Wests - What happened

[BeeEmmAre]

If your dimensions are correct Jonty, then one has to be wrong ... if that makes sense.

At both Purser and Blacktown the centre square is 50 x 50, unlike most in Sydney which are at 45 x 45m. In addition, the 50 m arcs are both true 50's at both grounds.

Therefore according to your above dimensions, the distance between the arc and the centre square at each end of Blacktown should be 5 metres longer than Bruce Purser. I assure you that is not the case which can be determined by looking at the TV coverage from both grounds.

At best, the difference in overall ground length (goal to goal) can only be that Purser is about 4m shorter than Blacktown.

Maybe someone can measure it on Google Earth one day when they both appear ....

I was, in fact, slightly wrong with the measurements, but not the length figure.
These are the official dimensions sent out by the league for the finals' venues.

Blacktown Olympic Park = 165m x 135m
Bruce Purser Reserve = 155m x 135m
Henson Park = 155m x 120m

However be it 10m or 4m, it doesn't change the argument that it is too minor to be a significant problem.

[Coastal Boy]

I was, in fact, slightly wrong with the measurements, but not the length figure.
These are the official dimensions sent out by the league for the finals' venues.

Blacktown Olympic Park = 165m x 135m
Bruce Purser Reserve = 155m x 135m
Henson Park = 155m x 120m

However be it 10m or 4m, it doesn't change the argument that it is too minor to be a significant problem.

IMO 10m is most significant. Consider the SCG is 13m shorter(to the best of my knowledge) than the MCG which most people would note is massive. The open expanses of Football Park in SA is only 5m longer and not as wide as the MCG. Every run you make is 5-10m longer.

[Carn the Lions]

I was, in fact, slightly wrong with the measurements, but not the length figure.
These are the official dimensions sent out by the league for the finals' venues.

Blacktown Olympic Park = 165m x 135m
Bruce Purser Reserve = 155m x 135m
Henson Park = 155m x 120m

However be it 10m or 4m, it doesn't change the argument that it is too minor to be a significant problem.

I think it is an issue - it will be the same reason that St Kilda is so dominant at Telstra Dome but on the bigger MCG will end up loosing the grand final.

More ground to cover, older legs will struggle and pace will be an issue.

I think the Eagles would prefer to play Easts and not Wests on the bigger ground

[tara]

St Kilda really struggled on the MCG last week.

[BeeEmmAre]

All fair points - but I would say the size issue is all psychological.
One bloke has to kick it 30m instead of 20m. Or you have to give one extra handball, or take one extra bounce. It's not much when you break it down.

[smif]

5.5.4 Correct Number and Request Without Merit Where a count reveals that the opposing Team has the permitted number of Players on the Playing Surface, the following shall apply:
(a) a field Umpire shall award a Free Kick to the captain or acting captain of the opposing Team, which shall be taken at the Centre Circle or where play was stopped, whichever is the greater penalty against the offending Team;
(b) a Fifty-Metre Penalty shall then be imposed from the position where the Free Kick was awarded; and
(c) if a field Umpire is of the opinion that a request was made under Law 5.5.1 primarily to delay play or such request did not have sufficient merit, the field Umpire shall report the Player who requested the count for Time Wasting under Law 19.2.2.

Free kicks were awarded to Wests accordingly, there was obviously some confusion surrounding it though with an extra player (who seemed to be around the interchange area then was ordered onto the field by the emergency umpire for the count, I think?) not being counted then leaving the field after the count.

hi i've just discovered RWO and was just going through all the threads. this same thing happened a couple of years ago for the club i play for what happened was,
the captain had to ask for a head count not a coach
then once it was found out the opposition had one more player on the field their score was wiped back to ZERO
then we got a free kick from the centre circle(to whoever)then a 50m penalty

just thought id share, it really is a funny thing when it happens as no one has a clue whats going on

cheers

[Norris Lurker]

It certainly is unusual, and you always know you've seen a sensational incident. In the last 6 seasons I've seen 4 counts at Premier Division level, resulting in 2 occasions where the scores were wiped. I've also seen it once in reserves, where the score was wiped.

What club do you play for smif?

[Coastal Boy]

All fair points - but I would say the size issue is all psychological.
One bloke has to kick it 30m instead of 20m. Or you have to give one extra handball, or take one extra bounce. It's not much when you break it down.

Psychological? I dont know one backman who liked playing on Monarch, or one forward who didnt enjoy the open spaces or one midfielder who wasnt keen on a 3 way swap.

[Pace To Burn]

Psychological? I dont know one backman who liked playing on Monarch, or one forward who didnt enjoy the open spaces or one midfielder who wasnt keen on a 3 way swap.

Only the ones that wernt fit . Def makes a diff. Our ground is the same size as the MCG and as you said nearly everyone says its massive. Just a quick heads up, the Council/Govt are doing a major upgrade this off season changing the ground direction/size etc and re-surfacing with a new irragation system. Will be slightly smaller

[BeeEmmAre]

True - but what exactly are the dimensions of Monarch (and MCG), and how did it come into calculations?
If you're considering Monarch, you also need to take into account the massive distance between the boundary line and the fence which makes it look even bigger than it is.

[tara]

True - but what exactly are the dimensions of Monarch (and MCG), and how did it come into calculations?
If you're considering Monarch, you also need to take into account the massive distance between the boundary line and the fence which makes it look even bigger than it is.

MCG = aprrox 160x141 (RFC) to 168x141(MCG) depending on where you look for info. The playing arean was reduced after the redevelopment a few years ago.

I know Rosedale is approximately 180*140 after measuring it from goal to goal and wing to wing this year and have to admit that Monarch looks a lot larger than that.

And yes Oscar your probably right about ground markings becuase I found Rosedale to have true 50meter arcs but only a 45 meter square (dont know what this was the case).

[smif]

It certainly is unusual, and you always know you've seen a sensational incident. In the last 6 seasons I've seen 4 counts at Premier Division level, resulting in 2 occasions where the scores were wiped. I've also seen it once in reserves, where the score was wiped.

What club do you play for smif?

i don't actually play in syd i play for killarney vale bombers in the bdafl..
but i am considering playing in syd next year as i work at epping but very undecided at the moment lol

[Coastal Boy]

True - but what exactly are the dimensions of Monarch (and MCG), and how did it come into calculations?
If you're considering Monarch, you also need to take into account the massive distance between the boundary line and the fence which makes it look even bigger than it is.

I mentioned Monarch to point out that the dimensions might not seem a lot more on paper but anyone who has played there knows how much bigger it is. Every extra 5m in width or length makes a noticeable change to a footballer playing on the ground. That's just a fact.

[ShortHalfHead]

Would have been very noticed by the Blues 18's when they could only field 15-16 players at home. No bench and the extra yardage would have been a killer.

[Pace To Burn]

True - but what exactly are the dimensions of Monarch (and MCG), and how did it come into calculations?
If you're considering Monarch, you also need to take into account the massive distance between the boundary line and the fence which makes it look even bigger than it is.

The gound is 185 mtrs long by 180 wide, but the league made us bring in the boundary lines by 5 mtrs a few years ago. The boundary is about 8- 10 mtrs in from the fence so it would be about 160 wide. Dont worry BEA its as big as it ####### looks. You only have to see when there is a boundary throw in, you dont have a player past the middle of the field