Black Ice still on Etihad!

[battye]

Did anyone take a screenshot of what it looks like?

[saint66au]

a big chunk of the coventry end has less grass than a day 5 pitch in mumbai

[johnpeterbudgefanclub]

Haha....funny thread guys. Doesn't sound good for both sides. Maybe the AFLPA should be engaged to make an executive decision on whether the ground is fit for play.

[joffaboy]

Picked up my daughter from the soccer tonight. Went in for the last 10 minutes and the ground is just appalling.

They cannot possibly fix it for tomorrow night.

Really, it is the worst i have seen the condition of the ground.

Saints should forfeit.

[johnpeterbudgefanclub]

Picked up my daughter from the soccer tonight. Went in for the last 10 minutes and the ground is just appalling.

They cannot possibly fix it for tomorrow night.

Really, it is the worst i have seen the condition of the ground.

Saints should forfeit.

Can we join ya JB??

Seriously though in this day and age to even contemplate staging a game of professional sport on a sub standard surface is both unacceptable and as I mentioned in my previous post grounds to call in the AFLPA for consultation.

[Mr Magic]

Picked up my daughter from the soccer tonight. Went in for the last 10 minutes and the ground is just appalling.

They cannot possibly fix it for tomorrow night.

Really, it is the worst i have seen the condition of the ground.

Saints should forfeit.

Can we join ya JB??

Seriously though in this day and age to even contemplate staging a game of professional sport on a sub standard surface is both unacceptable and as I mentioned in my previous post grounds to call in the AFLPA for consultation.

They're too busy worrying about the rights of an alledged rapist.

God forbid they should concern themselves about something so trivial as the playing surface where 50 of their members run the risk of serious/permanent damage.

Not to worry though. If one of the players get hurt I'm sure Derek Humpty-Dumpty will find some time in his busy schedule to represent them in a lawsuit.

[johnpeterbudgefanclub]

+ 1 MM

[Solar]

Picked up my daughter from the soccer tonight. Went in for the last 10 minutes and the ground is just appalling.

They cannot possibly fix it for tomorrow night.

Really, it is the worst i have seen the condition of the ground.

Saints should forfeit.

Can we join ya JB??

Seriously though in this day and age to even contemplate staging a game of professional sport on a sub standard surface is both unacceptable and as I mentioned in my previous post grounds to call in the AFLPA for consultation.

please do,

to think that not only is the ground pathetic but the loser goes to a very hot alice srings whilst at the same time the AFL will only put on a second practice match in western sydney if sydney lose first up. You have to wonder about the common sense all round.

I can see some serious injuries happening tomorrow night!

[joffaboy]

If a Saint or Collingwood player is injured on that surface tomorrow, all hell will break loose, and so it should.

I saw that Carlton player nicknamed Rhino do his knee v Footscray at Waverley in a preseason in the early 90's due to the condition of the ground. Heard the crack right in front of me.

Sickening.

Fancy if someone like Roo or Thomas did their knee?

Really pitiful.

[SainterK]

What is wrong with it, is it all moosh...or more damaged?

[Mr Magic]

What is wrong with it, is it all moosh...or more damaged?

One end looks more like a beach than a football oval - covered in sand.

I've just emailed the Club imploring them to not risk any of our players on that disgraceful looking surface.

[johnpeterbudgefanclub]

What is wrong with it, is it all moosh...or more damaged?

One end looks more like a beach than a football oval - covered in sand.

I've just emailed the Club imploring them to not risk any of our players on that disgraceful looking surface.

Nice work MM. Maybe that's why I am still here after 6 or so years. The passion shown can not be denied.

At the end of the day why should we have to put pen to paper to raise an issue of such importance.

Go figure!

**Someone previously summed up the surface to a T. Resembles something that Mumbai would dish up to a touring test team.**

[plugger66]

What is wrong with it, is it all moosh...or more damaged?

One end looks more like a beach than a football oval - covered in sand.

I've just emailed the Club imploring them to not risk any of our players on that disgraceful looking surface.

I hope you are joking. Do you really think the club and the AFL would send out players on a unsafe ground. It may look bad but is obviously safe. Soccer requires a more perfect ground than football and they played on it. Can we find more issues to whinge about.

[Mr Magic]

What is wrong with it, is it all moosh...or more damaged?

One end looks more like a beach than a football oval - covered in sand.

I've just emailed the Club imploring them to not risk any of our players on that disgraceful looking surface.

I hope you are joking. Do you really think the club and the AFL would send out players on a unsafe ground. It may look bad but is obviously safe. Soccer requires a more perfect ground than football and they played on it. Can we find more issues to whinge about.

Did you watch the soccer last night on television?
DId you not see the players slipping/falling on the sand?

Did you not see the dodgy umpiring decisions?
Are you an apologist for the FFA as well as the AFL?
Are you now also the PR mouthpiece for Etihad Stadium?

[Eastern]

They're too busy worrying about the rights of an alledged rapist.

And protecting the $13Mill funding they receive from the AFL each year. Matt Finnis aint gunna jeopardise any of that, not even Derek Humpty Dumpty's fee !!

[joffaboy]

What is wrong with it, is it all moosh...or more damaged?

One end looks more like a beach than a football oval - covered in sand.

I've just emailed the Club imploring them to not risk any of our players on that disgraceful looking surface.

I hope you are joking. Do you really think the club and the AFL would send out players on a unsafe ground. It may look bad but is obviously safe. Soccer requires a more perfect ground than football and they played on it. Can we find more issues to whinge about.

Plugger66, I saw the ground close up and it is appalling. Have you seen it or do you just swallow everything you hear from the AFL.

As for sending players out on unsafe grounds tell that to Luke "Rhino" O'Sullivan who did his knee on an AFL sanctioned ground at AFL park, sued, and won a payout due to the unsafe condition of the ground.

