The original pitch was some sort of hybrid that was meant to be able to withstand heavy usage.

Unfortunately, despite being told, they didn't dig down deep enough with the drainage nor did they raise the pitch enough and so it gets flooded every year and that's why it's constantly poor.

I've had a massive weeping scab on my knee all week from a 3g pitch. That was from soccer, wouldn't like to play rugby on one.

Why don't they wear protective bandages on elbows and knees. They wouldn't have to be cumbersome. I expect we will see this happening as the season wears on.

That's quite common in modern grass pitches. The fantastic pitch at the Etihad Stadium has a plastic thread woven into the turf to stop it breaking up. I don't know how deep it is but it would have to be fairly shallow for it to work.

We'll see what effect that has on rugby in May.

I get these from playing hockey on astro pitches, but that's every week, and they take ages to heal. Widnes will play every other week, and as has already been said, they will probably get elbow and knee pads or bandaging. Visiting teams will only play there once.

PS: Try the hydrocolloid dressings from Boots: ideal for wet-healing this type of injury.

Agreed re the hydrocolloid plasters for wet/weeping wounds, a fiver will seem like a lot but they're brilliant as they go a long way to prevent scarring.

they want to try playing propper summer rugby on pitches like judes which has no sprinkler system other than the odd dog being walked having a tinkle on it its like concrete. It comes to summat when rugby players are moaning about a grazed knee

When has Headingley ever supposedly been labelled the "best ground" in RL??

Its probably the best of the 100yrs+, but best in RL? You'd be right to think not.

Its a pitch used 12mths a year by 2 different sports, at the beginning of the season in minus conditions covered in sand. Hardly gonna be perfect is it??

Doesn't matter what excuse you make, it's not good enough. Those days are supposed to be over for RL. The pitch is awful, it should be taken into account when rating the ground.

To be honest, the DW pitch didn't look too good at the weekend either. SImilarly, not good enough.

My god it's not rocket science is it?
for all of you intelligent posters please stop reading now as you clearly know the answer

[uANSWER[/u
Pitches that are used for a constant 12 months tend to suffer,especially in the winter months when grass doesn't grow

I can't recall a game being cancelled at headingley due to the pitch (apart from weather that would cancel any game on any pitch). The groundstaff do well with what they have got, and the pitch will be spot on soon enough.

With regards to 3g pitches, they use an artificial soil base made up of fine rubber particles and sand that will take a stud if it is raked back into position as needed. It should even give enough support for quick changes of direction.

Well obviously it is! Heard any complaints from Hull KR players since?
How's your roof? They should take it into account when rating the ground. You should send for Melinda Messenger to finish it off and get Dominic Littlewood to chase the 'cowboys' that built it!

I couldnt care less about the state of the pitch unless injuries will occur because of it. I'm more concerned about the state of the team and as a Leeds fan i am pretty chuffed right now.

Widnes can

How do you know its not taken into account already when rating the ground?

Everybody knows Headingley as a ground is probably one of the least scoring areas for the licensing application purely because, uncovered west stand, crumbling south stand etc, but additional facilities around the ground added to everything else we have and continue to achieve means we are an 'A' license club.

And unfortunately for the haters, lack of grass on the pitch in winter isnt enough to change that!

The ground criteria are fairly straightforward and Headingley comfortably exceeds each of them. It's not about modernity, it's about capacity, cover, usage and corporate space.

It's still not good enough. I'd be severely embarrased if it was my team's pitch.

If it has to be used over 12 months then investment should be made in the sun lamps that football clubs have to encourage grass growth.

It's not good enough in this day and age.

I can barely hold my head up.

The embarrassment about the state of our pitch for the first month or two of each season takes the gloss off those 5 titles in 8 years for me.

Yours, an embarrassed Leeds fan.

Moan moan moan. Are most of you having blue rinses as you type? So it hasnt got a lot of grass of it, so what its rolled, flat and suitable. Come to sunshine and warmer temperatures it'll look cracking

Im reeeeaaallllly embarrassed! How I dare leave the house on a morning Ill never know!

Well said.... Some people just like a moan...

To be honest it doesn't matter what type of pitch you have whether it's Headingley Beach or Widnes iPitch 3G it's all about performances on the field and it's undoubted the benchmark for SL is Leeds/Saints and possibly Wigan. Warrington have started their ascendency, but don't know how long/if it will last.

Why is everyone arguing about pitches anyways?

How can Saints and Leeds be the benchmark? 3rd and 5th last season!! and don't give me that post season cup nonsense! Being a good team and being a good cup team are 2 different things!

Ah a sidetrack into a reminder of the failure of other teams to display the hallmarks of champions when it matters.

Maybe Leeds are hampered early season by their disastrous pitch? Hardly fair that a team of flair and skill has to play on a pitch better suited to teams who do not display such qualities. You Pie Eaters are right: this DOES make me embarrassed for it simply plays into the hands of those teams able to grunt, wrestle and chopper tackle their way to a position of strength through the regular season



However, these are not the characteristics of champions and it is a relief to all that Rugby League does not recognise the regular season as anything other than preparation for an altogether bigger stage - a stage on which the chokers choke and teams with real skill and real depth of character get to the Grand Final.

Easy.

In a competition that gives the top 8 a chance of getting to the GF & being crowned SL champions,

The current SL champions Leeds Rhinos, 5x winners from last 8 seasons, and the team to have made last 6 consecutive GF's, Saints will be the benchmark that all the other teams should be aspiring to!