RFL to continue to monitor Wakefield pitch

Friday’s Betfred Super League fixture between Wakefield Trinity and Huddersfield Giants will go ahead as scheduled. The playing surface at the Be Well Support Stadium was inspected Wednesday, and the clubs have agreed that the match should go ahead. Monitoring of the surface will continue over the coming weeks.

This came as Ian Watson said the game had to go ahead after the Giants missed Round One with St Helens in the World Club Challenge.

Watson also said that that Trinity should have considered an alternative stadium.

Now Wakefield boss Mark Applegarth has had his say on BBC West Yorkshire Sport: “There’s a bit more grass to grow on it as you’d expect at this time of year.

“It’s probably a bit barer than you would like. I certainly don’t want to use it an excuse. It’s certainly not ideal but it’s not the reason why you would win or lose a game. It is the same for both teams.

“It’s going to be a great surface once it’s up and running. With it being newly-laid there is a bedding in period and there are a few teething issues.

“I don’t want it to be about the field, I want it to be about the lads playing on the field.

“I was at the pitch inspection yesterday and the grounds people said give it another month or two and then it will be the best surface in the league.”

A bold statement from the Wakefield boss about the pitch and if this is the case then the RFL won’t have to monitor it for long with Sky Sports Jenna Brooks revealing that they will indeed be monitoring the pitch:

“The RFL will continue to monitor the pitch.”