Telstra Stadium surface

[Beaussie]

What a debacle. Let's just hope no players get injured tonight as a result.

Too late for Telstra move
By TIM MORRISSEY
April 29, 2006
http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/s ... 23,00.html

THE AFL won't be able to sign off on the troubled Telstra Stadium surface until just two hours and 10 minutes before tonight's opening bounce between Sydney and Geelong.

Ground staff were still frantically working on repairing more damaged areas at 3pm yesterday when Swans general manager of football Andrew Ireland made his final inspection of the stadium.

However, it is too late to even contemplate moving the blockbuster replay of last season's stunning semi-final game to the SCG.

One Swans official said it could have been done if the call was made on Thursday although it would've been a logistical nightmare costing close to $1 million to move grounds.

Ireland told The Daily Telegraph outside Telstra Stadium after examining the ground that the AFL's independent turf consultant had identified further areas of the surface unsuitable to play on after Thursday's inspection.

"It's much improved but it's still got some work to do," Ireland said. "They are still laying some turf at the moment.

"I think what happened is that the AFL's expert who came (yesterday morning) has pointed out some other areas which they think would be worthwhile them doing the work on."

Although ground staff will continue working around the clock Geelong were able to conduct a light 45-minute training session on Telstra Stadium last night that involving goal kicking drills and some running.

Despite the ground still not being ready yesterday AFL ground operations manager Jill Lindsay put out a media release yesterday morning stating that their turf consultant was happy for the match to proceed at Telstra Stadium from 7.10pm as scheduled.

The expert report stated: "There would be no safety issues for the players and the presentation of the game would not be compromised by the new turf that had been laid during this week."

However, the curtain raiser involving the Swans reserves has been moved to "ensure the new turf was in the best possible condition for the first AFL match of the season at the venue".

Ireland also remains confidence that the stadium will be safe to play on tonight.

"I keep reiterating from our point of view if it got to the stage were we thought there was a risk we wouldn't let them play, you can't allow that to happen," he said.

"But given the amount of work they've done since yesterday you'd be confident that it would be in good shape (tonight)."

Swans coach Paul Roos told The Saturday Daily Telegraph that although he was satisfied with the AFL's independent turf consultant's final report that the surface was safe to play on tonight he wasn't happy with the way the whole situation has been handled.

The Swans were forced to abandon Thursday's important training session on Telstra Stadium because the repair work was still not finished.

As a result the players and coaching staff had to head back to the SCG to train throwing their preparations into disarray.

"We would've appreciated a phone call," Roos said. "If there was any doubt we would've expected a call at 1pm yesterday just to say look you shouldn't come out here it's not ready to train on.

"In hindsight, I'm sure Telstra Stadium would agree, there should've have been a call made to Andrew Ireland but we didn't get that call so we went out there expecting to train."

[Beaussie]

Not sure what others thought but the ground didn't actually look that bad last night. Well done to Telstra Stadium management in getting the ground ready in time. =D>

[Pickles]

Looked shithouse on TV

They said it was good though.