As soon as anyone gets an injury on it, particularly during a Sky broadcast, Hemmings will question the pitch. Every time it happens, he’ll question the pitch. He likes to create controversy and, once he gets a bee in is wig, he rattles on and on about it. He was an embarrassment when we played the Aussies last week; whinging constantly about the ref. And what about when your lot played here? Hemmings was blaming the stadium for Saints’ early form every time his baggy face appeared on telly.

If he doesn’t go on about the injuries, it will be about Widnes gaining some massive advantage by using it. God help us if we win a few games at home. That kind of thing tends to stick, and could kill this great initiative stone dead.

Steve O'Connor has already pumped millions into the infrastructure that stadium. HBC also own 10% of the club and have a seat on the board. So, I would expect that the stadium is run for the benefit of both. What form the agreement takes, we'll probably never know, but there clearly is some agreement in place. Maybe the revenue from the new i-pitch (which is funded by SOC) will pay for the rental of the stadium, or something like that.

I think the new pitch just outlines how much of a visionary genius Steve Jobs was.

Glad we got it off him before he popped his clogs .

Can't see it being an issue to be honest and you'd be surprised. I played on this rubber stuff earlier in the year at an indoor Football venue near where I live and from sliding on it (and being tackled awkwardly) the potential for injury in terms of cuts and carpet burns is far less than playing on a hard pitch. Not entirely sure when it comes to rolling ankles over etc. I expect Eddie & Stevo will be creaming themselves come February.

I fear you are correct. in fact, i know you are correct. At least i will be present at our home games so wont have to listen to him rambling on about it on the sky coverage, and when i watch it back on sky plus when i get home (assuming we have just beaten wire or wigan of course ) the mute button will be getting much love.

The turf will be going down in week and half. The groundworkers are just putting the curbs in now and then the turf will be put down.

Heard on Wire FM yesterday that there are problems with laying the new ipitch as "conditions have to be dry" (basically its too wet!) . Gonna be a very small window between now and the start of the season for it to be laid.

Need to sack your informant Pete, Turf not being delivered until next week at earliest. Dependant on contractors xmas break and weather you wont see "grass" laid this year

I can't see it being much of an advantage if any, the majority of the game is played with ball in hand running, the ball doesn't deviate much when comparing [current] all weather pitches and well groomed stadium grass pitches in the summer.
Just deal with it, besides hasn't playing at home always been about having a slight advantage, crowd, changing rooms etc?

Brilliant.

Live from Langtree Park, St Helens, we bring you the eagerly-awaited return of Widnes Vikings to Super League live on Sky Sports.

May explain a bit why we haven't arranged any friendlies on it 'just in case'. Doubt it's a major worry as (via Asterix pictures) there has been a fair bit of progress and some of the bottom 'sponge type layer' is down.

Also it's not as if we need to wait for the grass to grow

Possibly it could backfire on Widnes. Every other team has to play 1 game on this pitch. Widnes will have to play 14 games on the "alien" surface of grass!