Overview

• Multiple players from both teams lost their footing and chunks of turf were dislodged on the Paddington End during the June 27 Swans–Bulldogs match, raising immediate safety concerns.
• Former stars including Jimmy Bartel and Jonathan Brown publicly condemned the surface as “unacceptable” and warned of potential ACL-type injuries.
• Swans chair Andrew Pridham formally escalated the issue to AFL chief Andrew Dillon and Venues NSW, calling the turf’s standard unacceptable.
• The AFL has officially demanded an explanation, will send a turf specialist to Sydney before the next Swans fixture and may relocate upcoming games if conditions are not remediated.
• Experts and observers have traced the degradation to the April Andrea Bocelli concert and persistent winter dew that has inhibited grass recovery under the Bradman Stand.