Worst Footy Ground Seen/Played on

[PunchFromBhind]

Another nomination from the DVFL/NFL is research park

I played there as a junior and nearly every year it would turn into a mud pit at the first sign of rain. I played one game there where the ground was practically a lake

 

[s_cranberry]

Another nomination from the DVFL/NFL is research park

I played there as a junior and nearly every year it would turn into a mud pit at the first sign of rain. I played one game there where the ground was practically a lake

Never played at research... Plenty of games against eltham though

 

[GameOver]

Queenstown, Tas owns this thread. Saw the ground in person and there's no way I would play on that.

From experience though, West Footscray. Build on an old tip and saw the handlebars from a buried bike coming through the mud one day.

 

[Rusty Brookes]

From experience though, West Footscray. Build on an old tip and saw the handlebars from a buried bike coming through the mud one day.

Haha, that's gold. Worst I've played on is South Mornington in the VAFA during the drought. No grass, I came off the ground covered in dust (as well as up my nose and in other regions), the rooms were ancient (and because of the combination of dust and water were a mudpit despite there being no rain). Ironically despite the change rooms being archaic they have one of the best social club rooms I've ever seen. Potential to be a good ground but the drought wrecked it - hopefully better now.

 

[pekay-norwest]

Gwawley oval in Sydney is an undulating field of sand, rocks and bindis. We lost three blokes to ankles in one quarter last time we played.

You beat me to it. Cricket pitches running across the ground at each end, both about 30-40m out from goal, covered in sand and dirt, with a rug of hessian as well. Nightmares.

 

[pekay-norwest]

My old ground had a turf cricket pitch, if it rained heavily early in the season it turned to mud before the grass had a chance to grow. After a few days of hot weather the mud centre square would dry hard. A game of hundreds of studded boots running over it would turn it into sharp jagged edges. I played (luckily) full back and even from 60 metres away you could hear the studs on the ground like it was concrete. I didn't enjoy it when i had to pinch hit in the ruck.

Hell of a home ground advantage, the opposition teams never went in hard

You aren't referring to Charles McLaughlin Reserve?

 

[Jock]

Queenstown for sure couldn't believe my eyes when we drove in there a few years back. You would just split the points and go to the pub.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

You beat me to it. Cricket pitches running across the ground at each end, both about 30-40m out from goal, covered in sand and dirt, with a rug of hessian as well. Nightmares.

Used to love playing at Gwawley.....didn't have any problems with it.

 

[jefffff34]

Central Park has taken the overnight rain well...

 

[One PAFC]

I can only comment on AFL and SANFL ground, so I'm going with Glenelg's Gliderol Stadium or whatever it's called. Bit of rain, and half the oval turns to mud

 

[Legendary Soundpost]

I remember playing mt waverley 29 years ago 6 inchs of mud all around the ground ,not one blade of grass but worst of all it smelt like cow shit.

Not Mount Waverley Reserve?
I played a junior footy game there too around 30 years ago. The centre square had almost 2 feet of mud. Ran through it in the last quarter and came out the other side minus my left boot. Played the rest of the game like that, and spent an hour after the match trying to find the missing boot.

 

[el toado]

Montrose's oval about ten years ago was atrocious. There was not a blade of grass on the ground and the mud was so deep it would go half way up your pulled up socks! The away team change rooms were like a prison cell also.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Montrose's oval about ten years ago was atrocious. There was not a blade of grass on the ground and the mud was so deep it would go half way up your pulled up socks! The away team change rooms were like a prison cell also.

Agreed. Absolutely horrid. Christ did the upgrade improve everything 10000%.

Depends on lot on the relevant local council, if they'll tip in a bit of cash on upkeep then you should be right. Some don't have much interest in footy or cricket though!

Im no horticulturalist but have heard a lot of issues are due to drought tolerant grass that was put in to deal with the conditions a couple of years back, now doesn't deal so well with the wet?

Also beware the council that do a "resurface" that actually means just throwing in some new grass seed and doing nothing about drainage etc... same problems will be back very quickly.

A few grounds in the Northern FL were terrible the last couple of years. Same with South Croydon - absolutey horrible and unsafe.

 

[FRUMPY]

also from DVFL/NFL most grounds these days are pretty good with the councils resurfacing them. Old mudheaps like Eltham/Hurstbridge are brilliant these days.

Mernda is and will always be a mudheap as the council wont resurface it. Wallan was pretty bad, panton hill is always a disgrace.

Mcleod used to be on a hill. If you ran from one wing to the other you were either running up or down hill.

 

[Kurtley Beale]

ST Kevins Main Oval

 

[CAS79]

Queenstown doesn't belong. The expectational circumstances and the sulphur layer poising the plant life it's impressive they even have a football oval.

You have to be a hard nut to play for Queenstown.

 

[Kram]

Burracoppin oval was an absolute shocker.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Heh can't believe Docklands hasn't been mentioned yet, especially in its "sandpit" era and following the AC/DC concert.

Other VFL/AFL grounds that were shocking were Moorabbin especially after the sprinklers had flooded it, Western Oval in the mid-90's was a mudheap and Princes Park ~1989 was as well. Remember a Melb/Haw game there on Queens Bday which was a gluepot.

 

[s_cranberry]

Im no horticulturalist but have heard a lot of issues are due to drought tolerant grass that was put in to deal with the conditions a couple of years back, now doesn't deal so well with the wet?
.

I am a horticulturalist and you are spot on... The grounds that have been re sowed with drought tolerant grass are dormant in the colder months... Hence why they turn yellow... If we ever return to the rain we used to get 20 years ago those grounds are going to be stuffed

 

[Beandip]

Queenstown hands down, they breed 'em tough in the North-west.

 

[CAS79]

Queenstown hands down, they breed 'em tough in the North-west.

Hold up. playing football on that oval is one thing.... breeding on it would be downright painful.

 

[liam_13]

Queenstown isn't terrible to play on, haven't played a proper match on it but went there for a kick with a few mates, started a 4 v 4 game, and things got quite heated. There was proper tackling and everything, but it only hurts like you've fallen off your bike while going really slowly, and not for long.
Might be different playing a proper game...

Doesn't belong in this thread, as it's not terrible or even comparable to the worse, but West Park in Burnie...I hated it. If it's been dry for the fortnight before the game, then the centre square will be rock solid. If it's been raining, it will be mud that you struggle to run in. The wind from the coast sweeps in, and about 90% of the time, seems like a gale force wind. One wing is about 25/30m from the centre circle, where the ball is bounced, the other wing is about 5 meters away, so essentially, there are 4 midfielders + a ruck at every centre bounce.

Add to that a bike track around it, which you can easily slide onto or get tackled onto, and you can see why I hate the ground.

This is a ground the TSL uses, and they think they are a strong league

 

[Norchy_pies4life]

For all those wanting to know why theres no grass at Queenstown check out these old pictures. http://www.queenstowntasmania.com/Football_Ground_Thumbnail_Page.php

 

[tasmanlvr]

Mernda is and will always be a mudheap as the council wont resurface it.

Wasn't too bad this year... last year (especially against Fitzroy Stars... I was umpire escort for Mernda - HELPPPPPPPPPP) it was horrific as seen earlier in the thread.

 

[Bombers 2003]

Friends of mine played juniors for craigieburn... Played in the snow at woodend

bloody woodend,its worse than wallan and is on a hill