By Paul Suttor
Illawarra Mercury
17 December, 2003
WOLLONGONG'S chances of hosting St George Illawarra's blockbuster
matches against Newcastle and Penrith next season are under threat
because of concerns about WIN Stadium's playing surface.
However, the Wollongong Sportsground Trust said the ground will be
ready for action.
WIN Stadium will host a motocross event on March 6 and the turf could
need between three to six weeks regeneration before it is able to
stage a football match.
The Dragons are scheduled to play traditional rivals Newcastle on
April 4 and premiers Penrith two weeks later.
If WIN Stadium is not up to National Rugby League standard, these two
matches could follow the same fate as their first round home game and
be moved to Oki Jubilee Stadium.
The Dragons are not the only footballers put out by the motocross.
The Wollongong Wolves, climbing the NSL ladder on the back of a five-
game unbeaten streak, won't be able to use their ground if they make
the finals.
Dragons chief executive Peter Doust said he met with the trust last
week and was told the club's "requirements have been planned into the
arrangements with the (motocross) promoter".
"We certainly recognise the need for the trust to continue to develop
their revenue streams and we do acknowledge that this activity is a
major developing sport across the nation, but we of course we're
primarily interested in protecting our assets, which revolve around
our players and the presentation of our events," he said.
"We've asked the trust to ensure they have adequate mechanisms within
their agreements to protect our needs as well as ensure their
objectives of revenue growth are met.
"With weather conditions in outside venues, there's always risks with
these sorts of things."
The Dragons will hold a board meeting tomorrow to work out their 2004
home ground allocation because they need to advise the NRL of their
Kogarah-Wollongong schedule by Friday.
Trust events manager Milton O'Brien said the weather would be crucial
in determining the time needed for the turf to regenerate.
"It depends on the weather. The weather is the unknown. We've given
it 3 to four weeks," he said.
"If it rains the week of the event, then the promoters have told us
they won't be doing anything. They will postpone it. They don't want
to get into a scenario where it'll cost them $300,000 to returf it. I
don't think it's going to be a problem."
Gosford's Central Coast Stadium staged two motocross events this year.
Stadium managing director Monique Marks said the motocross was a
worthwhile event but it did take its toll on the grass.
"We had one (a motocross) in January and Souths played four weeks
after it and it was fine," she said. "If I had a big game after it, I
would like around six weeks before I would put anything on it."
Copyright © 2003 Illawarra Mercury