Sydney AFL coach John Longmire wants more discussion about a drop-in cricket pitch for the SCG, but any change seems unlikely in the short term.
Controversy over the state of the SCG surface flared again on Saturday when Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat labelled it dangerous after his player Terry Antonis was injured when his leg appeared to give way near the centre square.
Regular SCG tenants the Swans avoid the centre wicket area when they train on the ground but Longmire expressed no fresh reservations about the state of the ground going into Thursday’s AFL match there against Melbourne.
With the neighbouring Allianz Stadium being rebuilt, all four major football codes are this year using the SCG, which has it’s most intense schedule in over 30 years.
When the NSW Waratahs played the Queensland Reds there in early March, scrums churned up big divots and 3000 square metres of turf was subsequently re-laid.
Longmire pointed out the Swans played at other major multi-sport venues like the MCG and Adelaide Oval, where drop-in cricket pitches were used.
“With a wicket base on the ground it’s something we’ve always been mindful of, obviously we’d support a drop in wicket if that was part of the discussion,’ Longmire said on Monday.
“It’s certainly very important to discuss it, it’s a 12 months a year venue.’
“We’ve been speaking to the SCG Trust and the AFL for a number of years in regards to that, so hopefully it’s a consideration going forward”.
However, the Trust said on Monday they didn’t have anywhere to grow a drop-in pitch, which takes up to two years to produce.
The Swans are the heaviest users of the SCG, playing all their home games there and have also had all their training sessions there recently because their training area adjacent to the SCG is being redeveloped.
‘Asked what issue he had with the centre square area, Longmire said “just getting traction. When you are running through the middle it gets hard and slippery.
“They breed turf and they put turf on top so they do whatever they can. They try to mitigate those challenges as much as they can, but ultimately the cricket wicket is still there.”
Longmire said there was nothing new about the issue from an AFL perspective.
“It gets highlighted now because there’s more traffic here and every weekend there’s a game where that hasn’t been the case in the past,” he said.
‘Ideally the winter codes would appreciate having just the same turf all over the ground. We understand we’ve got compromises. They play a lot of cricket here.”
Slapsy
Roar Rookie
It is a cricket ground. In fact,a very good cricket ground. If concussion is such a worry,find a more suitable ground to play football on.
Alicesprings
Guest
The SCG just like the GABBA will eventually get drop in pitches. Not a matter of 'if' but when. Most likely when the next phase of redevelopment takes place at the respective grounds. Not to mention it will soon be untenable to have cricket squares where football is played - especially as concussions are coming under increased scrutiny.
keith hurst
Roar Pro
I have submitted an article to The Roar earlier entitled. "Drop all this pitch talk". No-one is happy with this arrangement but unless the Swans move back to ANZ or the Giant's ground, they will have to put up with it. The AFL regularly inspect it and declare it safe for AFL football. Stop whingeing. Just win a few home games first. Keith Hurst
Omnitrader
Roar Rookie
Redfern, Canterbury and kogarah are all pretty close to the scg and are rectangular grounds. send the ra ra and soccer to these, the lesser bunnies and roosters games can go to redfern too. just ruining the scg with all this traffic.
Paul D
Roar Guru
The biggest issue as far as I can see is the rugby union - scrums are just murder on grass and that's what caused all the turf to have to be replaced - during the game if I recall? A drop in wicket is going to do absolutely nothing to address that issue. Not sure what everyone was thinking, trying to cram league, union, afl and soccer onto the one ground. Even an astroturf surface would be struggling. Union and soccer should be playing out at Homebush, but much like the Swans they don't want to slum it in the western suburbs, and they'd rather endure crap grass in their little eastern burbs enclave. It's a very Sydney problem from what I can see. Big city with piss poor organisation suffering from overcrowding.
anon
Roar Pro
They've been playing cricket there for 170 years. Soccer and Rugby won't be there in a couple years time. All that will be left are the Swans and their 11 games per year. This isn't the MCG which hosts 45 matches plus finals and the Grand Final. What a joke to have soccer people complaining about the centre wicket. Go play at a soccer ground. The SCG is a cricket ground.