Suncorp Stadium surface drains, Super Rugby and Broncos games still a chance

The sun is out and shining on the hallowed turf of Suncorp Stadium with staff working overtime to have the ground ready for action again.

This image will have Broncos and Super Rugby fans breathing a sigh of relief with flooding inside Suncorp Stadium having drained away on Tuesday morning.

Stadium staff were working around the clock to prepare the playing surface for Friday’s Super Rugby clash and next week’s Broncos season opener after an incredible amount of rainwater was dumped on the hallowed turf over the weekend.

Images inside the stadium show the pool of rainwater completely drained away and ground staff working to aerate the surface ahead of Friday’s match.

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Ground staff hard at work on the Suncorp surface.

Stadium boss Alan Graham is expecting a call to be made on Tuesday as to whether this Friday’s Super Rugby clash between the Fijian Drua and Melbourne Rebels will go ahead.

About 80 per cent of the stadium playing turf was covered in rainwater on Monday after more than 200mm fell on the suburb on Sunday alone.

The inundation was reminiscent of 2011 when the stadium was completely flooded with muddy water – the impact of which was felt for at least the following 12 months.

Cars and a bus underwater next to Suncorp Stadium over the weekend.

However, this week’s flooding emergency is not expected to have as big an impact on the stadium, with all essential equipment moved from the ground level and partition boards replaced with Besser block following the 2011 event.

The Titans v Warriors trial match on the Gold Coast was abandoned on Monday night due to Queensland’s flood emergency.

Fiji Drua are set to play their Super Rugby clash against the Rebels in Brisbane on Friday.

The last pre-season trial for the NRL teams had already been postponed from Saturday at Redcliffe to Monday on the Gold Coast.

But it has been called off for the second time as south east Queensland and northern NSW deal with a devastating flood emergency.

There was significant flooding on Monday around the Robina area where the stadium is located.

Concerns are also held for Sunday’s AFLW clash between the Lions and North Melbourne at Maroochydore Sports Complex on the Sunshine Coast.

The field was the scene of a viral video over the weekend of a person swimming in floodwater around the outer edges of the ground.

The AFL is currently assessing the situation and will make a call sometime this week.

Originally published as Suncorp Stadium surface drains, Super Rugby and Broncos games still a chance