Perfect pitch for Origin opener
Fouracre keen to curate the perfect field for Origin opener
KEEPING the grass at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in prime condition was Bruce Fouracre’s only goal this week.
Mr Fouracre was busy preparing for the Queensland Reds game when he heard there was a good chance Origin Game One would come to Townsville and he snapped into action.
“I was really worried the ground was gonna get dug up, but the ground came through really well,” he said.
Mr Fouracre said preparing for Origin wasn’t much different to a regular game – he just had to make it look good for television and feel good for the players.
The proof was in the pudding at the last home game with Valentine Holme’s winning field goal showing off just how good
Townsville’s stadium really is.
“It’s a rather firm surface here for a football ground,” Mr Fouracre said.
“I think because he did the drop goal, the ball hit the ground and bounced up perfectly for him. That was the best field goal I’ve ever seen.
“That was still going up when (it crossed the goalposts), he kicked it from nearly halfway.
“It was freaky, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
He said the “planets have aligned” for him because the Cowboys were now training on their new, designated field at the Hutchinsons Buildings Centre.
“It’s been perfect, I’ve had it all to myself,” Mr Fouracre said.
“The ground is saying ‘thank you so much for not training on me and running on me’.
“In the first few days, I’m just letting it sit there and soak up the sun and grow a bit. I’ll put a few liquid fertilisers on to green it up.”
In the past few days, Mr Fouracre and his team have been busy preparing the lines and the numbers, which are painted in maroon and blue for Origin.
The groundsman has had his fair share of work in recent weeks too, with a double header last weekend.
On Friday night, the Cowboys played the Warriors and on Saturday, the Queensland Reds played the Chiefs.
After the game on Friday, the groundsmen had to wash out the league lines and repaint the rugby union field.
“We used the same washout paint because during the day they told me there was going to be a State of Origin,” Mr Fouracre said.
“We better not have rugby union lines on the field.
“I slept here both nights on the floor in my lunch room, on Sunday night I just slept so well.
“It was worth it, because now I can come out and it’s a beautiful green colour all over, there will be no hint of any games last weekend, I’ll mark it out with nice beautiful while lines and it’s ready to go.
“Hopefully it will be a real show piece, really put Townsville on the map.”
I SLEPT HERE BOTH NIGHTS ON THE FLOOR IN MY LUNCH ROOM … IT WAS WORTH IT, BECAUSE NOW I CAN COME OUT AND IT’S A BEAUTIFUL GREEN COLOUR ALL OVER.
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