The surface at Homebush

[connolly]

It has gotten worse and worse because there are now several NRL clubs playing home games there. Souths and Canterbury play all of theirs there and the Dragons, Tigers and even Eels play some of their home fixtures there too. This year they have also added an U20s Cup that has matches on prior to First Grade as curtain raisers, thus doubling the amount of use on each match day.

ANZ Stadium (or the NRL - not sure who) pays the clubs to play games there even though noone is going to watch them so they aren't going to give them up. Add the odd rugby union test on as well and it's clear just how much use the ground is getting. As has already been mentioned, the rugby codes use longer grass than AFL or soccer, for softness of landing on being tackled I assume, so that makes it worse in terms of chewing up turf.

The other major issue is that with the fences being retractable, the grass on the boundary (at least on the eastern side - not sure about the other side) is covered by the stands and other equipment during matchers using the rectangular configuration so the grass over there is getting no purchase or chance to regrow. You could actually see the track marks down the ground on Saturday from the mobile camera tracks that were there for either the Aus v France test or the NSW v Qld game.

Soccer would be a tenant to share with as they prefer short grass and a decent pitch as well. The surface for the Aus v China game was an absolute disgrace as well. Had that been a live qualifier we'd have heard a LOT more about it.

Playing more day games out there would help, but despite the fact that most of us would prefer it, it's never gonna happen.

The AFL priorities are:

1. Money
2. Lots more money
3. Drowning in the filthy stuff
.
.














125. Player safety

[Doctor]

It has gotten worse and worse because there are now several NRL clubs playing home games there. Souths and Canterbury play all of theirs there and the Dragons, Tigers and even Eels play some of their home fixtures there too. This year they have also added an U20s Cup that has matches on prior to First Grade as curtain raisers, thus doubling the amount of use on each match day.

ANZ Stadium (or the NRL - not sure who) pays the clubs to play games there even though noone is going to watch them so they aren't going to give them up. Add the odd rugby union test on as well and it's clear just how much use the ground is getting. As has already been mentioned, the rugby codes use longer grass than AFL or soccer, for softness of landing on being tackled I assume, so that makes it worse in terms of chewing up turf.

The other major issue is that with the fences being retractable, the grass on the boundary (at least on the eastern side - not sure about the other side) is covered by the stands and other equipment during matchers using the rectangular configuration so the grass over there is getting no purchase or chance to regrow. You could actually see the track marks down the ground on Saturday from the mobile camera tracks that were there for either the Aus v France test or the NSW v Qld game.

Soccer would be a tenant to share with as they prefer short grass and a decent pitch as well. The surface for the Aus v China game was an absolute disgrace as well. Had that been a live qualifier we'd have heard a LOT more about it.

Playing more day games out there would help, but despite the fact that most of us would prefer it, it's never gonna happen.

[Lucky Knickers]

That made me laugh Hammo as the OTC episode following that game had Walls in paroxysms over how sure he was on it (knee) IIRC.

[hammo]

The lovely Tom Harley just said he doesn't want to play on it. He's right - what is going to happen when there is a second team and a game on in possibly every week.

Interesting that they made special mention of Malceski as well, although I think referring to the Essendon game. Hopefully his appearing lame can be put down to the shifting surface and not new problems with the knee.

[573v30]

The lovely Tom Harley just said he doesn't want to play on it. He's right - what is going to happen when there is a second team and a game on in possibly every week.

It all depends on what happens to NRL fixtures, if the NRL is still around by the time West Sydney Westies becomes an AFL team.

[Lucky Knickers]

The lovely Tom Harley just said he doesn't want to play on it. He's right - what is going to happen when there is a second team and a game on in possibly every week.

[stellation]

Pies having a few words about it, rightly so too.

[stellation]

I've actually bothered to come into the office this morning (I can see your place from here Wardy- wave!) and I've already copped it for the Swans being crap and also how ugly the ground looked. A Victorian getting into me and pointing out that when there is a big game at the G they make sure the grass looks bewdiful.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Surface was disgusting.

Not to AFL standard at all, I'm surprised there was no serious injury's. Add to that, it could be a reason why Melco was so off, I know if I had any doubt over my knees I would not be going pull rate on that surface.

(On another note, went to a function at telstra dome today, absolute cracker, as there was no game on, they had heat lamps and artificial lighting on Mobile platforms all over the ground to grow grass. Thats world class!)

I see those things in the middle of Telstra Dome when I walk past the ground on my way home. They obviously work, as the surface at the Dome is top notch these days.

JF

[ernie koala]

It is ,IMO, an inferior ground to the SCG in every way. What a pathetic excuse for an AFL playing surface, in perfect conditions. At the very least they should of got the victa out.

[Bob Neil]

Money rules the AFL so the sub-standard surface was cleared for play. The AFL grounds manager Jill Lindsay who is to ground risk management what Errol Flynn was to women again confidently gave it the all clear. This is the manager who forgot to give the club a ring before the 2005 final at the SCG that the ground had been watered to condition of a chinese rice paddy field and failed to notice danagerous fencing that broke Big Barry's wrist this year. More incompetence and greed from Vlad and the boys (and girls)

When was the last time a seniors game was moved due to ground condition?
'Twas a patchwork quilt on TV - must of had some serious work done on it, for a reason. However, Pie's played on the same surface....

Heat lamps & lights at Telstra Dome - now there's a carbon footprint!

[connolly]

Surface was disgusting.

Not to AFL standard at all, I'm surprised there was no serious injury's. Add to that, it could be a reason why Melco was so off, I know if I had any doubt over my knees I would not be going pull rate on that surface.

Money rules the AFL so the sub-standard surface was cleared for play. The AFL grounds manager Jill Lindsay who is to ground risk management what Errol Flynn was to women again confidently gave it the all clear. This is the manager who forgot to give the club a ring before the 2005 final at the SCG that the ground had been watered to condition of a chinese rice paddy field and failed to notice danagerous fencing that broke Big Barry's wrist this year. More incompetence and greed from Vlad and the boys (and girls)

[liz]

Possibly because in the seniors the intensity is higher, they go in quicker and later in the night a bit more dew sits on the ground, but the reserves never appear to have quite the same degree of problems as the seniors. I don't know how much the early game affects the surface, but I suspect they may go down the route of canning the early game if the outcry over the surface continues.

I remember the early game was transferred to the SCG before the Pie match last year, can't remember the reason, but they may do it again.

Obviously I hope not, it's a pain in the butt having to go to the SCG to watch the 2's and then go to Homebush for the seniors, where my favourite seats will no doubt be already taken

Dew would have something to do with the difference. It was a moderately warm winter's day yesterday but the temperature dropped significantly soon after the senior game started.

And the transfer of the reserves game last year was because they played the NSW vs NT U18 game as a warm-up instead of the Swans reserves.

[matthew]

ANZ stadium is not ideal for AFL, the swans don't play there as well as the SCG

[ash3]

Surface was disgusting.

Not to AFL standard at all, I'm surprised there was no serious injury's. Add to that, it could be a reason why Melco was so off, I know if I had any doubt over my knees I would not be going pull rate on that surface.

(On another note, went to a function at telstra dome today, absolute cracker, as there was no game on, they had heat lamps and artificial lighting on Mobile platforms all over the ground to grow grass. Thats world class!)