Rebels v Hurricanes
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<p>That shit ground in Melbourne is the stadium where today the A-league (football) final will be played. Unbelievable!<br>
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<p><span style="font-size:18px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">AAMI Park surface: Concerns over state of AAMI Park turf ahead of Melbourne City’s A-League final</span></span><br><span style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">April 16, 2016 6:57pm</span></span></span><br><span style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#81929a;">Matt WindleyHerald Sun</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">UNDER fire AAMI Park ground staff worked feverishly to repair the stadium’s maligned surface in time for the A-League elimination final between Melbourne City and Perth Glory to be played on Sunday.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">A Super Rugby game between the Melbourne Rebels and Wellington on Friday night again wreaked havoc with the pitch, with parts of the ground resembling a sandpit following scrums.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">Lashed as being “quite dangerous†to play on by respected Hurricanes captain Dane Coles, the Rugby Union players association (RUPA) also expressed safety concerns about the ground.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">But it is football sides City and Glory that have most to lose, as the uneven surface makes it hard for players to control the ball.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">Since a disease took hold of sections of the grass, the traditionally pristine pitch has struggled to cope under the strain of A-League, Super Rugby and NRL matches.</span></span></span><br>
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<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">City coach John van’t Schip expressed concern about all Australian grounds that A-League clubs have to share with other codes.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">But as for his pitch expectations for what is his club’s first-ever home final, van’t Schip said he had to trust the stadium’s groundsmen.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">“I am confident that they will put the best possible pitch up there for us,†van’t Schip said.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">“I know it’s not a good time, not only for us but looking at the game yesterday evening in Brisbane I thought the pitch was terrible as well.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">“It doesn’t help the game that we want to play, but that’s the period of the year that we’re in and we just have to cope with it.â€</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">Sections of turf at the southern end of the ground have been replaced in the past fortnight, but it is that end that continues to suffer the most.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">That is the end where the stages for music concerts — including those of Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran last December — are erected.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">“There were three areas of the pitch that suffered from damage in areas where there were scrums last night,†an AAMI Park spokeswoman said yesterday.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">“They’re being repaired to ensure the best possible condition for tomorrow.â€</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd echoed his skipper’s sentiments, saying the surface quality is a “bit of an issueâ€.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">“Julian Savea tripped in that area where (the Rebels) scored that first try,†Boyd said. </span></span></span><span style="color:#333333;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:14px;">“It’s probably not good enough.â€</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">Chief executive of the RUPA Ross Xenos said something has to give.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">“Whilst no one has sinister views towards the Olympic Park Trust and we can sympathise that they’re a multi-sport venue, player welfare has to come first,†Xenos said.</span></span></span><br>
<br><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">“We have to have a safe environment at all times.â€</span></span></span></p>
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<p>Article with pictures: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/a-league/teams/melbourne-city/aami-park-surface-concerns-over-state-of-aami-park-turf-ahead-of-melbourne-citys-aleague-final/news-story/15f8d6279f0f2c8ca6fad2a6a345fd38?nk=2d17f8741c61fa7d91c48ea16fe11c6a-1460848334 '>http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/a-league/teams/melbourne-city/aami-park-surface-concerns-over-state-of-aami-park-turf-ahead-of-melbourne-citys-aleague-final/news-story/15f8d6279f0f2c8ca6fad2a6a345fd38?nk=2d17f8741c61fa7d91c48ea16fe11c6a-1460848334 </a></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color:#333333;">I have been to Westpac stadium </span></span></span><span style="color:#333333;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">on two consecutive nights (last week);</span></span><span style="color:#333333;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> first for the Hurricanes game v Jaguares and then for the last Wellington Phoenix game. The pitch looked fine before the Phoenix game, so obviously sharing the field with other codes isn’t the only problem in Melbourne.</span></span></p> -
Yeah, that kind of ground works well for Football though. Very quick drainage and it doesn't cut up because you don't have 900kgs of prime beef pushing against 900kgs of prime beef putting massive pressure on the surface. I recall a few Football grounds in the UK cutting up like that when rugby was played on them. It's just not suitable for rugby, and if Melbourne wants to have both codes played there then they'll have to compromise drainage for more stability.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="572936" data-time="1460855349"><p>
That stadium has a lot more games than Westpac though. Having 4 football codes is going to wear on a stadium.</p></blockquote>
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Only three played at that stadium though. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="hydro11" data-cid="573032" data-time="1460886537">
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<p>Yeah, I meant 4 teams. I remember ages ago there was a discussion about the turf at Westpac stadium. They reckon it wouldn't cope if there was to be an NRL team at Westpac - the turf would just be too heavily used.</p>
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<p>I wonder what the turf at Westpac looks like now then, after the Bulldogs v Warriors game from last night. Didn't watch that game ...</p>
