90-millimetre detail that could force Swans to abandon 'unsafe' home ground

Yahoo

2 days ago

AFL bosses are reportedly weighing up taking the Swans and Dockers game away from the SCG on Sunday, and the Sydney weather forecast might force their hand. The playing surface at the iconic ground copped widespread condemnation on Friday night during the Swans and Western Bulldogs game.
The turf at the Paddington end was noticeably patchy, and players were frequently slipping over. The SCG hosted an Andrea Bocelli concert in April, and the turf has been below its best for weeks.
Speaking on Sunday night, Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir added his voice to the criticism. The Dockers' finals hopes last year were torpedoed by a series of injuries to key players late in the season, and Longmuir fears his team will be at risk if they have to play at the SCG on Sunday.
"I watched the game on Friday night, and we'll be led by the AFL, but the moment my brain goes to, 'That's unsafe for players', I have a concern," Longmuir said. "And I went there on Friday night. I thought it was a bit unsafe, especially down the left hand side."
Longmuir pointed out an incident in which Bulldogs player Bailey Williams got his foot caught in the turf. "I think the Bailey Williams one - we just can't put players out there and risk their safety if the ground's not right," he said.
SCG staff are hoping to have the ground right for Sunday, but the weather forecast won't help their cause. Between 35mm and 90mm of rain is forecast on Tuesday - and more of the same on Wednesday - in what will further hamper the hopes of having the SCG turf up to scratch.
"If the AFL deem it safe to play, we'll play, and I won't speak another moment of it," Longmuir said. "The AFL approached us and they're going to look at it, like they should, and they've got the experts and will be guided by them. But I thought it was unsafe the other night."
Speaking on SEN radio on Monday morning, David King and Kane Cornes both slammed the SCG surface and questioned how it got the tick of approval for the Swans-Bulldogs game. 'You can't have two different surfaces on the same venue," King said.
'You've got to wear certain boots in one area of the ground and certain boots in another area of the ground. What a disgrace. They're going to have to do something and get that sorted this week. I mean, you have to do a safety check, don't you?'
Cornes added: 'I'm as hard as anyone on players wearing the wrong boots, but this wasn't a boot discussion, this was shifting turf underneath feet. Now, some players handled it a little bit better, (Lachie) Bramble was just skating on it, he didn't care, he could stand up, whereas everyone else was falling over. How does that happen?'
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Jonathan Brown said in commentary for Fox Footy during the game it was the worst he'd ever seen the SCG. 'Are you allowed to play on this surface?" he asked. 'I remember playing early on the Colonial Stadium surface - and that was a sandpit - but this is shocking.
'This is disgraceful mismanagement by the ground, how they've allowed it to get to this. It's a real shame. It's been a really good spectacle, the ball movement, when both teams get going.'