Roosters and Rabbitohs unfazed about SCG turf issues

South Sydney have opted not to hold a training session on the renovated SCG turf before Friday night's NRL opening round against the Roosters.

Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said their captain's run would be held at Redfern Oval and he had no concerns over the quality of the SCG playing track.

The Roosters are training at the SCG on Wednesday, but coach Trent Robinson said that arrangement had been in place before the weekend turf troubles.

The Super Rugby game between the Reds and Waratahs tore up the grass, especially during the set pieces like scrums.

As television news helicopters hovered over the famous landmark on Monday filming groundsmen re-turfing sections of the field, Roosters and Rabbitohs players shrugged their shoulders when asked if they felt player safety was at risk.

The SCG Trust confirmed it planned to replace 3000 square metres of the surface with ready-to-play Matrix turf from its farm supplies to keep it structurally sound. 

"The only issue that happened during the rugby game was the scrum. Let's be honest rugby league hasn't had a fully contested scrum for 20-odd years," Roosters halfback Cooper Cronk said.

"The general play during that game was completely fine. So absolutely no problem whatsoever.

"It is a decent deck – I've walked on it. Whether they replace three square metres or 3,000 square metres it's the SCG, with fully paid staff who know exactly what they're doing."

Rabbitohs second-rower John Sutton said he saw part of the rugby game on Saturday night.

"I see they tore it up a bit but they're re-turfing it so I'm not worried about it," he said on Monday.

"Both teams have got to play on it. It's not like it's going to favour one team over the other."

Sam Burgess said no one at Souths training had mentioned the SCG surface.

"I'm not concerned about running on it. I've seen that before with rugby union sides in softer turf," Burgess said.

"The force the union players can put through the track is unbelievable.

"The games are different; we're not in that scenario; we're not scrummaging like that. It will be fine by game day. We don't need to run on it before we play."

Burgess was just pleased the traditional Roosters-Rabbitohs grudge match was given such a hallowed ground like the SCG to play on.

"We've won and lost many Ashes there," the British-born dual international said.

"I'm a massive cricket fan so I've watched a lot of cricket there. It's a pretty special place to go and play football at.

"This club here [South Sydney] had a lot of success there back in the 1960s and 70s in those grand finals. It's a fantastic arena which is quite iconic for both rugby league and cricket."

Tom Burgess has also played several NRL games there and doesn't find the much larger oval-shaped ground disorientating.

"Not for me. Maybe for the kickers. I just get the ball and run," the prop said.

"I'm not worried at all really. All of us have got the mindset of just going out there and playing no matter what the surface is.

"You take both your soft-ground boots and your firm-ground boots and make a decision when you get to the game."