Ground condition !!!

[2 True Blues]

The condition of the centre field area at Henson is really bad. Looks like a country pitch with dust clouds around the players feet as they run, it surely cannot be good for injuries as must be getting quite hard to tackle on. How dusty was it ??? Gonna have to wash the car as that wind swept dust all over my vehicle on Saturday which blew up from the pitch onto my car up on the western hill. Perhaps less Aussie rules games or something, it is surley being over used !!!! Has anyone spoke to the council about some help for the pitch !!!:crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

 

[Glenn]

Not sure how much watering (if any) the council does to Henson, but whatever it is it needs alot more.:shock:

 

[Bluebag]

It is not in great nick in the biddle part of the field, unfortunately the ground is over used with many AFl, us, junior sports, union using it. Water is not an issue as only two weeks ago it was under water and it drains very fast, it is the over use and over mowing it that is causing the probs. Also with colder conditions grass does not grow much during the winter anyway.

It is NOT unsafe as footing as good and the ground is not a rock hard field anyway unlike the shifting surface at Telstrawhich causes more knee injuries and in fact very few injuries have happened on Henson.

It just aint pretty to look at from the field but has lots of little shoots in the middle but not enough.

The council is aware but until the end of the season what can they do anyway, it will be fixed during the off season but it is the many games played that will cause the probs.

 

[Henson Park Hornets]

I thought that it looked OK. Very dusty but what can you do in the middle of winter when the ground is over used?

 

[2 True Blues]

There are actually some good photo's of the ground and game on the Parramatta forum under the Parra versus Jets ( Live results ) thread....Very dusty photo's...LOL............

 

[Jeffles]

The ground is used too much. Unfortunately it is a part of life with inner city sports grounds being quite rare.

Bluebag lists the users of the ground and it is quite a few. Newtown Jets, Souths Juniors RL, Sydney Roosters Junior Reps, Schoolboy RL, Sydney AFL, RU training, school carnivals, Marrickville Council Social Carnivals.

The ground is quite resilient. Last January around the time of the cricket Test match, there was quite a bit of rain in Sydney. Coupled with the lack of summer play at Henson Park and the surface was in good nick.

When Redfern Oval is rebuilt a ot of junior football will move away. The AFL is getting a new stadium at Blacktown so some AFL games are expected to move away from Henson (though I think Henson is a great ground forwatching that sport). I do not understand why RU trains there. There are heaps of RU grounds around the place they could use. Other events that don't need an enclosed ground to charge admission (eg. Jetettes and Council events) should move to other venues eg. Tempe.

I digress here but I also think that school ovals should be used more. Dulwich High, Camdenville Public, Wilkins Public and Marrickville High all have good sized fields at least for junior or social matches. This will probably be the answer in the future as demand for sports grounds in the inner city increases and state schools look for more revenue.

 

[2 True Blues]

Is the council getting paid a fee for these people to use the ground ??? Just a thought ( Not really sure if true ) however if so it may explain it's over use??:-k

 

[Jeffles]

Everyone pays for ground hire except the Council themselves. I think schools pay a smaller fee than others as well.

 

[cumberlandsashes81]

What was the outcome when the Jets lobbied Marrickville Council to not allow Canterbury Marrickville Olympic SC to play at Henson during the winter?

I remember hearing about the issue but not how it was resolved. I'm guessing the Jets prevailed...

The Jets would be, without doubt, the most high-profile tennants of Henson Park and would draw more people to the area than the Sydney AFL competition, the NSW Premier League Soccer, etc. etc. combined.

Surely this, and its history, makes the Jets an important part of the Inner-Wests' culture and gives the club a certain 'leg up' when lobbying for a better deal when it comes to ground use... or at the very least, better ground maintenance.

 

[Jeffles]

Canterbury Marrickville became Canterbury Bankstown and now play at The Crest Stadium, home of the Sydney Bulls.

At the time, there was no South Juniors, less RU training, etc.

 

[2 True Blues]

Everyone pays for ground hire except the Council themselves. I think schools pay a smaller fee than others as well.

Well there you go then !!!! Does not look like there will be much chance of changing the current set up if a coucil is making revenue over it. Hope they put some of that revenue back into ground maintenance as well.

 

[Newtown Jets fan]

the ground was / is a disgrace. the council have a lot to answer for in turning henson park playing surface into the moons surface.