Freo and Eagles join forces over hard turf

West Coast and Fremantle have become so worried about the Optus Stadium turf that they will organise a meeting to talk about it.

Optus Stadium

West Coast and Fremantle have joined forces to express concerns about the Optus Stadium surface. (AAP)

They're normally arch enemies, but West Coast and Fremantle will join forces in an attempt to find a fix to the Optus Stadium surface riddle.

Both AFL clubs have been ravaged by foot, toe, or lower leg injuries over the past year, with many claiming the surface at the $1.6 billion stadium is too hard.

Fremantle have already lost Matt Taberner (foot stress fracture) and Alex Pearce (ankle fracture) for the season.

Ruckman Rory Lobb (foot fracture) is also expected to miss the rest of the year.

West Coast premiership stars Tom Barrass, Elliot Yeo, Jamie Cripps, and Willie Rioli have also been cut down by injury over the past 12 months, while Sydney superstar Lance Franklin pulled up with a sore heel there last year.

Even the NRL has become worried, with the organisation ordering an urgent report into the Optus Stadium surface ahead of next week's historic State of Origin clash there.

The Dockers have temporarily suspended training at the venue, with no time frame put on returning there.

West Coast temporarily suspended training there earlier this season.

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon revealed on Thursday that his club will meet with West Coast to discuss the issue.

"Both clubs are going to get together and have a bit of a summit on it. Try and work forward," Lyon said.

"We all acknowledge it (the surface) starts the year really hard because it's a multi-purpose venue. It has concerts, I think it has motocross, it has cricket.

"Then it works it's way in (to becoming a big softer)."

"We'll cease training there in the meantime. We can control the surface here (at our training base in Cockburn) and (control our) footwear, and not panic about it."

"But there's no silver bullet here. Because if there was, it would have been fired and no one would be talking about it."

Lyon resisted the temptation to recall Harley Bennell for Saturday's clash with Port Adelaide in Perth, but he's thrown his faith in fit-again trio Sean Darcy, Stephen Hill, and Griffin Logue.

Bennell has starred in two WAFL appearances since returning from long-term calf issues, and the former Sun will line up for Peel Thunder again.

Darcy will replace Lobb, while Logue comes in to replace Pearce.

Hill, who has been grounded by quad issues since round 20 last year, comes in for Adam Cerra (illness).

Port Adelaide made just one change, replacing Matthew Broadbent (mental health) for Hamish Hartlett, who will play his first AFL match since tearing his ACL early last year.


Share
3 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
Freo and Eagles join forces over hard turf | SBS News