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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
Damon Cronshaw

'Fields are horrible': Wet weather rains on sporting season's parade

Shaun Byrne evades Laufiso Vaisagote in the rugby match between University of Newcastle and Hamilton Hawks at Bernie Curran Oval, Callaghan on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll
Callum Conroy playing for University of Newcastle against Hamilton Hawks on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

Washouts have plagued the winter sporting season, with some players not getting a single game in a month.

Heavy rain has been falling often before the weekend and on Saturdays, forcing ground closures and postponed games.

And the wet weather could be set to continue.

The Bureau of Meteorology's long-term forecast for July to September predicted that "rainfall is likely to be above average" for the eastern seaboard.

Newcastle Football general manager Chris Brain said "it's been bedlam".

"We can't control the water coming from the sky," Mr Brain said.

"Over the last weekend, I think we had two grounds that were playable. That was it."

Mayfield United Junior Soccer Football Club secretary Jasmine White said there had been only two washouts at the club's home ground - Stevenson Park - this season.

"That's because we've put a lot of money into the fields," Mrs White said.

"A lot of clubs out there - their fields are horrible. You walk on them and your feet get drenched."

While Mayfield's ground had coped with the rain, many of the club's away games had been postponed.

"There's been a lot of washout rounds that are having to be remade," Mrs White said.

"Parents are getting very frustrated because they've paid for their kids to take the field.

"We've had kids who have taken the field maybe two or three times, so far this season."

She said the rain was "not as bad as a few seasons ago when it was every weekend".

Hamilton Hawks Rugby Club president Lesa Mason said her club had been "really lucky".

"We've only got one game to make up," she said, adding this week would be round 10 of the competition.

The Hawks played University of Newcastle on Saturday in what became a mud bath.

Ms Mason said the game was able to proceed because "Bernie Curran is a uni oval, not a council ground".

Hunter Rugby president James Slattery said there were "a few catch-up games to be made".

"We're working with the clubs to find new ways to complete the season, whether that's extending or midweek games," Mr Slattery said.

AFL has also been hit by washouts, but Cardiff Hawks has been better than most.

The club's junior president, Sally Newton, said "Pasterfield Sports Complex is what I call Stadium Australia".

"It has amazing drainage and a really good groundsman," Mrs Newton said.

Mrs Newton said the league declared the first round a total washout.

"Other than that, we haven't had one washout. We work hard with managing training and staying away from the pitch where possible."

Other AFL clubs have had several washouts.

"A lot of our junior teams have a lot of makeup games [for away fixtures]," she said.

Mr Brain, of Newcastle Football, said the wet weather was difficult to manage, as "we have restrictions to grounds".

"We've got to make sure we're not damaging grounds because council will fine our clubs," he said.

"The biggest issue is we're reliant on council to maintain most of the grounds we play on."

The sun might be out on Tuesday, for example, but if "we've had rain all weekend, the council can't get tractors on to mow it".

"If we get rain again on the Friday, the grass is too long and you can't mark lines."

He said the football association was "slowly getting [postponed] games done throughout the week".

"The issue is trying to fit them onto grounds. Obviously we need lights, and there's a lack of artificial surfaces in the area."

Mr Brain said the association would aim to get all postponed games played.

Northern NSW Football said in early June that its premier competition seasons had been extended due to wet weather.

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