AN AFL oval launched in China with much fanfare and a $1.5 million investment has been sitting unused with a power pole in the field of play.

Melbourne City Council Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and two other councillors opened the oval in 2011, during an $18,000 ratepayer-funded trip to China, but since the launch the ground has sat idle.

At the time, the council said the oval was the result of a five-year collaboration between the City of Melbourne, AFL and Melbourne Football Club.

The council even enlisted Melbourne architect firm Thomson Perrett to design and deliver the oval.

In 2011, Melbourne Football Club chief executive Cameron Schwab said the club was excited about supporting a team in the Tianjin region — to be called the Demons.

Since then the growth of the game in the region has stalled — with the Tianjin Demons failing to be formalised.

media_camera Robert Doyle in Tianjin, launching what was meant to be the first purpose-built Aussie Rules oval in China.

The AFL turned to leagues in Shanghai, southern China and Hong Kong, leaving the ground dormant — other than the electricity surging through the power pole.

While Tianjin, a city of 14 million people, has boasted a couple of players in the AFL China team that played in the International Cup, it does not have a team of its own.

A council spokeswoman said there were plans to remove the pole in due course.

“During a business mission to China, we supported the launch of the oval with the AFL and Melbourne Football Club to promote the game and Melbourne to China and to encourage visitors,’’ she said.

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said the league did not contribute to the oval and does not have a presence in Tianjin.

Mr Keane said the AFL had a limited budget to help grow the game internationally.

A Melbourne Football Club spokesman said it had supplied local players with jumpers and some training gear.

“Aside from the opening of the ground, MFC hasn’t travelled to Tianjin and believes the ground was no longer in use due to the lack of AFL activity in Tianjin,” the spokesman said.

james.dowling2@news.com.au