Surface tension: Roosters stars losing patience with Allianz Stadium pitch
Less than an hour after the Bulldogs and Manly clashed at the venue on July 27, ground staff were straight to work on the playing surface.
And on Monday morning, giant heat lamps were baking grass at the northern end of the venue. There was also a sprinkler with a heat lamp positioned over a bare patch of grass in the north-western corner.
Giant puddles and divots have become a common feature of NRL games at Allianz, with Venues NSW awaiting the findings of a review into the turf and drainage systems.
The Roosters and Bulldogs meet on Friday night, followed by South Sydney and Parramatta Saturday night, then the Wests Tigers and Manly on Sunday afternoon, including the NRLW as a curtain-raiser.
Tigers CEO Shane Richardson said there were no contingency plans to relocate the Sunday game, and had full confidence the surface would remain safe by the end of the weekend.
Roosters skipper James Tedesco said the surface made life difficult for his side, and said stadium chiefs had to 'sort that out'.
'For a first-class, elite stadium like this that hosts a lot of topline clubs in Australia, and around the world, the surface needs to be top class, as the stadium is,' Tedesco said. 'They need to sort that out. 'Every time we play here, it's slippery and wet. It's not the driest conditions.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Courier-Mail
an hour ago
- Courier-Mail
NRL news, updates: Harry Grant blindsided by Danika Mason as controversial act in Penrith Panthers vs. Melbourne Storm comes under fire
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Melbourne Storm captain Harry Grant has found himself on the end of a grilling from Channel 9's Danika Mason following a controversial moment on Thursday night. Cleary slotted a field goal with three minutes remaining in regulation time, only for it to be ruled out by referee Ashley Klein due to an illegal blocker. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. The field goal would have given the Panthers a 19-18 lead, but Moses Leota was penalised for running interference, stepping into Grant's path, which blocked him from putting pressure on Cleary. But after Grant scored the winning try in golden point to give the Storm the crucial win, Cleary claimed post-match that the hooker was clearly 'playing for' the game-changing penalty. Don't miss a ding! Never miss the latest sports news from Australia and around the world — download the app direct to your phone. Mason also suggested as much in her chat with Cleary after full-time, before doubling down that the Storm hooker had taken a dive on Friday morning. 'He was playing up to it, he's done it before, that was a dive,' Mason said on Channel 9's Today Show. All the while, Grant was waiting on the line to face up to the backlash, as host Karl Stefanovic, who knew Grant was listening, leapt to the defence of the Melbourne captain. 'That wasn't a dive,' Stefanovic interjected. You can watch the awkward moment in the player above. Danika Mason mocked Harry Grant on Friday, claiming he took a dive. Image: Nine Karl Stefanovic leapt to the defence of Grant. Image: Nine Harry Grant insists he did nothing wrong. Image: Nine 'It was definitely a dive,' Mason insisted as she imitated Grant doing a flop. 'He's doing these ones (as she threw her hands in the air, swaying backwards in her chair), arms going everywhere. It was definitely a dive. 'People are getting a bit sick of it.' Cleary calls out Grant over controversial penalty Video Player is loading. Play Video This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. X Learn More Loaded : 0.00% 0:00 Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 00:43 SUBSCRIBER ONLY Cleary calls out Grant over controversial penalty Grant... more for playing for the penalty which saw Moses Leota ruled for blocking the Melbourne skipper's attempt to put pressure on Cleary's field goal attempt. Nathan Cleary has called out Harry... more ... more Stefanovic then passed it over to Grant, chuckling as he said: 'It's two v one (as both Stefanovic and Abo supported Grant's actions), sorry Danika, you're outnumbered'. But Mason doubled down: 'Harry, you've got the best acting skills, we might have a Logie around the office for you'. It led to Channel 9 host Sarah Abo jumping to Grant's defence. 'Stop it, Danika, that is so disrespectful. Leave him alone, he won the game for the Storm … Harry, well done.' While Stefanovic added: 'I think it's disgusting that Danika would call to question your character'. Ashley Klein ruled the Panthers had an illegal blocker, ruling out Nathan Cleary's field goal. Image: Getty/Kayo When asked about the incident, Grant defended his actions, simply saying: 'They are the rules'. It comes after Grant was grilled post-game about his actions after Cleary accused him of 'playing for' the contact. 