Concerns growing in the AFL over Optus Stadium’s poor conditions - "It is not up to AFL standard", "It hasn't worked"
Optus Stadium has recently been labeled unsuitable for AFL games by some of the game’s modern legends as the venue continues to cause trouble for players.
During the Sunday Round 15 game between the Fremantle Dockers and Gold Coast Suns, an alarming number of players from both sides slipped over, particularly in the first quarter of the clash, raising concerns about the state of the surface.
Now, despite heavy investments into the stadium’s renovation, two AFL champions have been vocal about their uncertainty about Optus Stadium's current state.
Jack Riewoldt, who played at the stadium seven times and most recently in Round 18 of last season, spoke to AFL 360 host Gerard Whateley on the current state of the arena and said:
“We’ve had a couple of stinkers there – some have been weather-dependent, but it is slippery, and it is hard – and you can see it on TV … you can feel that it is not up to AFL standard.”
Legendary AFL duo questions the state of Optus Stadium
Host Gerard Whateley, joined by Richmond three-time premiership player Jack Riewoldt and Hawthorn legend Jordan Lewis, discussed the growing concerns on AFL 360.
Whately said:
“It is a brilliant stadium, which has been failed by its absolute fundamental. ”
Lewis said:
“It was by far the hardest surface that I ever played on, by far – it was noticeable in the days post-game, you could still feel the heaviness in your legs. You’re trying to couple that with the experience of the stadium and what a magnificent stadium it is, but the surface was hard and sub-par.”
Although Lewis’ last game in Perth was in 2018, his words stand supported by Riewoldt, whose more recent game was Round 18 of the 2023 season.
Riewoldt said:
“Where else are you going to play over there? It’d be a billion-dollar stadium, they need to get it right.”
West Coast star defender Tom Barrass was asked for his take on the surface. He said:
“It’s too hard, so then you soften it up and it gets muddy. It hasn’t worked, and I know that people are working hard behind the scenes to get it going."
He added:
"I don’t know if it is overused in the off-season or just before the season, but it has never, ever been in reasonable nick, so hopefully that will change soon.”
In May, the turf was independently assessed by the league and declared to be in “good” condition, by metrics such as turf coverage, presentation, surface hardness and traction.
This Sunday, the West Coast Eagles host Hawthorn at Optus Stadium in the stadium’s next quality test of the surface.