Is the pitch at the Galpharm not grass and have they had more sunshine in Huddersfield than Headingley this winter?

I thought we'd already covered the minimal effect of the powder-puff fairies tiptoe-ing across the fine green sward, and given that Jason Booth has already stated that Headingley has only had one day of sun in the past seven weeks (and that probably not raising the temperature at all) then its probably safe to assume that the Galpharm may have had a touch more sun on its back, yes.

By the way, if it makes Mr Booth feel any better, my lawn looks fs'kin awful too.

Mind, I've got a big dog that s on it at least once a day, must get around to teaching him to put it in a bag afterwards...

but joking apart i think we as supporters and the players should expect to play the first game of the season on a very good playing surface

Huddersfield have engineered grass which comprises of 1% plastic. This helps with creating a better surface. Also, Leeds do not have the option to relay the turf when it takes a beating and have to nurture it back to it's original condition. IIRC, the grass on the pitch now has not been replaced in 80 years. I think I got that factoid from the History Makers book, or maybe the website. I definitely read it somewhere.

Didn't a mr Booth collect an award last year for RL groundsman of the year ?

lionarmour87.. Did you notice the sign outside mty mates house says McLaren Fields ?

ooops .

Was there more than one field ?

How did the groundsmen dig up the under soil heating without replacing the grass?

Re-layed the same grass?

It wasn't dug up.

This may be a silly question but why can't they re-lay the grass?

Other grounds seem to do it to keep their playing surface in good nick.

Watching the SL show really brought it home how bad it was on Friday - esp contrasting with the game straight after.

IIRC March is the best time to do it.

That would be difficult then - but union and football clubs must be able to manage.

I would have thought the whole thing could be replaced in a few days. I don't know whether it would be sufficient to start rooting again if you assumed 2 weeks between matches. Or whether rooting into the subsoil is even necessary.

A couple of years ago the Welsh RU relaid their pitch ready for the 6 nations, I think England at Cardiff was their first game - only two minutes into it one of their wingers slid on the surface and ripped up a whole turf, just rolled it up exactly like it had been laid just a week or so before - there was a discussion off the field as to whether the game should be abandoned for safety.


Of course the real answer is to bring those old ground staff out of retirement to replace the useless Jason Booth, you know, the man who has won countless awards for the Headingley pitch, he obviously doesn't have the first clue compared to those groundstaff of yore who could provide emerald green swards cut to bowling green standards right through much worse winters than we get these days...

Look it is in a poor way and it does need re-laying, but...

I thought did they re-lay the pitch when they put in the under-soil heating but that would also be 40+ years ago, so it has not been replaced for a bloody long time either way.

Leeds/GH has public said that the pitch is in desperate need of a full deep replacement but that would require a window of at least 4/6 weeks if not longer, something that it is difficult to engineer given both the RL and RU being played on the pitch.

There are several issues that it making it hard to keep the pitch well now without replacing the grass. Firstly, grass technology has moved on a long way and that makes a huge difference. When they do re-lay the pitch it will most certainly be grass 'designed' for both Rugby and all-year round use and the sub-soil will also be fully replaced and will get rid of that baked soil we currently have under the pitch which, despite drainage systems, is still a problem and holding water.

In respect of other grounds where the pitch is used all year round, Wigan, Hudds and Hull etc not only is that football being played in winter, which also makes a huge difference, but they all have under-soil heating don't they? That means that the pitch can stay uncovered at all times and therefore the damage caused by covering our pitch up does not happen to their pitches.

I tell you what I think is going to happen...

I suspect that we are going to be playing at Elland Road for the first couple/few months of next season (and Leeds Carnegie most of their season as well) while they get the new South Stand to a point where they can safely readmit spectators. I think speed of getting the stand up is critical to the club and because the pitch needs a major overhaul I think they will allow demolition/construction access from both sides (unlike Carnegie Stand), which will make the whole thing a damn site easier and quicker. Once the founds and steel/terrace units are up, the elements that need the best access for construction, they will put the new pitch down in time to give it all of March and possibly into April to bed-down. I also suspect that will also allow them to put in a brand new under-soil heating system, which I am sure we will do. I do think Leeds Carnegie will play any Rugby on the pitch next year and will spend the whole season at Elland Road ( even South Leeds Stadium, along with all reserve grade games for the Rhinos and Carnegie). So when the Rhinos return they will be the only team on there until after the summer.

I have no inside info on this, I am not Frosties, it is just what I think will happen!

Its a disgrace imo. Its ok having one of the best Groundsmen in the country but he cant work fecking miracle's. The pitch is 65 years old and the draining was installed in the 1960's. Drainage usually lasts for 15-20 years - just a bit overdue!

A few years back there was talk of a new pitch been laid, where did that idea go?

I may be wrong but im sure Heatherington said its scheduled to be completed in the off season. Leeds may request that our first couple of games are played away just incase it runs over a bit. Carnegie don't get that many spectators so they will be fine with the 3 other stands.

RhinoNeil - While we are finishing a little early this season and we might start next years a couple of weeks later than this, it is very, very tight! I don't know what you do for a living, or you what I do, but trust me on this one!

I think that they would have at the worst 16 weeks and best 20 weeks (allowing for the fixture guys to be nice to us) to demolish the existing stand and build a new one. Now, it might not need to be 100% complete at the start of the season but still mate, the off-season is not long. Put it this way, I would be thinking (without having seen any real details of the proposal yet) I would want (clue here!) 8 to 10 weeks to erect the steel and terrace units. I would also really like to be able to erect from the front as well the foot-print if at all possible as I think I could save a week and also some money if I could. It is not the end of the world if not, but that is what I would like. As such, if I was GH I would bite the bullet and while I have the opportunity given by circumstance, I would replace the pitch even if they held me up a few more weeks.

Well im no Builder but I agree that it is a huge task in pre season!! There going to have to be very very well organised and on the ball to say the least.

I thought we let the pitch get in that state to it'd give the opponents a better chance?

Well it took longer than the off season to re-do the carnegie stand, which is half the size of the new southstand.

If I were GH, I would seek to get the play-off games for the end of the season at ER, and try get a really big crowd in too, then the opening few games next season, again really try to get a good crowd in. By march / april move back into headingley with a new picth and a new stand.

Keith Boyce was a master of his craft. Lived on site and prepared pitches that were nice and pacey in the first half and took spin in the second.

Ah, so its' the rugby played on it during the winter months then, is that what you're saying?

Because you don't mention the difference between rugby and football here.



Like I said all along, its' grass and winter at the Galpharm too. Only difference, they don't share with a RU team. Its' an inescapable conclusion.

There's your solution then, lets find a football team seeking a groundshare, they hardly touch their grass.

My uncle worked for him on both rugby and cricket pitches