When Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court purchased the South Sydney Rabbitohs, it marked a new phase of redevelopment for Redfern Oval. With a $20 million investment in Redfern Park and the neighboring oval, the updated facilities have dramatically transformed the face of Redfern Street.
While the high-powered pair's purchase of the football club attracted a high level of speculation and more than a touch of criticism. In a nod to the Rugby League vanguard, there are portraits of former players lining the walls.
According to Russell Crowe, "We have been, from the moment we've come in, about emphasising the traditions of the club."
Nonetheless, there are a variety of innovations, realizing Holmes a Court and Russell's vision for a more community-focused park and oval. With new training facilities for both local teams and the
South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club. With a new kiosk, lights, park furniture, and a children's playground, the oval and park have tried to embrace a degree of community spirit.
The home of the South Sydney Rabbitohs,
Redfern Oval is located between Redfern Street and Chalmer Street. Apart from the sporting facilities, the oval has a
medium-sized function room, suitable for "private functions, community meetings, recreation classes, rehearsals, seminars and training sessions". The community room has a capacity of 100 people.
Redfern Oval itself once had a capacity of 20,000 and in 1987, during the Souths Sydney vs Manly-Warringah NRL match, a record crowd of 23,257 was drawn. Nonetheless, after the renovations, today the oval has a more realistic capacity of 8,000.
