Already the fields I've played on have been torn up. Campbell Park/ Oakleigh/Normanhurst and I'm sure the others are starting to. Little grass remains and what remains is a very thin layer. There are uneven surfaces with small clumps of dirt/grass in random places on ovals. Yes we do play on council grounds and on fields used all week for training then for games on match day. Also everyone has to deal with it. It is disappointing though cause players skills can't be shown properly cause the ball can bob up or do something unexpected because of the surface. Not only that but injuries are more like to occur not only because of the uneveness but also the hardness/dryness of grounds. Take a Ronaldhino run from outside the box where he turns it on and beats a few players and shoots and scores. If our players try something like this the surface can make them look very stupid because he has to guess if the ball may just bounce up a bit when he's dribbling along the ground, he shoots and airswings cause it bobbed up a few inches. I just think it affects the quality of games too much. Anyone agree or any feedback?

.......and there was me just thinking I had no skill! I think you'll find the 'older' areas grounds are the ones causing most concern. (You can add my old home ground Penno Park onto that list....I had 12 years of shooting with my shin pads). The 'newer' areas of population growth (grounds that are utilised by clubs such as Dural and Glenhaven etc.) are far more robust as the winter weather hits.

Juice you are spot on with the Parra Council Grounds in the Granville Association, I too live in Parra and they are gold. BUT the strange thing is Parra Council only have one ground in GHFA and that is Boronia Park, need I say anymore.

Campbell this year has been particularly bad. The club has even cut back on the number of teams that train there and it's still terrible. I have not seen it look so bad at the start of a season before. Apparently it gets watered on a Monday night. Sure doesn't look as though it's seen any though. I live in the Parramatta area these days and the grounds in and around this area are fantastic. One ground near me gets trained on and played on in both mid week and weekend fixtures. I regularly see council workers pulling out sprinklers and even mowing (God knows when Gladesville Hornsby grounds last needed a mow) and it's a ground for park ball players like ourselves. Parramatta council sures leaves Hornsby/Ryde for dead when it comes to looking after grounds.

Hmmm good point Budgie.

In effect what we are seeing is something short of proper football as it could be played with the teams within our comp. We have been de-sensitized to it by now as no one even notices much, we take it for granted. I dream of playing on a pitch that is flat and well grassed. Where if you throw it in it doesn't bounce out. Where you hit a cross and you connect, instead of skimming the ball as it sprays off for a goal kick.