The surface at Homebush

[stellation]

Looked absolutely terrible. I appreciate that it has to be used for lots of different things, and that's perfectly fine by me, but they need to sort something better out in future if we use it so infrequently through the season.

I'm amazed that nobody did an ankle or a knee.

[Triple B]

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

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

I saw they replaced bits the turf last night, but it still looked very spongy and gluggy in areas.

I reckon they should do what they did in Basel at Euro 08 after a major rainstorm during a game. Just uplift the whole pitch & lay another.

Do we have technology like this in this country?

JF

[stellation]

Watching the footage of Craig's knee digging up a big divot I really was amazed that nobody did a knee.

The oval that Stella junior plays on for Auskick looked in almost as good a nick this morning as Homebush did last night.

[TheHood]

Disgusting surface. No where near AFL standard. I doubt the Swans would even train on a surface that poor.

[Robbo]

I've seen a goat paddock in better condition.

[No 14]

AFL should not be played on an NRL surface. It demeans our game.

[satchmopugdog]

AFL should not be played on an NRL surface. It demeans our game.

I agree...the two codes jst don't seem to be compatible as regards length of grass. Why they can't play on manicured surfaces amazes me. Is it due to landing with all the tackles? Is it to slow the game down?

The Ulverstone Rec across the road isin much better condition than ANZ stadium.Seating capacity a bit smaller I wil admit but I wouldn't have any transport issues and you could all stay at my place.

[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!)

[matthew]

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

[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.

[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)

[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!

[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.

[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