Allianz Stadium cleared for NRL finals after turf work

Allianz Stadium officials are adamant the ground will be fit to cope with any heavy rainfall during the NRL's finals, as investigations continue into the venue's drainage.

Eyebrows were raised after last week's swamp-like conditions for the Sydney Roosters' match against Parramatta, with large puddles of water on the surface.

The stadium received 11.5mm of rain in 15 minutes before the game, but its drainage systems had been considered more than capable of absorbing such an amount quickly.

Worryingly for the two-year old, $828 million venue, the turf at Brookvale Oval appeared to handle the heavy rain far better.

A Roosters player splashes onto the turf.
The stadium's surface coped poorly after a pre-match downpour.

Investigators are looking into the status of the turf and drainage, with Allianz Stadium's next fixture being an NRLW-NRL double-header on September 1.

The ground is also set to host at least one finals match next month.

Immediate work has been done in a bid to avoid short-term issues, while officials are still waiting on the results of further tests.

"Investigations are ongoing into the turf drainage at Allianz Stadium, with confirmation upcoming NRL matches and finals will proceed as planned," a Venues NSW spokesperson said in a statement.

"Immediate measures have been taken to improve turf drainage, including a comprehensive pro-coring and aerating process.

"Further testing will continue, with planned turf replacement works scheduled after the concerts in October."

Allianz Stadium is built with a gravel and sand layer beneath the turf, which is designed to assist with drainage.

The arena's grass comes from a turf farm in Windsor, a region which suffered serious flooding before the surface was first laid at Allianz Stadium in 2022.

That had prompted suggestions there could be concerns over silt levels, which has the potential to affect water flow.

The turf was tested before it was laid, and officials have confirmed that surface was removed last summer as planned following a series of concerts. 

Grass from the same turf farm, unaffected by floods, was used to replace it.

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