Tag Archive for: Wolves

DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves

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DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves: Niall Hazlehurst, Head of Grounds at Warrington Wolves Rugby Club, has seen a remarkable improvement in the playing surface at The Halliwell Jones Stadium since introducing DSV’s EuroGrass PRO Pitch seed mixture.

With a career spanning nearly two decades in the industry, Niall began his journey at Bolton Wanderers FC as an apprentice at the age of 16. He worked his way up to Deputy Head Groundsman before taking on the role of Head Groundsman at Rochdale. After a brief break from the industry, he returned as Head of Grounds at Fulham FC before making the move north to Warrington Wolves during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves

DSV’s PRO Pitch Delivers for Warrington Wolves

At Warrington Wolves, Niall and his assistant Tom, an apprentice, manage the stadium pitch as well as two natural pitches at the club’s training ground.

“Last year was the first time we’d taken the top off with a fraise mow since before COVID,” explains Niall. “It was a big deal convincing the board to commit to this annually, so we wanted to make sure we got everything right in terms of nutrition and seed. The results have been fantastic, and the pitch has handled the usage really well.”

When considering the best approach for the pitch renovation, Niall turned to DSV and was introduced to their EuroGrass seed range, which was supplied by Indigrow.

“I made contact with DSV, had a really good chat, and we identified what we were looking for,” he says. “We decided to use the PRO Pitch mixture, and it has been brilliant. We applied it in August last year, and the colour, wear, and disease tolerance have been outstanding. Probably the best I’ve used, to be honest.”

Niall states that he was already aware of PRO Pitch being successfully used at other stadiums and private schools, which gave him additional confidence in the product. He also credits DSV for their expertise and support throughout the process.

“DSV is a great company and Sam Horner (DSV Amenity Business Manager) knows what he’s talking about and is someone you can trust,” says Niall. “If you ask him a question, he’ll give you an honest answer every time. He listened to what we wanted as a club and has been to our site a couple of times, even bringing some of the EuroGrass team to take a look at how the seed is performing.”

Since the team returned to training in November, the pitch has endured intense usage.

“We’ve had eleven high-intensity pre-season training sessions—each lasting two hours—from November to early February. That equates to about 15 games worth of wear,” explains Niall. “We only have one small lighting rig, so we rely on Mother Nature, which can be challenging, but the pitch has stood the test. The shaded areas are the best they’ve ever been, and even the coaches and fans have noticed the difference. There’s grass in some corners where there’s never been grass before.”

With the success of last year’s renovation, Niall is already planning ahead.

“We’ll be renovating again in July because we’ve got a good window in the fixture schedule. We’ll be doing exactly the same as last year because it worked so well. The germination and strike rate were excellent, and I have no reason to change something that’s working. I am also in discussions with the company about introducing a different DSV seed mix for the training ground pitches. I’ve got full confidence in DSV.”

As the flagship mix in the EuroGrass portfolio, PRO Pitch is designed for winter sports renovation. Containing only top-performing perennial ryegrass cultivars, it provides a visually appealing, dense sward with outstanding wear tolerance and recovery. With rapid germination and establishment, PRO Pitch has proven to be a game-changer at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Please visit www.dsv-uk.co.uk/products/amenity for more information.

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ICL helps to modernise Warrington Wolves

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ICL helps to modernise Warrington Wolves: From seed to nutrition – an ICL integrated turf management programme is helping Warrington Wolves modernise its grounds department.

Before taking the position of Head of Grounds at Warrington Wolves Niall Hazlehurst had always been involved in football grounds management having worked at Bolton Wanderers FC, Rochdale A.F.C. and Fulham FC.

ICL helps to modernise Warrington Wolves

ICL helps to modernise Warrington Wolves

However, the job at Warrington Wolves, a Rugby League club signalled the prospect of a new and exciting chapter which would allow him to put his own stamp on the project.

“I had a chat with the management team, and it became apparent that I would be working with a blank canvas,” said Niall. “There were so many old machines and so we cleared everything out and started fresh. It was time to modernise the department and also the pitch.”

