Shuan Higgins Ankle Injury

Source: The Australian

AN ankle injury that will keep talented Bulldog Shaun Higgins on the sidelines until next month has reignited concerns over the state of the surface at Etihad Stadium, with Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett calling for an independent body to examine grounds used by the AFL.

Higgins injured his left ankle in the match against Collingwood on Sunday when a piece of the freshly laid turf appeared to give way.

The Bulldog pointed to the ground while being assisted by trainers, with his coach Rodney Eade initially fearing he could be out for as long as two months. The Bulldogs said yesterday Higgins would miss two or three weeks which, given the mid-season split round, means his earliest return will be against Hawthorn in round 14.

On crutches yesterday, Higgins said he had been told by club officials that the surface had clearly shifted at the time he rolled his ankle.

"I have not seen any of the footage yet, but obviously that is what I have been told," he told the Nine Network.

Collingwood midfielder Dale Thomas yesterday described the ground as tacky and below the standard of that of the MCG.The incident involving Higgins was not the only instance in which the surface of Etihad Stadium shifted.

"It's had a bit of traffic on it. The ground wasn't probably as good as the MCG is at times but it wasn't that bad," he said.

"It was a little bit tacky, a little bit shifting in spots. Over the ground it was different in certain spots but, overall, it wasn't too bad.

"You never like to see anyone get injured, but it's a shame. Whether you put that down to the ground or just an accident if he has rolled over on his ankle, it's probably not for me to say."

Kennett yesterday said he had written to the AFL to express his anger about the surface, stressing that it was a matter of occupational health and safety. Earlier this year, the former Victorian premier called the ground "Hammy Park" and was supported in his view by star Hawk midfielder Brad Sewell.

"The concern is real, the concern is genuine, and I hope this time that the AFL and Etihad Stadium won't just take on board or reject our criticism, as they did last time," Kennett said.

"We're talking about the work environment, the playing surface, for 700 players, and they should not be subjected to unnecessary risk."

Earlier this year, St Kilda also wrote to the AFL following the serious hamstring injury suffered by its champion and captain Nick Riewoldt.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, when addressing Kennett's initial salvo, said suggestions Etihad Stadium caused more injuries than any of the league's other venues were "nonsense".

"I can only go on years and years of data that we collect, not some gut feel about 'Hammy Park' and nonsense that gets peddled from time to time," Demetriou said. "There's injuries at every ground that we play on. Not every ground is exactly the same," he said.

He denied there was a problem, saying players were "completely safe" at Etihad Stadium and that the surface did not contribute "more to injuries than any other ground".

Kennett was incredulous that the AFL and stadium management continued to deny there was a problem.

"Maybe the AFL and the management of Etihad Stadium were looking at the video with eyes closed," he said.

"They can't just keep refuting the number of injuries that are occurring on the ground."

Higgins' teammate Brian Lake told the AFL's website the ground had improved in recent years and was not as hard as it once was but said it remained slippery.