Ballarat right for AFL, says Richmond boss

RICHMOND president Gary March has backed a push to make Ballarat a regional AFL base.Mr March said the Tigers would be happy to play in Ballarat should the chance arise.Richmond Football Club hosted its third annual Eureka Game against North Melbourne at the MCG yesterday, promoting the core values of the 1854 Eureka Rebellion and the Australian workforce.The City of Ballarat backs the match to showcase everything the region has to offer."It's been a fantastic event to be involved in the past three years and to highlight Ballarat's push to playing an AFL game as a second regional area (after Geelong)," Mr March said."Ballarat is a great growth area."It's good to have that association Ballarat has with North Melbourne and for us to be involved in that."Ballarat mayor Judy Verlin, a guest at the Richmond president's function yesterday, said it was a big step to have support of the Tigers' president in bringing AFL to Ballarat.She said the potential economic spin-off for the city could be huge."It's about us taking little steps in the right direction," Cr Verlin said."If at some stage a small AFL game, like a pre-season match, comes to Ballarat it will be a good boost across the economy with accommodation, food, catering, laundering required."Victorian Football League premier North Ballarat Roosters has a partial alignment with North Melbourne.North Melbourne has been working to strengthen community ties with the city as its regional base, holding summer training and an AFL pre-season challenge match at the Roosters' Eureka Stadium home base.Cr Verlin said a chance to promote Ballarat at the Eureka Game was two-fold - raise awareness of a potential relationship between the AFL and Ballarat; and, to tell the story of Eureka."It's a chance to promote Ballarat to an audience that wouldn't normally be exposed," Cr Verlin said."Tell the story of Eureka, but also show Ballarat is a great place to live and visit."Bringing AFL to Ballarat might be a long-term prospect, but Cr Verlin said a healthy partnership with North Melbourne and another successful Eureka Game were steps in the right direction.