Grounds of Rugby League : Wed Nov 20, 2019 5:23 pm  

I've often thought that the pitch at Belle Vue is right up there with the best rugby grounds in the country. It's dimensions must be approaching the maximum allowed and there is no slope. Our groundsman seems to produce a beautiful looking matchday surface but how much does the pitch matter towards making a good game of rugby. Featherstone and Cas both play on sloping postage stamps of pitches and Batley's is a hillside - does that really matter? Is BV a fast track and if so, is it too fast for us?
It would be interesting to hear from people who have played on these grounds as to whether some are better than others and whether the quirky ones offer advantage to the home side or do they despair of having to play half their games on it.

Re: Grounds of Rugby League : Wed Nov 20, 2019 5:39 pm  

FSW wrote:

I've often thought that the pitch at Belle Vue is right up there with the best rugby grounds in the country. It's dimensions must be approaching the maximum allowed and there is no slope. Our groundsman seems to produce a beautiful looking matchday surface but how much does the pitch matter towards making a good game of rugby. Featherstone and Cas both play on sloping postage stamps of pitches and Batley's is a hillside - does that really matter? Is BV a fast track and if so, is it too fast for us?
It would be interesting to hear from people who have played on these grounds as to whether some are better than others and whether the quirky ones offer advantage to the home side or do they despair of having to play half their games on it.

BV is full size.

Re: Grounds of Rugby League : Wed Nov 20, 2019 6:33 pm  

FSW wrote:

I've often thought that the pitch at Belle Vue is right up there with the best rugby grounds in the country. It's dimensions must be approaching the maximum allowed and there is no slope. Our groundsman seems to produce a beautiful looking matchday surface but how much does the pitch matter towards making a good game of rugby. Featherstone and Cas both play on sloping postage stamps of pitches and Batley's is a hillside - does that really matter? Is BV a fast track and if so, is it too fast for us?
It would be interesting to hear from people who have played on these grounds as to whether some are better than others and whether the quirky ones offer advantage to the home side or do they despair of having to play half their games on it.

The pitch in recent seasons has been superb. We're spoiled really because when you see smaller pitches it makes you wander how on earth so many players fit on it and how they find room to make a break!

Re: Grounds of Rugby League : Wed Nov 20, 2019 7:31 pm  

The width of the playing area makes it the biggest in SL, just a snippet to throw in when the conversation dries up in the taproom.

Re: Grounds of Rugby League : Wed Nov 20, 2019 8:11 pm  

Over many, many years and under many, many different head groundsmen, Belle Vue playing surface has been regarded as one of the best in the game. Although I do recall odd times when you couldn't identify players owing to their covering of thick mud.

Re: Grounds of Rugby League : Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:02 pm  

FSW wrote:

I've often thought that the pitch at Belle Vue is right up there with the best rugby grounds in the country. It's dimensions must be approaching the maximum allowed and there is no slope. Our groundsman seems to produce a beautiful looking matchday surface but how much does the pitch matter towards making a good game of rugby. Featherstone and Cas both play on sloping postage stamps of pitches and Batley's is a hillside - does that really matter? Is BV a fast track and if so, is it too fast for us?
It would be interesting to hear from people who have played on these grounds as to whether some are better than others and whether the quirky ones offer advantage to the home side or do they despair of having to play half their games on it.

I played on all the grounds you mention in my younger days [playing for Wakefield Trinity Juniors and Intermediates] Batley's Mount Pleasant & Featherstone Post Office Road grounds i always thought benefitted the home side.
Wheldon Road not as much for the home side.
The Belle Vue pitch even back then, in the mid to late 60's was always a joy to play on.
One of the worst grounds to play at, to my mind, was Hull's Boulevard, it had nothing to do with pitch though, it was the crowd, they were so bloody intimidating.

Re: Grounds of Rugby League : Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:44 pm  

Got to admit you did not shout a lot if you were at the front of the fishermans stand ,

Re: Grounds of Rugby League : Thu Nov 21, 2019 9:10 am  

alegend wrote:

Got to admit you did not shout a lot if you were at the front of the fishermans stand ,

You say that but, on our first trip over there, we made the mistake of innocently watching from the Threepenny Stand.
It was a game that Trinity won with the last play of the game, with either Andy Kelly or Stave Norton going in form 20 yards to seal the win.

Certainly an interesting experience, although we lived to tell the tale.(it was the best view of the game from there )

Best ground currently is FC's KCom, although not so great when we get stuck in a corner.
Worst ground, London Trailfinders. It would be ok for a no league cup game but, it was awful as a SL ground and made worse when the away side didn't manage to get off the bus (twice ).

Re: Grounds of Rugby League : Thu Nov 21, 2019 10:58 am  

wrencat1873 wrote:

You say that but, on our first trip over there, we made the mistake of innocently watching from the Threepenny Stand.
It was a game that Trinity won with the last play of the game, with either Andy Kelly or Stave Norton going in form 20 yards to seal the win.

Certainly an interesting experience, although we lived to tell the tale.(it was the best view of the game from there )

Best ground currently is FC's KCom, although not so great when we get stuck in a corner.
Worst ground, London Trailfinders. It would be ok for a no league cup game but, it was awful as a SL ground and made worse when the away side didn't manage to get off the bus (twice ).

I remember it well....it was Andy Kelly that scored it....I seem to think he scored twice that day ??

Re: Grounds of Rugby League : Thu Nov 21, 2019 11:45 am  

I think its strange on these smaller grounds when the 10 metres lines are not 10 metres apart, should be banned, mind you wouldn't that ban most football grounds too?