Is synthetic grass a suburban solution or player trap?

The Kangaroos have played on it. The Women’s World Cup is being played on it. Is it time for Brookvale to lead the transition to synthetic grass?

Brookvale Oval belongs to another era. On a sunny afternoon with a packed hill, it’s one of the great joys of suburban rugby league. But its layout, screens, access, hospitality and corporate facilities are generations behind competitors.

On the field, it’s worse still. While Brookvale has always been notoriously heavy, recent season have seen lighting failures, exposed sprinkler heads and dangerously uneven surfaces.

Brookvale Oval will enjoy a $29 million, 4350-seat Eastern Stand redevelopment and possible leagues club integration after 2019. But none of this will change the underlying struggle for Warringah council to maintain its surface and facilities.

In March 2015, the Rugby League Players Association demanded a report on the ground. “For the players’ safety to be put at risk is unacceptable,” said David Garnsey.

Even Manly chairman Scott Penn acknowledges the situation is becoming untenable, saying in March, “Council need to rectify it because it wasn’t NRL-quality.”

Manly actually withheld payment to the council while rectification works continued through to May, and terse talks continue.

In 2012, Warringah’s Mayor pitched synthetic grass as the solution.

“Brookvale can only be used 15 hours a week to keep it to NRL standards. That’s crazy,” Michael Regan said in The Daily Telegraph. “I think the people in charge need to embrace the change – if the technology is there, let’s use it.”

Artificial grass would drop maintenance costs to just $20,000 a year, and enable 60 hours a week of play year-round for the Sea Eagles, junior grades and schools, Central Coast Mariners and North Harbour Rays.

“With the state government looking at the Melbourne Stadia strategy, grounds like Brookvale are under threat.” Regan continued. “If synthetic means we can have the best possible surface available for 60 hours a week, Brookie becomes a sustainable financial model for the local council…

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, he said, “[The NRL] are quick to throw stones at the council but we are never going to have the resources to put in a $100 million, 23,000 seat stadium for 10 games a year. We don’t have the resources to do that, let alone maintain the surface.”

Almost half of the North America’s major NFL grounds have artificial surfaces Regan pointed out, having improved on abrasive early surfaces.

But is this a valid comparison? Many of the U.S. grounds cited are either indoor arenas or in cold climate zones where turfing is not feasible. The difference in player padding and protection between codes is clear.

NRL Director of Operations Nathan MGuirk responded cautiously, saying, “Synthetic ovals have benefits for junior sport but at the elite level with the elite players, we would have some reservations.”

We’ve already seeing the first amateur grounds make the switch.

Blacktown council committed $3.8 million to new facilities near the Ponds in Western Sydney (with the NRL committing a further $600,000). While it has multiple turf ovals, its main ground becomes the first in the southern hemisphere to be synthetic.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup is underway on artificial surfaces for the first time at the moment. Expert opinion is divided about how abrasive the surface is and what cushioning is possible underneath. Over 50 players and the Canadian Soccer Association jointly sued in protest (although the case was later abandoned).

U.S. midfielder Megan Rapinoe summarised, “To say that it’s not logistically possible to install real grass at all the stadiums is not acceptable. We have played on grass all our lives. Now we’re going to compete at the highest level on a different surface. I think it has a lot of implications.”

Abby Wambach described the surface as a “nightmare” in Australia’s opening defeat to the U.S.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has defended the use of artificial grass at the event, claiming “Artificial pitches are the future. Wherever football is played, all over the world, there is an increasing lack of space for training and competitive pitches.” FIFA cites studies suggesting there is no difference in injury rates on synthetics.

FIFA have already confirmed the next Women’s World Cup (in France) will be back on turf.

If Brookvale does pioneer a move to synthetics, it will have nothing to do with players, and everything to do with dollars.