Sandy Manuka was safe for AFL clash: Evans

AFL football operations manager Mark Evans is adamant the controversial Manuka Oval surface was ugly, but not unsafe.

The Western Bulldogs’ 27-point win over GWS in Canberra on Saturday was marred by the amount of sand on the field, which last month hosted the Sheffield Shield cricket final.

It was not only unsightly, but impacted the bounce of the ball.

Evans has since spoken with the venue manager and both teams, but remained confident the surface was up to AFL standard.

“It was deemed safe to play, but it’s a long way short of the standards that we want for an AFL match,” Evans said on Monday.

“We need to have better standards of care for our grounds.

“In this case their renovation plan was hampered by the weather. They had a lot of rain and it didn’t wash away the sand the way they wanted it to.

“It’s something we will take up with them.

“I think the rest of us believe that being more conservative with renovation plans, leading into a game, would be a good outcome.”

Bulldogs captain Ryan Griffen said his club was not alarmed by the patchy turf, but some teammates were surprised at the state of the ground.

“It was a little bit of a shock. Certain guys fell over and couldn’t keep their feet and may have got a few grazes, which was a little disappointing,” Griffen said.

“But I’m sure the AFL will get on top of it.”

Evans, Griffen and Carlton captain Marc Murphy were at AFL headquarters on Monday to announce an initiative for round five in which players’ names will be on the back of jumpers.

Evans suggested the league would consider bucking tradition and making a permanent change for next year, depending on feedback from clubs and supporters.

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