Oh Mr. Sprinkler, Mr. Sprinkler

[floppinab]

Those of you at the ground may have missed it but there was a bit of furore before the match with the sprinklers at SA being turned on at around 4 pm. Sat. afternoon (10 actually had footage of them on), an insane decision given the importance of the match.

Was no doubt a contributor to the amount of sliding around going on.

[Glenn]

Hmmm I was wondering about the amount of slipping, I just put it down to the dew on the grass, makes you wonder why the hell they watered the grass at 4pm

[Go Swannies]

Ch 10 said they were told it was for the rugby games coming up soon. Brisbane thought it was to give the Swans a homeground advantage - or that's what Leigh sorta suggested. He obviously didn't see our last game there in the rain.

[Schneidergirl]

Originally posted by Go Swannies
Brisbane thought it was to give the Swans a homeground advantage - or that's what Leigh sorta suggested. He obviously didn't see our last game there in the rain.

HA Too true! Anyone who thought Sydney like playing in the rain, has another thing coming!

[ugg]

It was the first thing noticed when we went on the ground for the kick to kick. It was just unbelievably slippery and certainly explained a couple of slips at crucial times. Correct me if I'm wrong but isnt the only the RL grand final that is played there.

[Go Swannies]

Rugby Union world cup I presumed.

[barry]

Originally posted by Go Swannies
Rugby Union world cup I presumed.

Surely they could have waited 6 hours till after the game.

I noticed it was very slipery at kick to kick afterwards too.

[swansrock4eva]

I got into the ground around 2:30 (special CS privileges ) and the sprinklers were on abt 3pm and abt 4pm again. walking on the ground was slippery and mushy underfoot so hopefully the AFL will be having a word to SA at the appropriate times next year!

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by ugg
It was the first thing noticed when we went on the ground for the kick to kick. It was just unbelievably slippery and certainly explained a couple of slips at crucial times. Correct me if I'm wrong but isnt the only the RL grand final that is played there.

One of the NRL preliminary finals will be at SA (Penrith v Warriors on Sunday), + the Grand final, and then of course RWC games. Apparently the SA people compromised by cutting the grass shorter than they normally do.

Still very silly - why couldn't they have just turned the sprinklers on AFTER the kick-to-kick finished???

[sharpie]

This made me so angry when I heard this last night. What is the point of a home-ground advantage if the ground is not going to be in a good condition for the home team? All season we have been found wanting in wet conditions, and it may as well have been bucketing down. While it probably really didn't have anything to do with the result (but it might have), it just seems like such a stupid thing to do. And on a dry ground, that 90 metre kick from McGrath(?) probably wouldn't have skidded over the line. Just one example, not to mention all the slipping, ala Leppitsch and Lynch. Geez, something just isn't right.

[Rizzo]

Any idiot knows it's better to water at night anyway. The groundsmen probably wanted to knock off for a few beers before the match...

[j s]

Originally posted by Mike_B
Still very silly - why couldn't they have just turned the sprinklers on AFTER the kick-to-kick finished???

It would have got the crowd off the ground a lot quicker!!

[peterh_oz]

Originally posted by Rizzo
Any idiot knows it's better to water at night anyway. The groundsmen probably wanted to knock off for a few beers before the match...

They usually water before Rugby games cos those boofs keep falling over & the ground hurts their no-necks when the land on it! They don't realise that we RUN and STAND like more advanced creatures (ie NON-rugby).

On that ... Has anyone still got a t-shirt I saw YEARS ago ... The EVolution of football. Picctures from Neanderthal Man to Modern Man (stooped to Standing) ... Soccer ... Rugby League ... Rugby Union ... Australian Rules. Very 80's but very funny!

Finally ... Overheard on security radio system on Wed prior to Prelim (while filming Fan Zone @ Stad Aus) ... "Gate - there is a Matthew Nicks here asking to be let in. Says he's something to do with the Swans training. Can we verify that - who @ the Swans do I call to verify?" Yes I'm serious!

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by Go Swannies
Ch 10 said they were told it was for the rugby games coming up soon. Brisbane thought it was to give the Swans a homeground advantage - or that's what Leigh sorta suggested. He obviously didn't see our last game there in the rain.

What is it with the Lions and the sprinklers going off. Didn't they go off a few years ago during the middle of a match against them?

Maybe the curators thought they were used to the heated, so they'd give the Queenslander a bit of a chill.

JF