By Caroline Wilson
Netting set up behind the goals at ANZ Stadium before Saturday night's Sydney Hawthorn game has been raised as a potential reason why stadium and AFL ground staff failed to notice the four bolts which cut Jarryd Roughead's back and has prompted the league to review its match-day procedures.
But AFL football boss Mark Evans was on Monday night refusing to accept that the netting obscured the protruding bolts until the maligned venue carried out a full inspection of how the net could have hidden the dangerous metal behind the goal. And AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has accepted responsibility for the hazard, agreeing with Evans the failure of all parties to notice the bolts was "not acceptable".
Cut: Jarryd Roughead of the Hawks holds his back.Credit: Getty Images
The AFL first inspected the ground two days before the Swans' last home clash for 2015 at the Olympic Stadium but the seating had not then been configured for Australian Rules football. A further inspection shortly before Saturday's game by the league's match day official failed to report the protruding bolts which were covered by ground staff after the Roughead injury.
Evans said he would not accept the netting could have obscured the bolts until senior ANZ Stadium staff had tested the theory on Tuesday. He said the incident would prompt a review of the AFL's match day practices but like McLachlan refused to point the finger at the match day official responsible for Saturday's inspection.
Since Barry Hall broke his wrist at the ground in 2008 after crashing through advertising and colliding with an exposed metal bar the AFL has expanded pre-game inspections to now include perimeter signage, lighting and other obstructions around the boundary.
The Roughead incident, although ultimately the AFL's responsibility, has further soured the stadium's relationship with the AFL community. On Saturday the Swans were forced to relocate their NEAFL curtain-raiser due to heavy rain but Friday night's NRL curtain-raiser was still played at the ground.
Fairfax Media understands the AFL and the Swans are now working towards a scenario which would see scheduling clashes force any Swans home finals this year to be staged at the SCG.
At present the AFL is contracted to play all Sydney finals at ANZ Stadium unless those finals clash with NRL matches. However the prevailing view is that the AFL would move finals should they be at risk of being staged on the day or night following an NRL fixture.
Next year is the final one of the controversial ANZ Stadium deal but should the NSW government fast-track the establishment of a new Sydney Stadium 'super trust', that deal could be terminated before the 2016 season.