'I think anyone in the game has seen that's been policed numerous times, and that's the rule within the game,' Grant said on Thursday night. Harry Grant magic wins the game for Melbourne Video Player is loading. Play Video This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. X Learn More Loaded : 39.43% 0:00 00:00 / 00:00 Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 00:25 SUBSCRIBER ONLY Harry Grant magic wins the game for Melbourne their...... more more game against the Penrith Panthers. Harry Grant won Melbourne Storm ... more 'Even the Penrith boys were aware of it in the game, and when it happened, so I'm happy if that's the rule, then we stick to it, but if we want to change it, then come out during the week and change it. 'I think anyone would agree that's been policed numerous times throughout the year. Hats off to the officials for policing it the same way because it would have been easy to change it. 'A lot of attention will go to that, but it doesn't need to. 'The attention should go to what a quality contest it was and how well they played. We were underdogs and had a fair few players out, but we turned up, so I really think that (people should focus on the result).' Originally published as 'Disgusting': Harry Grant blindsided by Danika Mason as controversial act comes under fire
7NEWS
2 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Latrell Mitchell sidelined with pinched nerve as South Sydney's injury woes deepen
Latrell Mitchell will miss South Sydney's Indigenous Round home game with a pinched nerve in his back, adding to an NRL season of injury woes at the Rabbitohs. The competition's most prominent Indigenous superstar failed to train at 16th-placed Souths' final session for Saturday's clash with Parramatta, but could return next week. Mitchell suffered the injury in last week's win over Gold Coast and will be replaced at centre by Bayleigh Bentley-Hape, bringing Tyrone Munro onto the wing. '(Mitchell) is not mobile enough, hopefully next week,' coach Wayne Bennett said. 'He played last week and it was Indigenous Round last week as well. We're disappointed he's not playing.' It's a frustrating blow for Mitchell, who had only managed two games since returning from a quadriceps injury that sidelined him for more than a month. 'You can be sad about it, you can be anything like about it. The bottom line is he's not playing and he's not fit to play. That's it,' Bennett said. Mitchell joins Campbell Graham, Cameron Murray, Keaon Koloamatangi and Tevita Tatola in a star-studded casualty ward, but Souths have Cody Walker back from a hamstring injury. The veteran five-eighth participated in light training on Friday and will return from a seven-week lay-off via the bench. 'He's done all the criteria, met all the standards of fitness and that that he needs to,' Bennett said. Superstar winger Alex Johnston is an outside chance to break the NRL's try-scoring record this weekend, requiring four four-pointers to pass Ken Irvine's mark of 212 tries. The record has stood since 1973, so long ago that rugby league stalwart Bennett never saw Irvine play, confined to listening to the North Sydney and Manly winger on the radio from his home state in Queensland. Bennett would not weigh into speculation fans could rush the field when Johnston finally passes Irvine, with Indigenous Round shaping as a fitting occasion for the Koedal Klan Saibai Man. 'That would be special but it's going to be special anyway,' Bennett said. 'I don't know (how it'll be celebrated), I want to get him there and we'll worry about the party after.' Souths' only home game at Allianz Stadium for the year comes some two months after the NSW Government formally rejected their push to relocate the majority of home games there from 2026. The Rabbitohs have been permitted to host at the $828 million Moore Park venue for Indigenous Round, but have been told breaking their contract with Accor Stadium would be too costly for the taxpayer. The club is intent on keeping the fight up, with Bennett saying the Eels clash and an away game in round 27 would give fans a chance to show how much a move to Souths heartland would mean. 'I think everybody recognises the importance of it and what it would mean to the club,' Bennett said. 'We play there this week and we play there in two weeks' time so it'll give everybody a pretty fair indication of what it would mean to the South Sydney supporters.'
ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
Nathan Cleary 'frustrated' as Harry Grant milks field goal penalty in Storm-Panthers NRL blockbuster
Melbourne is one of the few teams in the NRL this season that has had a game-winning field goal chalked off for foul play while in possession. It happened when Trent Loiero gave away a penalty while playing the ball before Ryan Papenhuyzen slotted with a one-pointer with five minutes left in a Magic Round loss to Canberra. On Thursday night, the rugby league gods flipped the script by rewarding the Storm with a dubious call of their own when Harry Grant milked a penalty as Nathan Cleary potted from 27 metres out. Grant shot out of marker and, rather than make a beeline for Cleary's right kicking boot, took the scenic route to the left of the halfback around and ultimately into Panthers prop Moses Leota. Referee Ashley Klein blew his whistle the moment Grant hit the deck and before the ball passed between the posts, explaining the penalty to Leota before turning to Grant and saying "don't try and milk it either". Klein's comment after the fact was perhaps a recognition that Grant's efforts were not entirely dairy-free and Cleary protested, challenging the penalty. Bunker replays showed Grant hamming it up as he ran towards and around Leota, sticking an arm out and going to ground dramatically. Fans at Western Sydney Stadium may have had some hope of the on-field call being overturned, but bunker official Chris Butler broke their hearts, announcing: "Moses is now in a blocking position that denies Harry Grant a fair run to the ball. The challenge is unsuccessful." You could hear the wry smile on the face of Cameron Smith, Grant's predecessor and one of the game's greatest exploiters of NRL rules and procedures, as he remarked on the replays. "Harry does a really good job," Smith said in commentary for Channel Nine. "When you break it down, he's running to the wrong side of Nathan Cleary because [Cleary is] right-footed. So he does a really good job there." To make matters worse, Cleary had two more field goals charged down — one by Grant — before the Storm hooker and captain pulled off the ultimate dummy-half sneak in golden point to win a classic NRL clash. Last year the NRL announced rules to outlaw teams placing "blockers" in front of kickers to impede players pressuring field goal attempts. Panthers coach Ivan Cleary diplomatically said "Harry's too smart at both ends" when asked about it in the post-match press conference, before imploring his son to "tell the truth" when the same question was directed at the skipper. "If you're defending and you play for the obstruction, they don't want that in the game. For some reason it's different for a field goal," Nathan said. ABC Sport is live blogging every round of the AFL and NRL seasons in 2025. "I thought the blocking rule was brought in so people wouldn't stand next to the play-the-ball – Moses wasn't in that position. "I don't believe everyone can get behind me on that field goal, and then essentially Harry played for it because he knew he was going to get the penalty. "I don't think Moses moved at all, either. So, yeah, it was pretty frustrating." Cleary also argued Leota was in position to take a run, although his claim that the Panthers would pass to a prop at first receiver for a hit-up on the last tackle with three minutes on the clock was about as believable as Grant's acting performance in the collision. Melbourne's captain admitted there was some "inconsistency or confusion around it", adding if the NRL wants to come out and change things this week then he is OK with that, but said he was simply playing to the rules. "Even the Penrith boys were aware of it in the game and when it happened," Grant said. "Even the players on the field knew they weren't allowed to be in that position, they were saying 'get out of the road'. "We all know the circumstances at that time of the game, everyone trains and understands you're not allowed to be in that position. "It's a hard one, for sure, but that's just what's been policed throughout the season." Grant said "hats off to the officials" for making the tough call in the biggest moment of the game. The rules, announced in early 2024, were reiterated throughout last season. "If you don't want to take the risk of having a field goal disallowed, don't put these players in this position. You're inviting the referee to take action," NRL head of football elite competitions Graham Annesley said. "Why do they need to be there? They're clearly not receiving the ball, they know who the ball is going to so why put them there? You open the risk of the goal not being awarded."
