Australian Football League To Repair Playing Surface At ANZ Stadium Following Complaints

The Australian Football League has "responded to criticism of the ANZ Stadium playing surface by insisting on some repair work to the ground before Saturday's finals clash between Sydney and Fremantle," according to Adrian Warren of the AAP. Players frequently "slipped over during the course of last Saturday's clash between the Swans and Richmond." The match was played "just two days after" a National Rugby League game at the venue between South Sydney and Canterbury. There are "no rugby league games scheduled at the venue this week." Sydney coach John Longmire revealed the AFL had "acted on Monday to try to improve conditions for this weekend." Longmire: "We've been notified by the AFL that they are actually going to make some changes to that surface, two patches which is a good thing" (AAP, 9/1).