Junction Oval

The Junction Oval was a playing arena once used by the.

An anecdote from the Junction Oval re Hector the Reflector :

The Roys now play home matches at the Brunswick Street Oval, but this hadn't always been our home ground. We had previously been based at Brunswick Street Oval, and before that at the Junction Oval. As well as a few matches at the Brunswick Oval, we also sometimes set up games v the Swamprats to be played at Renown Park in Adelaide.

Our time at the Junction Oval bore many tales and myths, it was an old ground with much a-creaking of bleachers and ruours of phantoms in the rafters. One such story always caught the imagination of tourists: that of Hector The Reflector.

Hector was an old Roys fan who had a dirty secret. He was a bit of a voyeur and some would say he only frequented matches in order to get an eyeful of the home team's young dancing girl troupe : The Girlrillas. But this wasn't as much of a story as was his modus operandi.

Hector had on at least two occasions snuck into the changerooms the girls used, and removed one of the large wall mirrors that adorned the side wall. Behind it was an alcove in which he would dress up as his targetted dancing girl, complete with matching outfit, makeup and even a wig to replicate the appropriate hairstyle. Hector would then wait where the mirror used to be, and mimic the movements of the girl who stood in front of him.

It might seem far-fetched that he could pull this (among other things) off, but the starlets were exhausted from their routine during the half-time break and were most likely unable to pay close enough attention to not be fooled. Most of the dancing girls were forced into the tango trade after being encouraged into FitzroyRamone 's van on Junction Street where he and Roylion would watch for destitute daughters treading the maroon-light district of the ghetto. They often performed under medication and were housed in squalor - there was every likelihood that this ruse could be pulled off successfully. Hector would cop an eyeful of his prey as they changed in the room and ... well who knows where he took the information!

The realities of what had happened would dawn on the victim at a later hour as the drugs wore off, but by then Hector had disappeared. No-one knew truly who he was or where he was to be found (some say he was an uncle of current player Carn the Roys! but this has never been proven) - although his reference to himself as 'Hector' as you will read shortly suggested that was his name. So Hector escaped ... twice ... at least. For this prank, investigating police dubbed him 'Hector The Reflector'.

Sadly (or happily), Hector came to a grisly end one day, when attempting yet another mirror trick. He had set up his usual position in place of a mirror, when the girls came limping in after their performance. But this time accompanied by the constabulary, who were hoping to catch him in the act. That they did, but Hector reacted in panic, turned and attempted to run. There was no egress, and he clocked himself on the wall behind him. In hysteria - fearing capture, Hector turned again, and ran for the only exit - the place where he had removed the mirror. But having turned he was disoriented, and no longer knew which mirror had been removed. Instead of making for the opening, he launched himself at the back of the mirror adjacent, and hit it at a fair pace.

Hidden from view, the police could only hear the crash and the oof, ahhr **** - Hector, no unable, still a chance, Hector, can't break free, Hector's left-foot kick is a goal!. Carefully, they proceeded to the correct ex-mirror, climbed through, and found ... that Hector had vanished.

From that point onward to this day, that changeroom at the Junction Oval has been locked. The Girlrillas were disbanded and the members returned to the safety of their original life of prostitution. CM86, SuburbanMe and Grin are all believed to be triplets born to one of the scarlet ladies who once was regaled in some level of undress by the peeping tom. There are some who say she never fully recovered, sought a sex change, and assumed a new name with just a fleeting half-reference to the nickname of the team she once danced for. Possibly now playing at the Gumbies.

And somewhere among those mirrors, one is reported to contain the soul of Hector the Reflector.

So the next time you check yourself out in your mirror, be thankful that you're not at this old ground of the Roys. The reflection looking back at you, may very well not be as much you as you might think it might be.

(spooky music)