Magazine - Etihad Stadium Ready for AFL

By Rob Jenkins in A.F.L on 25th Mar 2010 20:00

Etihad Stadium was today getting into the swing for the opening round blockbuster between The Western Bulldogs and Collingwood on Sunday. The ever changing sports surface has three different football codes playing in the next week!

The massive round one blockbuster between two of the top four teams from last year is the highlight of round one, but that is only the start of the busy schedule. Melbourne Victory will take on Japan's Kawasaki Frontale three days later on 31st March 2010, as part of the second league of the Asian Champions League. Then Good Friday football comes to Etihad Stadium on 2nd April with Melbourne Storm taking on the St George Illawarra Dragons in Round four of the NRL season. To end a very hectic week, the ground gets changed back to AFL the next day for St Kilda vs North Melbourne.
 
So the schedule reads; three different football codes over four games played over a week! For any stadium around the world that is one hell of a busy week.

Across the other side town the M.C.G has six AFL games from March the 25th to April 5th which is also a packed line up, but I guarantee the G's stadium's Groundsmen wouldn't want to switch grounds with Ethiad's crew for the week!
 
Besides for the extra wear on the turf that rectangular stadium sports can cause, the main work comes from the line marking of different playing fields and of course every sport has different sponsor logos that need to be painted on the turf. These logos don't do a lot to aid healthy grass growth either! Between different codes the line marking and logos need to be washed out, a pain staking and time consuming process.The goals also need to be changed, lifting and lowering AFL and Rugby posts are no five minute job. Switching these goals involves a tractor having to drive on the turf, all this adds up to extra wear on the turf.


 A stadium like Etihad with its packed concert schedule just before the busy AFL season kicks off ensures a busy crew.

After hosting the successful A League Grand Final last weekend you might have thought Gavin Derby and his team might like a week off, but as you can see that's far from the case. I'm sure the constant media surrounding the stadium must sometimes feel like a circus, but the professional team takes it all in their stride.

And judging by these photos too the stadium is looking in tip top nick and ready to go for the start of its huge week.

Well done guys.

Below: Putting up the goal posts.

Read more articles in A.F.L, by Rob Jenkins or from March 2010.