Telstra Paddock.

[ScottH]

Surface condition at Telstra on report

THE AFL will inspect the Telstra Stadium surface today to make sure its condition is good enough to host Saturday night's match between Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions.

Last Friday night leading league players, including the Bulldogs' Willie Mason and Brisbane's Shane Webcke, complained about the stadium's surface after their game, in which Bulldogs players Willie Tonga and Roy Asotasi sustained serious knee ligament injuries.

Terrific, just what we'd need going in to the finals.

[Pommie Swannie]

Same old story every time we head out to Telstra. It's starting to become a joke!

[wheels27]

Telstra Stadium, Telstra Dome...... I don't remember issues with the surface at Optus Oval or Vodafone Arena (OK that's indoor with no grass, but still), maybe we need to get one of those Indian Call Centres to change the AFL's phone provider.

[Boodnutz]

Originally posted by Pommie Swannie
Same old story every time we head out to Telstra. It's starting to become a joke!

Maybe Richard Hinds can take his undoubted skills to the story about why a major stadium that has very little traffic on it can be in such poor condition week after week.

[goswannie14]

IIRC the Rugby League boofheads also complained about the MCG surface when they played State of Origin there a few years ago.

[Boodnutz]

Originally posted by goswannie14
IIRC the Rugby League boofheads also complained about the MCG surface when they played State of Origin there a few years ago.

The MCG gets a lot more traffic than Homebush and is in better condition. RL morons would complain out of principle, regardless of how good the ground was.

[wheels27]

In fairness, IIRC the complaints when league is played on AFL grounds is usually that the surface is too hard, something that at that time was also an issue in AFL circles (thinking Sean Wren), the surface in this case is loose and shifting, like the dome was, no less serious, and probably would take more time to rectify.

Also I reckon the Telstra Stadium would almost have as much traffic as MCG, given average 2-3 games per weekend involving three grades + schoolboy matches (one of which cancelled last week due to the poor surface) This is a real issue, not "RL morons complaining on principle".

[Boodnutz]

Originally posted by wheels27
In fairness, IIRC the complaints when league is played on AFL grounds is usually that the surface is too hard, something that at that time was also an issue in AFL circles (thinking Sean Wren), the surface in this case is loose and shifting, like the dome was, no less serious, and probably would take more time to rectify.

Also I reckon the Telstra Stadium would almost have as much traffic as MCG, given average 2-3 games per weekend involving three grades + schoolboy matches (one of which cancelled last week due to the poor surface) This is a real issue, not "RL morons complaining on principle".

The simple question would be why are schoolboys and sub-grades playing in an 80,000 seat stadium? If I was a cynic (which I'm not) I'd say they need those other teams playing there to make up the numbers for a crowd in first grade. If Telstra Stadium let's it's surface be treated like a country paddock, it ends up looking like one.

[wheels27]

Originally posted by Boodnutz
The simple question would be why are schoolboys and sub-grades playing in an 80,000 seat stadium? If I was a cynic (which I'm not) I'd say they need those other teams playing there to make up the numbers for a crowd in first grade. If Telstra Stadium let's it's surface be treated like a country paddock, it ends up looking like one.

I guess the point would be that this amount of usage is fairly common and should not be too much for a world class stadium, but with proper management the surface should be acceptable.

Seeing the ground up close, it seems they are more concerned with colouring the bare patches green, so as to look good on TV, maybe they should have considered actually growing some grass on there.

Can any Melbournites tell us if the issues still arise at the Dome, if they have rectified their problems, maybe the management at Homebush need to find out what they did.

I reckon the game will be played there, but get set for some pretty ordinary footy, players losing their footing and a lot of "dead" bounces- very difficult to read.

[Pommie Swannie]

This is not exactly a new issue at TS this season, and yet for the 3rd time in 2006, there are concerns over the surface going into the game.

What is it going to take for some real, long-term solutions to be put in place - games to be cancelled???

[adnar]

Originally posted by Boodnutz
The simple question would be why are schoolboys and sub-grades playing in an 80,000 seat stadium? If I was a cynic (which I'm not) I'd say they need those other teams playing there to make up the numbers for a crowd in first grade. If Telstra Stadium let's it's surface be treated like a country paddock, it ends up looking like one.

The same reason swans reserves play there?

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by wheels27
ICan any Melbournites tell us if the issues still arise at the Dome, if they have rectified their problems, maybe the management at Homebush need to find out what they did.

I think I read that they systematically replace the grass at the Dome. Not sure where I read it though. You can see it planly when you are there. not sure about on tv though.

BTW the goal to goal line at the MCG is really showing signs of wear and tear at the moment. But I think they usually change the orientation of the ground (about the width of the goal square)come finals time.

[Sanecow]

Re: Testra Paddock.

Originally posted by ScottH
in which Bulldogs players Willie Tonga and Roy Asotasi sustained serious knee ligament injuries

Rocket must be spewing. Are those guys Irish?

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Originally posted by Boodnutz
The simple question would be why are schoolboys and sub-grades playing in an 80,000 seat stadium? If I was a cynic (which I'm not) I'd say they need those other teams playing there to make up the numbers for a crowd in first grade. If Telstra Stadium let's it's surface be treated like a country paddock, it ends up looking like one.

I can see what you are saying, but it is the culture of rugby league to have the reserves (ie Premier League) before First Grade. It used to be all three grades too, when they had President's Cup going around before the Reggies.

Personally I don't think that should be changed.

Why is it that walking out onto AAMI Stadium for example the grass is just amazingly smooth & lush, yet in Sydney we put up with splotchy patchy uneven surfaces, often with big tufts of grass here and there.

JF

[ScottH]

Originally posted by JF_Bay22_SCG
Why is it that walking out onto AAMI Stadium for example the grass is just amazingly smooth & lush, yet in Sydney we put up with splotchy patchy uneven surfaces, often with big tufts of grass here and there.

JF

How much use does AAMI get compared to TS?