'Shane Warne Stand' Unveiled at Junction Oval

Cricket Victoria and St Kilda Cricket Club have named one of the historic grandstands at Melbourne's Junction Oval after legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne. This tribute honors Warne’s contributions to Victoria and his club team, St Kilda.

The renaming process for this stand, which was built in 1925, began well before Warne’s passing in March 2022. Previously, the stand bore the name of Australian rules footballer Kevin Murray, who has supported the change. Kevin Murray's name now adorns a stand at Brunswick Street Oval in Fitzroy, located in northern Melbourne.

 

 

 

 

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Following Warne’s passing, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) named its southern stand after him, but renaming the heritage-listed stand on the western side of Junction Oval took significantly longer.

Warne’s father, Keith, and his two daughters, Summer and Brooke, attended the unveiling event, which took place before a One-Day Cup match between Victoria and New South Wales at Junction Oval. Australian Test captain Pat Cummins, along with players like Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell, attended the ceremony. Some of Warne’s former teammates from Australia, Victoria, and St Kilda also joined the event.

Cricket Victoria has also opened a Shane Warne exhibition in the foyer of their administration and high-performance center at the northern end of the ground. The exhibition, featuring memorabilia from Warne’s career, much of it provided by his father, is open to the public.

At the unveiling ceremony, Keith Warne said, “Today is a very special and proud day for the Warne family. Naming the Shane Warne Stand here at Junction Oval is a wonderful tribute to Shane, and we know he would be honored by such recognition.”

"In February 1991, he made his first-class debut here at Junction Oval, playing for Victoria against Western Australia. Some of Shane’s most memorable early moments were with his beloved St Kilda, especially when matches were held here at the Junction Oval. Having a stand here named after him would have filled Shane with pride, and the lasting connection with St Kilda Cricket Club and Junction Oval would have delighted him. On behalf of our family, I’d like to thank Cricket Victoria and St Kilda Cricket Club for this remarkable tribute that honors Shane’s incredible legacy.”