Bumpy ride at hard rock stadium

Heavy landing: Jordan Roughead and Lance Franklin hit the ground after colliding at Etihad Stadium. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

Luke Dahlhaus bursts down the wing at Etihad on Friday night. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

THE Etihad Stadium surface is under renewed fire with one player describing it as "rolled green concrete".

Rock band Kiss will play concerts at the Docklands venue tomorrow and on Wednesday night, putting the turf under further stress before the season starts this month.

The Herald Sun has been told several players have struggled to recover from the weekend round of NAB Cup games, even allowing for it being their first four-quarter hitout of the season.

Some described it as the hardest surface they had experienced at the venue. Officials at one club said they had been stunned when they inspected the ground before a match.

The surface appeared to have a slippery coat, with chunks of turf repeatedly ripped up during Friday night's game between Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn.

Club staff ran out to replace divots in front of the interchange bench during the Dogs' one-point win.

Stadium management admitted divots had been an issue, but said it was "surprised and disappointed" by the complaints, pointing to an independent evaluation two weeks ago.

"The results went to the AFL and the readings showed, in terms of the surface firmness, we were in the preferred range," communications manager Bill Lane said.

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"It demonstrated that we were at the same level we've been at for the last couple of years and in the last couple of years there have been no issues raised," Lane said.

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"We concur that there was a small amount of divoting, but in no way did it prove dangerous.

"It happens at all grounds and is part and parcel of a game of footy."

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This week's rock concerts, featuring Kiss, Motley Crue and Thin Lizzy, will further test the surface.

Players were so incensed about the impact of a series of AC/DC concerts on the turf in 2010 that they secured a guarantee there would be no pre-season shows held there.

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That deal no longer exists, leaving Etihad Stadium to host the shows three days before Saturday's NAB Cup match between Collingwood and Brisbane Lions.

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The concerts come little more than three weeks before the Bulldogs-Lions Round 1 clash on March 30.

The AFL and AFL Players' Association have been assured by stadium management the concerts won't affect the surface, but the players' body said yesterday it would monitor the situation.
 

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