Junction Oval stands tall to honour cricket great Warne
Brooke and Summer Warne were true to their Dad on Friday, arriving fashionably late and making a big entrance.
Along with their grandfather Keith, they were at Junction Oval in St Kilda to unveil the signage for the Shane Warne Stand.
Discussions had started about renaming the grandstand before Warne's death from a heart attack on March 4, two years ago.
His sudden death at just 52 was a seismic moment in world sport.
Warne revolutionised legspin bowling and is one of cricket's greatest players.
The boy from Black Rock, who rocked his blond tips, was a charismatic and often-controversial figure who lived a big life.
"It's typical of the Warnes - we wanted to make a great entrance," Keith said when his granddaughters arrived for the unveiling.
The renaming was done with the support of Fitzroy AFL great Kevin Murray, and the family of GP Newman.
The facility was originally named after Newman, and then Murray.
"It's so exciting ... it's just incredible," said Brooke, the eldest of Warne's three children.
"The sun's shining, so Dad clearly doesn't want to miss out. He's here in spirit.
"We're just so grateful. Emotions are high, but it's a really special feeling today."
A magic morning at the CitiPower Centre as we hosted Keith, Summer and Brooke to officially unveil the newly named Shane Warne Stand.
If you are in the area come and watch the cricket - Maxwell, Short, Harris, Handscomb, Murphy, Sutherland etc v a stacked NSW side! pic.twitter.com/YLSVRFZpb0— Nick Cummins (@CricketVicCEO) October 25, 2024
Keith, Brooke and Summer represented Warne's family at the unveiling, which was held before the Victoria-NSW one-day game.
Warne was recruited to the St Kilda Cricket Club and Junction Oval was where he served much of his apprenticeship in the game before being picked for Victoria.
Keith said he hoped Warne's name would inspire current players.
"It was a big part of his life - it's where his senior cricket really launched from. It had a huge bearing on his senior career," Keith said in his speech.
"They (players) know how he played the game - it was all attack, he never really defended.
"I pinch myself ... he's still my son Shane."
The stand is the latest of several official commemorations honouring Warne, most notably a grandstand at the MCG.
"It's quite special - it's also quite sad, at the same time, that Dad can't be here to see all the amazing things," Brooke said.
"But everything has happened because of what he's done, and the incredible legacy and the incredible inspiration he was to so many.
"He so deserves every bit of it, and more."
There's also an exhibition at Junction Oval of memorabilia from Warne's career.