With the full backing of the owners, Niall got to work, and his first action was to investigate new grass seed options at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. After recommendations from fellow groundstaff at Doncaster FC and seeing it perform well at other venues, Niall decided to go with ICL’s ProSelect 1 Premium Pitch.

Combining four top-ranked perennial ryegrasses and with rapid establishment, it provides a fast-recovering, dense, hard-wearing surface.

“My plan was to use ICL’s nutritional products, so I thought it made sense to use the seed as well,” he said. “I liked the fact the cultivars in ProSelect 1 rank very highly in the BSPB ratings. Last season we scarified as much as possible and overseeded with the ProSelect 1, and we had really good results.

“It helped keep Poa at bay, and the germination and establishment are quick. What stands out to me is how well the pitch plays. Now the seed has had a chance to establish we no longer get those big divots when the rugby players all come together.”

After seeing successful results from the seed, Niall and Phil Collinson, North West Key Account Manager for ICL, started to explore the possibility of introducing ProSelect Sport TRT into the seeding programme.

“We took the next step, and we are now using a combination of ProSelect 1 Premium Pitch and ProSelect Sport TRT,” said Niall. “ProSelect Sport TRT is a hard-wearing creeping ryegrass mix and will bring a lot of benefits to a pitch that doesn’t have full surface removal each year.”

Phil offered his thoughts: “By using a combination of both seeds, you get the high ranked cultivars from ProSelect 1 Premium Pitch along with the benefits of Torsion – one of the cultivars in ProSelect Sport TRT. We all crave that dark green colour that we see so much on TV and with Torsion in Sport TRT genetically being a darker variety it gives you an advantage over some of the other cultivars. And when you consider its wear tolerance then it makes sense to introduce it to a situation like Niall is managing.”

With confidence in the seed, Niall’s focus quickly turned to nutrition and specifically a feeding programme.

“I wanted to move away from a scenario where the pitch was getting fed when it looked like it needed to,” he said. “I felt we needed a more pro-active approach which would avoid peaks and troughs. This pitch needs to be always ready and playable because the club can agree to put a game on at any time – it brings in revenue. This is fine now because the pitch is continuously good, and I think ICL’s Sierraform GT Spring & Summer CalMag14.0.7 fertiliser has played a part in this.

“Because of its micro granulation, you can use low rates more frequently, fortnightly for example, to help level out that nutrition and avoid lots of lush growth. With it being predominantly slow release, we can rely on it to give great longevity out of the product and the colour it provides is unbelievable.”

Niall also revealed that a tank-mix consisting of Greenmaster Liquid CalMag at 20 L/ha and Vitalnova Stressbuster at 20 L/ha is playing an integral part in his maintenance programme.

“We like to apply this 48 hours before a game,” he said. “It gives us everything we want, including outstanding presentation and great recovery. Since we have been using this tank mix there has been very little to no damage to the pitch under play. At the end of the day, it’s similar to the way you would prepare a player before a game – the pitch is a living thing too.”

Commenting on the progress Niall has made, Phil said: “It is a unique situation here at Warrington Wolves with very high usage and high pitch demands. A bespoke plan was needed, and Niall is working brilliantly towards taking the pitch in a new direction – it is evolving all the time.”

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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INFINICUT® gives Warrington Wolves the advantage

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INFINICUT® gives Warrington Wolves the advantage: When Niall Hazlehurst joined Warrington Wolves as Head of Grounds in February 2021, a quick trip into the equipment shed flagged the urgent need for an update to the club’s mower fleet.

Recognising the number of elite sporting venues using mowers from INFINICUT®, Niall put forward a case that if the club wanted to be the best, they needed to invest in the best equipment! Convinced by both the superior cut quality and environmental credentials, the club purchased two 34” INFINICUT® FX mowers, along with an SM34 Rotary, earlier this year.

