The AFL Players’ Association will seek to discuss the ANZ Stadium playing surface with the AFL this week.

ANZ Stadium was used for an NRL final on Friday night and the Player’s Association believes the ground wasn’t adequately prepared to host an AFL final the night after.

While there have been issues with ANZ Stadium in recent years, the condition of the ground has generally been acceptable when groundskeepers have been given adequate time to prepare the surface beforehand.

General Manager, Player Relations Ian Prendergast said, “The surface appeared to be uneven from one section of the ground to the next, meaning players were unable to adjust to the conditions, regardless of which type of boots they wore. Some areas of the ground were hard, while others were incredibly slippery.”

“Both wings seemed particularly problematic, due to the retractable stands that had been put in place the night before and the on-field signage that had been removed with high-pressure hoses.”

Player representatives from both Carlton and Sydney raised concerns about the playing surface following Saturday night’s match. Players have questioned the suitability of the venue – especially for such an important final – if the problems aren’t rectified in the future.

“The Players’ Association will work with the AFL to put some safeguards around this issue in place for the future. This will relate to stadium arrangements and the ability to control the scheduling of other games.”

“It’s disappointing for both players and fans that we continue to have serious issues with this venue despite the concerns raised previously. No-one wants to see players put at risk due to the surface of a stadium”, Prendergast said.