West Coast’s AFLW season opener against Gold Coast has been shifted from Leederville Oval to Lathlain Park. This amendment is included in response to growing safety concerns over the toxic playing surface. The intense rainfall combined with the high traffic of a WAFL match over the weekend ripped up the centre square of Leederville Oval. As a result, it has turned hazardous to play, leading to this drastic action.
Leederville Oval only recently completed a $5.2 million upgrade. The renovations provide a new playing surface, updated irrigation systems and broadcast-standard lighting. Even with these enhancements, the oval turned into a quagmire after a WAFL match between East Perth and South Fremantle. Both teams were soon rendered caked in mud, raising alarms about player safety.
The new surface was immediately put to the test, and it was quickly discovered that the surface was unsafe for any level of competition. On Tuesday, officials announced the decision to relocate the season opener, originally scheduled for this weekend.
Previous Safety Concerns
The move to change venues was not without precedent. Leederville Oval had a history of safety concerns, most infamously at a WAFL game in 2016 between Subiaco and Peel. Ironically, that same match was canceled at the last second due to similar worries over the condition of the playing surface.
Laura Kane, the new AFL head of operations, told ABC News that player welfare was a priority when announcing the venue switch.
“The health and safety of our players is absolutely paramount and so we made the call to move the game.” – Laura Kane
New Venue Details
Lathlain Park, with a capacity of around 6,500 fans, will now welcome the season opener. The effective capacity of Leederville Oval has been artificially imposed down from 10,000. In this regard, officials claim that this decision is necessary for the purpose of protecting players from injury.
West Coast took a significant step in demonstrating its commitment to developing a safe climate for athletes. They are the ones who maintain the sanctity of the game. The club is moving forward with continued cooperation between the club and officials. As the match date draws ever closer, they’ll be monitoring conditions at Lathlain Park together.
Repair Work Underway
Following the decision to move the game, crews started repair work on the damaged centre square at Leederville Oval on Monday. They jumped right in without missing a beat! This latest effort is to return the field to an acceptable and safe condition for future use. For their part, West Coast officials remain optimistic that promised repairs will go quickly. They really want to see matches back at Leederville Oval as soon as possible.
