Home Sports EXCLUSIVE: James Hird’s scathing critique of ‘unsafe’ SCG as concerns emerge over lack of ‘Plan B’

EXCLUSIVE: James Hird’s scathing critique of ‘unsafe’ SCG as concerns emerge over lack of ‘Plan B’

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Essendon great James Hird has raised concerns that Sydney might have to forfeit their upcoming round 17 match against Fremantle if the SCG pitch is ruled unplayable and no backup venue is arranged. This worry stems from the poor playing surface witnessed during the recent round 16 game between the Swans and the Bulldogs, where players struggled significantly. Commentator Jonathan Brown described the surface as the worst he’s seen in a long time.

The pitch issues can be traced back to an Andrea Bocelli concert held at the SCG in April, compounded by adverse weather conditions that have prevented recovery, particularly at the Paddington end of the ground. Port Adelaide has previously expressed their concerns in emails revealed on Footy Classified, suggesting they felt disregarded by the AFL, with the issues only being highlighted now.

Hird stated that the safety of the players must come first, urging Sydney to secure an alternative venue, such as GWS’s Engie Stadium, as a contingency plan. He noted, “From what we saw on the weekend, it was unsafe for the players,” expressing his doubts about the pitch’s condition being rectified by match day. “Technically, if they can’t play the game on a safe ground, you forfeit your points, that’s what could happen,” he added.

Eddie McGuire, a former president of Collingwood, shared Hird’s concerns but remained sceptical about the situation reaching the point of forfeiture, suggesting the league should have backup options in place. He pointed out that both the rain and the concert contributed to the turf problems and compared the SCG’s maintenance unfavourably to that of the MCG, which invests heavily in turf replacement post-concerts.

Heavy rain and winds have affected New South Wales this week, likely complicating efforts to improve the pitch ahead of the match. Engie Stadium is an available alternative since the Giants are scheduled to play in Perth. However, Sydney ruckman Brodie Grundy downplayed concerns about the surface, noting the team’s familiarity with it and expressing confidence in the club’s efforts to prepare for the game.

Grundy remarked, “We play on it… and train on it pretty much most weeks… I’m looking forward to a really solid contest against the Dockers this week.” He also mentioned that relocating their main training session to Tramway Oval might allow the SCG to recuperate ahead of Sunday’s clash.

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