Docklands playing surface

[mr six o'clock]

Beibers concert last week
Adeles concert this week

Will be interesting to see if we have a beautiful lush green playing surface to start the season , or the usual sandy patchwork quilt !

I realise these concerts would have been booked in a year ago . I just wonder whether the new management will start looking after the game that the stadium was actually built for .

[saintsRrising]

, or the usual sandy patchwork quilt !

.

The "sandy patchwork quilt" has not been the case since they acquired the "grow lights". The grass is now virtually always in a healthy state with a good healthy thatch, whereas prior to the new lights the curators had indicated that their task was to manage the death of the grass as they could not actually grow it properly.

[saynta]

, or the usual sandy patchwork quilt !

.

The "sandy patchwork quilt" has not been the case since they acquired the "grow lights". The grass is now virtually always in a healthy state with a good healthy thatch, whereas prior to the new lights the curators had indicated that their task was to manage the death of the grass as they could not actually grow it properly.

Not the only grass they are used for either.

[mr six o'clock]

, or the usual sandy patchwork quilt !

.

The "sandy patchwork quilt" has not been the case since they acquired the "grow lights". The grass is now virtually always in a healthy state with a good healthy thatch, whereas prior to the new lights the curators had indicated that their task was to manage the death of the grass as they could not actually grow it properly.

Last year I went to the melb v saints practice game which was in early feb , a couple of weeks after a concert . From high in the second tier the ground looked Shi thouse , like a sandy patchwork quilt . A month later at our first home game v the doggies it was looking good .
The grow lights are fantastic .
I just hope that a week after a concert , no one gets injured due to a poor surface !

[saintspremiers]

The field may recover, but I doubt the speakers will ever recover from Adele's whining voice.

[saynta]

The field may recover, but I doubt the speakers will ever recover from Adele's whining voice.

I must be getting old. Don't know what the fuss is all about. Never even heard of her before her tour and have never heard her sing.

Staging a concert for her at our stadium just before the season starts really sucks imho.

[stevie]

The field may recover, but I doubt the speakers will ever recover from Adele's whining voice.

I don't mind her voice - its just the poor selection of songs she uses it on

[lennyhaze]

The field may recover, but I doubt the speakers will ever recover from Adele's whining voice.

I must be getting old. Don't know what the fuss is all about. Never even heard of her before her tour and have never heard her sing.

Staging a concert for her at our stadium just before the season starts really sucks imho.

Got to make money apart from footy. Helps all AFL clubs including us. Do people remember what guys played in 30 years ago? I'm sure the players will live.

[saintbrat]

Just a mere 75,000 have turned up @EtihadStadiumAU for #Adele - it's our biggest ever crowd!

[saintbrat]

And 77,000 last night

[SemperFidelis]

I'm starting to think we should PANIC!

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/womens-afl ... v1x3t.html

[tony74]

Clubs been advised they're currently replacing 80% of the playing surface.

[Enrico_Misso]

The Gabba had this screamer singing on March 4th and they have determined the surface won't be ready for the womens footy final on Mar 25th.
So that is a THREE week gap.

Docklands has hosted her for the last 2 nights and we are expecting to play in 6 days later.

Sounds like trouble to me.

[SemperFidelis]

Clubs been advised they're currently replacing 80% of the playing surface.

I'll concede I'm not much of a gardener, but surely turf needs more than 5 days to "settle in"!?

[longtimesaint]

Clubs been advised they're currently replacing 80% of the playing surface.

How can this be stable in 6 days as the grass just sits on top and takes time to root and weld together.
Seems like a risk of injury so soon after replacing.

[lennyhaze]

Clubs been advised they're currently replacing 80% of the playing surface.

How can this be stable in 6 days as the grass just sits on top and takes time to root and weld together.
Seems like a risk of injury so soon after replacing.

They use such huge and thick blocks that it doesnt need to root and weld together. They are always repacing turf at the G and Etihad. Anyway apart from moving it there isnt a lot of choice. The AFL didnt organise the Adele concert. There wont be any issues at all apart from ot may look funny but we are so spoilt these days we dont even want it to look funny.

[MC Gusto]

absolute joke of a stadium. pathetic.

terrible experience at the ground and terrible experience on the ground.

should have taken the MCG option when we had it

[lennyhaze]

absolute joke of a stadium. pathetic.

terrible experience at the ground and terrible experience on the ground.

should have taken the MCG option when we had it

I don't think we had that option. I love the ground. Reckon many do as well.

[SemperFidelis]

Clubs been advised they're currently replacing 80% of the playing surface.

How can this be stable in 6 days as the grass just sits on top and takes time to root and weld together.
Seems like a risk of injury so soon after replacing.

They use such huge and thick blocks that it doesnt need to root and weld together. They are always repacing turf at the G and Etihad. Anyway apart from moving it there isnt a lot of choice. The AFL didnt organise the Adele concert. There wont be any issues at all apart from ot may look funny but we are so spoilt these days we dont even want it to look funny.

That's gunna be a LOT of thick blocks. Hope you're right!

[Enrico_Misso]

Doesn't the AFL now own Docklands?
So what bright spark agreed to a concert less than a week before round 1?

[cwrcyn]

The one who's counting the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[longtimesaint]

The concert date and venue was probably set before the AFL owned the stadium

[mullet]

The Gabba had this screamer singing on March 4th and they have determined the surface won't be ready for the womens footy final on Mar 25th.
So that is a THREE week gap.

Docklands has hosted her for the last 2 nights and we are expecting to play in 6 days later.

Sounds like trouble to me.

"Screamer" you are kidding right? The woman is a squizzillionaire. She has a wonderful voice. Just ask the 150000+ people who saw her over 2 nights.

[desertsaint]

absolute joke of a stadium. pathetic.

terrible experience at the ground and terrible experience on the ground.

should have taken the MCG option when we had it

I don't think we had that option. I love the ground. Reckon many do as well.

I'm always scratching my head at criticism of etihad. I went for the first time last year and thought it was excellent.
I'm no stadium connoisseur but of similar capacity have been to Twickenham and Old Trafford and thought it was better than both of those. Of course for atmosphere nothing beats an international rugby game at Twickenham.

[saintsRrising]

should have taken the MCG option when we had it

What option? I thought that the AFL forced us to leave Waverley with Docklands the only option.


Mind you Waverley was too big, too wet and for those going by public transport a nightmare.