Etihad Stadium Turf

[redmonkeyman]

Is the second year cycle about to hit Etihad again this year??

Had bad publicity in 2010, good year last year but 2012 could be trouble!

Noticed the last few weeks heaps off divots and sand kick back and got plenty of coverage today when tippett almost dug a whole to china.

They hosted a crap soccer game last night, the SOO is there Wednesday night and a triple header next weekend.

Doesn't look good!!!!!!!

 

[Dirty Bird]

It looks fine to me.

 

[yaco55]

What

Turf at Etihad has been good for at least 3 or 4 years.

 

[Dan]

Noticed the massive divots from the pre-season games.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Has to be better than Flemington.

 

[Hand]

What

Turf at Etihad has been good for at least 3 or 4 years.

Early & late 2010 it was terrible.

 

[Baz_hawk]

Have noticed that it turf is getting pulled up in clumps. Players who go to slide on their knees to take a mark often dont slide, instead they rip up a divot and get flung forward. Not sure what the go is with the stadium, they have improved it significantly in the last few years, perhaps they should invest in some giant mirrors to reflect natural light to all areas of the ground?

 

[stugots]

Has to be better than Flemington.

Several Victorian tracks seemed to have deteriorated over recent years, is a concern.

But to Etihad, looks at its best from what I have seen.

 

[Username_lost]

The divot Tippett took out of the surface with his knee on the weekend was astonishingly deep.

 

[darcytiger]

It's amazing looking at footage from early 2000s. Brown turf everywhere, big ugly strips. Looks great now compared to then

 

[IllBeTheJudge]

The divot Tippett took out of the surface with his knee on the weekend was astonishingly deep.

Was it as deep as this?

The surface itself "looks" fine
I guess the top layer is a little shifty

 

[Turkey Tom]

It will be interesting to see what it is like Friday night after the Rugby game tonight.

 

[IllBeTheJudge]

It will be interesting to see what it is like Friday night after the Rugby game tonight.

Is that on before or after the League game?

 

[Big_Luch]

Word is that it is an extremely hard surface and it takes players longer to recover from it. In all honesty its the year 2012 and they cannot get a big patch of grass right.

 

[cammo84]

Word is that it is an extremely hard surface and it takes players longer to recover from it. In all honesty its the year 2012 and they cannot get a big patch of grass right.

Honestly, I think they're doing as best as they can with the restricted light in that place. It probably gets a decent few hours less light than a traditional open stadium. Grass needs water, light, and nutrients. It's lacking in one of those elements. I reckon they're doing a good job with the restrictions they have.

 

[Hand]

Let's just hope for the stadium's sake that something like this doesn't happen for a long while.

 

[Big_Luch]

Honestly, I think they're doing as best as they can with the restricted light in that place. It probably gets a decent few hours less light than a traditional open stadium. Grass needs water, light, and nutrients. It's lacking in one of those elements. I reckon they're doing a good job with the restrictions they have.

Its not the only stadium in the world with that type of issue, surely they are not adopting worlds best practice with the turf. My money is on Ian Collins being tight and not wanting to properly look after it.

 

[LordJimmy]

Nothing will ever be worse than ANZ stadium. Sort that out first.

 

[pazza]

They all seem to be running on it well tonight...so the sooking's a bit rich.

 

[Quivorir]

Honestly, I think they're doing as best as they can with the restricted light in that place. It probably gets a decent few hours less light than a traditional open stadium. Grass needs water, light, and nutrients. It's lacking in one of those elements. I reckon they're doing a good job with the restrictions they have.

Fairly certain they have hte roof open more often than not. They open it up after all North game (after ive left the 'Victory Room')

 

[cammo84]

Fairly certain they have hte roof open more often than not. They open it up after all North game (after ive left the 'Victory Room')

Yeah, I realise this, but it is a smaller opening than a traditional stadium, meaning less hours of direct sunlight. It's all about direct sunlight, and it wouldn't surprise me the least if somewhere like the MCG is getting 3 or more hours more sun than Etihad.

Just looking at the way the turf is peeling up during games, it appears that the roots are not travelling down very far into the soil profile. It's either new-ish turf that hasn't yet fully established or the growing conditions aren't quite suitable for sports turf. My money is on the latter.

I still think that the grounds staff are doing the best they can with the situation they've been given.

 

[Morris Major]

Let's just hope for the stadium's sake that something like this doesn't happen for a long while.

You'd think the players' wellbeing is more important than the stadium...

 

[Hand]

You'd think the players' wellbeing is more important than the stadium...

Yes, but Footscray tried to sue Docklands for that incident. And I did say 'for the stadiums sake'. They should have the turf in a stable enough condition for this not to occur again.

 

[lionroar]

I have heard some of the MLB stadiums with a retractable roof are having issues with grass growth. Especially where the sun doesn't get as much time on the grass.