Albany-Mt Barker game moved from Cranbrook

The scheduled Great Southern Football League match between Albany and Mt Barker to be played at Cranbrook this Saturday has been moved after the ground was deemed unfit to play on last week.

A final inspection of the ground last Friday resulted in the decision after one section, in front of clubrooms, had large amounts of water lying there.

The round 9 fixture, which is a Sharks home game, has been transferred back to their traditional home of Collingwood Park.

The proposed match at Cranbrook was set to be the first game played there for premiership points in three decades.

GSFL president Joe Burton said the overall surface was in good condition but one very wet section forced their hand.

“There was just too much water in one corner of the ground near the clubhouse,” Burton said.

“The oval surface is in pretty good order.

“They (Shire of Cranbrook) were a bit relieved because they didn’t want to half do it and they would like to do it properly next year.”

Burton said the GSFL would definitely look at scheduling another fixture in Cranbrook next season with complete confidence that would go ahead.

Shire of Cranbrook manager of works Jeff Alderton said the oval had become extremely wet in one section beacuse of poor drainage and heavy rainfall in the past few weeks.

“We have a wetlands project in the pipeline but we haven’t been able to get it started with a number of things like the Cranbrook Show recently and we’ve still got a water problem at the moment,” Alderton said.

“It is really disappointing we can’t host the game but it was the right decision.

“One section is really wet and we have a parking issue as well for people who want to part around the ground so there are issues for spectators as well.”

Alderton said the wetlands project is planned to be completed by the end of August which will improve drainage at the venue.

Meanwhile this weekend’s top of the table fixture between Royals and North Albany has been moved to Saturday.

The round 9 match was set down for Sunday and has since been moved but will remain a home game for the Lions at Tigerland.