Magazine - Etihad Confident of Stable Surface

By Editor in A.F.L on 30th Jul 2010 10:00

Etihad Stadium chief executive Ian Collins is confident the playing surface will be in an acceptable condition for all matches it is scheduled to host this weekend.

Collins has moved to address concerns about the stadium’s turf, which were raised after a number of players slipped over during the round 17 match between St Kilda and Hawthorn.

Since then, both the AFL and AFL Players’ Association have called for the surface to be improved. "We are totally committed to ensuring the stadium not only meets the rigorous standards set by the AFL, but that the surface conditions are improved to reduce the incidence of slipping," Collins said.

A number of changes have been made to the way Etihad Stadium’s surface is prepared. These include aerating the turf to ensure players can get a better grip, and weekly top-dressing rather than fortnightly. "While the ground met all the AFL’s surface assessment criteria, we are determined to find a solution that satisfies the issues raised by the AFL Players’ Association," Collins added.

There’s a busy weekend coming up for Etihad Stadium.

Essendon will host St Kilda in the opening game of round 18 on Friday night, then Australia will take on New Zealand in a rugby union international on Saturday night. Finally, the Western Bulldogs will do battle with North Melbourne in another AFL match on Sunday afternoon.

"We are confident the actions we have taken will deliver a higher quality and more predictable surface for players," Collins said.

Source & More: www.afl.com.au

Read more articles in A.F.L, by Editor or from July 2010.