Etihad surface worries Cousins

Richmond's Ben Cousins

Richmond veteran Ben Cousins says he takes a more conservative approach to playing at Etihad Stadium because of the poor surface at the AFL venue.

Cousins was known for his relentless running and attack on the ball at the peak of his powers, but said the shifting turf at the roofed stadium always played in the back of his mind when he played there.

"Whole pieces of grass move out from underneath your foot, there's no real knitting in it into the soil," Cousins told radio station Nova on Tuesday.

"I haven't played there for a few weeks, but it's a bit of a concern.

"You have to approach the footy or turning slightly differently.

"You have to be a bit apprehensive in the way you turn and be less ballistic."

Last Friday night's game between Hawthorn and St Kilda, where players constantly slipped over, prompted a crisis meeting on Monday between the AFL Players' Association, the league and Etihad Stadium management.

Stadium management will implement more measures in the lead-up to this weekend's games, including adding top soil and aerating the turf in a bid to provide players with more traction.

The AFLPA has called for the relocation of games to be considered if there is no improvement in the surface, and warned the condition of the ground could prompt legal action if a player suffers a serious injury.

Cousins' Tigers are out of the running for the finals, but he said he would hate to see a side's premiership aspirations de-railed because of an injury at the ground.

"I'd hate to see one of the finals contenders have their chances deep in September diminished because one of their key players goes down with an unnecessary injury at Etihad," Cousins said.

"If that happens there'll be huge concerns, massive dramas.

"I'm sure it's a big enough issue now that something will be done about it."

Of the main premiership contenders, St Kilda play another four games at Etihad Stadium over the remaining five home and away rounds, the Western Bulldogs have three, Geelong play there twice, but Collingwood and Hawthorn have no more.