the Optus Sport experience across many venues.

“We are dedicated to helping commercial venues deliver world-class sports experiences, and partnering with beIN SPORTS is a huge step forward in achieving that goal,” Davoren mentioned in a press release.

“Football has been the essence of Optus Sport since 2016, and now, with beIN SPORTS as a venue partner in Australia, we’re privileged to bring an even wider array of live sport to our Optus Sport Business customers.”

John Armitage, Director, Distribution & Country Manager, Australia & New Zealand beIN SPORTS shared the same excited sentiment about the interesting deal.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Optus Sport to bring our premium sports content to commercial venues across Australia,” Armitage said in a press release.

“We understand that the fragmentation of sports rights in this market can be challenging for venues. Through this partnership, we are providing a streamlined, centralised solution-that makes it easier for venues to offer more live sport to their patrons.

“By prioritising the fan experience, we’re ensuring that football and tennis enthusiasts can enjoy unforgettable moments together in their favourite venues. With Optus Sport, we look forward to enhancing -in-venue experiences and drive increased foot traffic into our venue partners.”

This partnership addresses a common challenge for commercial venues: navigating fragmented sports rights across multiple providers.

By consolidating premium sports content, Optus Sport and beIN SPORTS aim to simplify access and deliver a unified sports experience for patrons which will benefit all Australian sport fans.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend