The Sturt Football Club, whom Peter Motley so grandly represented before joining Carlton almost 30 years ago, has announced that its home ground Unley Oval will this season be named Peter Motley Oval.



A member of Sturt’s Team of the Century, Peter Motley represented the Double Blues in 92 league games between 1982 and ’85, during which time he earned the club’s best and fairest awards of 1984 and 1985.



He also represented South Australia on six occasions, winning the Fos Williams Medal in 1985 and All-Australian status in the same year.



Joining Carlton with Craig Bradley and Stephen Kernahan as part of the much-heralded South Australian triumvirate, Motley represented the Blues in 19 senior matches until 1987, when his on-field career was cruelly cut short following a serious vehicle accident in Clifton Hill.



Kernahan, the dual Carlton Premiership captain who crossed paths with Motley in the old SANFL days, hailed Sturt’s decision to so honour his former Carlton teammate.



Peter Motley played 19 games for the Blues. (Photo: Carlton Football Club)



“We (Glenelg) didn’t play there (Unley Oval) a lot. We used to play Sturt at Footy park or Adelaide Oval, but Peter Motley was strutting his stuff there in those times that’s for sure,” Kernahan said.



Unley Oval was renamed Envestra Park in 2013 when natural gas distribution company Envestra Ltd committed as a club sponsor. The company, which underwent a name change last October to Australian Gas Networks Ltd, has since resolved that its community sponsorship be recognised in 2015 through a significant figure in the club’s history.



Australian Gas Networks Acting Chief Executive Officer Des Petherick said the company, which has its roots in South Australia A back to the 1860s, is delighted to extend its partnership with the club.



“Australian Gas Networks is pleased to pick up where Envestra left off and continue our great partnership with the Sturt Football Club,” he said.



“We thought long and hard about the oval name with ‘Australian Gas Networks’ and ‘Natural Gas’ a couple of obvious choices, but in the end agreed that paying tribute to a club legend was appropriate, and a clear demonstration of our community support. As Sturt’s number one ticket holder and a champion of the game during his brief football career, Peter Motley was deemed an outstanding choice.”



Sturt Football Club General Manager – Business Sue Dewing concurred.



“Peter Motley is a much loved figure not only in Sturt circles, but across South Australia and nationally, so we’re pleased to name our beloved oval after him in conjunction with Australian Gas Networks,” she said.