Unbelievable you are such an apologist and mouthpiece for the AFL. It is in appalling condition and it is terrible that you would condone such poor conditions.

Last night the skills of the soccer players were terribly hindered by the condition of the playing surface. I feel that with the different playing style of our game, and the fact that the players are playing a pre-season match and are out of match practice, that serious injury to players is heightened by the incredibly poor condition of the playing surface.

Lets be frank, players can be injured even if they were playing on a bowling green type surface. bj done his knee when the playing surface was in tip top shape, it is just that the bad playing surface, the lack of match practice, the heavy contact (compared to soccer) and lack of physical condition will heighten the prospect for serious injury.

Lets pray a Riewoldt or a Thomas doesn't end their season tonight because of the state of the playing surface.

[plugger66]

What is wrong with it, is it all moosh...or more damaged?

One end looks more like a beach than a football oval - covered in sand.

I've just emailed the Club imploring them to not risk any of our players on that disgraceful looking surface.

I hope you are joking. Do you really think the club and the AFL would send out players on a unsafe ground. It may look bad but is obviously safe. Soccer requires a more perfect ground than football and they played on it. Can we find more issues to whinge about.

Plugger66, I saw the ground close up and it is appalling. Have you seen it or do you just swallow everything you hear from the AFL.

As for sending players out on unsafe grounds tell that to Luke "Rhino" O'Sullivan who did his knee on an AFL sanctioned ground at AFL park, sued, and won a payout due to the unsafe condition of the ground.

Unbelievable you are such an apologist and mouthpiece for the AFL. It is in appalling condition and it is terrible that you would condone such poor conditions.

Last night the skills of the soccer players were terribly hindered by the condition of the playing surface. I feel that with the different playing style of our game, and the fact that the players are playing a pre-season match and are out of match practice, that serious injury to players is heightened by the incredibly poor condition of the playing surface.

Lets be frank, players can be injured even if they were playing on a bowling green type surface. bj done his knee when the playing surface was in tip top shape, it is just that the bad playing surface, the lack of match practice, the heavy contact (compared to soccer) and lack of physical condition will heighten the prospect for serious injury.

Lets pray a Riewoldt or a Thomas doesn't end their season tonight because of the state of the playing surface.

Nothing to do with being an AFL apologist. Maybe you didnt realise but both the Saints and Pies could pull out if the ground was considered unsafe. You bring up O'Sullivan and i will bring up that game that was moved at the last minute about 7 years ago. I think it involved hawthorn. There is more litigation now than back in the O'Sullivan day. Both clubs and the AFL dont want to be sued. Looks terrible but obviously safe under foot or it wouldnt be played there.

[Bernard Shakey]

If the "shielas wogs and poofters" managed to deal with it without whinging, I don't think we'll have any problems with it. It looked pretty flat to me last night.

[joffaboy]

Well lets hope P66.

One interesting thing you bring up. Cant see how there was less litigation with Luke O'Sullivan, after all he sued.

I dont want a Saints player suing because they have done their knee.

I will watch tonight very very concerned. I will hope like hell a marguee player, or even a GOP doesn't have a serious injury due to the playing surface.

[aussierules0k]

...

[matrix]

Last night the skills of the soccer players were terribly hindered by the condition of the playing surface.

Soccer Skills

Surely it's easier to fake a dive on a crappy surface.

As far as bouncing a ball off ya head... a most important life skill that all children should learn at an early age... you can't blame the surface for that.

They've done tests on a variety of surfaces.... concrete, grass, water, sand etc.... they found that no matter what surface the played Soccer on, the game was still crap and boring as bat shyte. However, they haven't tried playing Soccer on molten lava yet. Now that I'd watch!

Any other "skills" I missed?

cupping the family jewels when the opposition is taking a free kick from just outside the box and ya part of the wall to help the keeper.

[joffaboy]

Last night the skills of the soccer players were terribly hindered by the condition of the playing surface.

Soccer Skills

Surely it's easier to fake a dive on a crappy surface.

As far as bouncing a ball off ya head... a most important life skill that all children should learn at an early age... you can't blame the surface for that.

They've done tests on a variety of surfaces.... concrete, grass, water, sand etc.... they found that no matter what surface the played Soccer on, the game was still crap and boring as bat shyte. However, they haven't tried playing Soccer on molten lava yet. Now that I'd watch!

Any other "skills" I missed?

I agree it is a crappy game and the 15 or so minutes I saw last night confirmed that I would never go and pay to see an A League match, however the pitch was so bad that skills the players use (which is with the ball mostly on the ground) was terribly compromised and made the spectacle even worse (if thats possible).

I am concerned that our game,with its turning and higher body contact will cause serious injury with the playing surface involved.

I really hope not.

[degruch]

As far as bouncing a ball off ya head... a most important life skill that all children should learn at an early age...

Ben McEvoy has obviously been doing a bit of cross-code training then.

[mordi]

I was at the ground watching the mighty Victory win.....

BUT - the area in front of North End goal (Coventry end for AFL) was terrible. The stage was in this area for ACDC. Large area of dead and patched grass and sand. However major areas of damage were behind the goal, i.e. in the area from the AFL goal square out about approx. 35 metres.

Problems were;
- keepers had lot of trouble keeping their feet when kicking in
- areas of dead grass lifted ( plus the sand that had been put on top)
- uneven bounce and shifting surface.

I would hope we dont risk key players.

The AFL are like the Government, there is never anything wrong, in fact everything is always "fantastic"!

[Darren]

http://i50.tinypic.com/27y1vrq.png
http://resources3.news.com.au/images/20 ... sydney.jpg


Not a good looking ground at all.

(cheers to the guys from http://bigfooty.com for these pics)