INFINICUT® gives Warrington Wolves the advantage

INFINICUT® gives Warrington Wolves the advantage

“Having used INFINICUT® mowers in the past, it was fantastic to be able to explain just how many benefits they could bring to the quality of the pitch and the environment as a whole” explains Niall. “Like a lot of clubs, we’re looking at ways of being greener so the fact we can reduce emissions and cost by switching to battery power was a big plus. However, the mowers also need to deliver on the agronomic front. The number of adjustable parameters on the INFINICUT’s and the millimetre precision you get when setting the height of cut has taken our pitch presentation from nil to the best it’s ever been!”

Two 34” fixed head units are the primary mowers for pre-match cut but, in addition, the club decided to invest in the SM34 Rotary mower – delivered by dealers Turner Groundcare in August. The SM34 follows the same design philosophy as the rest of the INFINICUT® range, offering best in class performance with an emphasis on a modern, clean power source. It takes its mode of traction from the INFINICUT® reel mower, renowned for its durability, paired with a deck designed to facilitate optimal airflow.

“Now that we’re out of season, we’re using our SM34 in rotation with the 34” FX units to help to stand the plant up and thicken the sward. In season, it is used for the clean-up cut and thanks to the phenomenal suction, it doesn’t miss anything!” Niall continues, “In addition, if the weather is really poor on prep day and we’re at all concerned about dropping clippings, we will use the Rotary as this gives us an excellent quality of cut and finish. Having that versatility at our disposal is fantastic.”

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PRO 34R Works Wonders For Wolves

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PRO 34R Works Wonders For Wolves: Seven new Dennis PRO 34R rotary mowers have recently been purchased by Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, and deputy head groundsman Anthony Parker claims they have made a huge improvement to turf maintenance operations at both the Molineux Stadium and the Club’s Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground.

Since the 2016 takeover by Fosun – a Chinese conglomerate and investment company, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, one of the greatest names in early professional football and one of the first of the Football League’s 12 founder members, are back where they belong.

PRO 34R Works Wonders For Wolves

Promoted back to England’s top flight and impressing on their return to the Premier League, exciting times lie ahead after the Club finished in a very respectable 7th position and continue to make their presence known in the transfer market. However, while it may well be the results on the pitch which are grabbing the headlines, improvements are also being made behind the scenes.

“It just all seemed to come together at the same time,” said Anthony. “The new owners arrived and more investment was available for equipment, the club were doing well and it just all went hand in hand.”

At a time when the Club was investing in new turf maintenance equipment the Dennis PRO 34R was launched and Anthony explained why the purchase of these new machines became the number one priority.

“We used to use six small rotary mowers which did a decent job but because of the additional pitch lighting we purchased, we needed to take more staff off the rotaries in order to have more help putting the lighting rigs out during the winter months. When we saw the PRO 34R’s come to the marketplace, it just made complete sense to get a fleet of these in so we purchased four for the training ground and three for the stadium.”

The Dennis PRO 34R is a 34″ (860mm) rotary mower which has been designed to help groundsmen achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and desired playing surface. It is ideal for sports pitches producing the enviable ‘Dennis Stripes’ while a powerful vacuum flow collects debris quickly and efficiently.

The angle of the cutting deck and twin blades can be easily adjusted using a single ‘click adjuster’ ensuring the mower is suitable for changing conditions and meeting groundsmen’s requirements.

Since its launch in 2018 the PRO 34R has received rave reviews with many groundsmen praising the machine and the speed of its operation.

“With these bigger machines you are allowing more staff to go elsewhere to do additional jobs,” said Anthony. “At the training ground we didn’t rotary cut very often because it was such a time consuming task – normally we had to wait until the first team were off for a day and then maybe six of us would get on the small rotaries and it would take quite a while.

However, with these new PRO 34R’s the staff are using them straight away after a training session to clean the pitches up. They are using them every day and they have improved the pitches no end.

“It is a very user friendly machine and it is extremely adaptable because it has so many different gears. If the time allows then you can go over the pitch as slow as you want cleaning up all the debris efficiently but it is also incredibly quick – you put it into fourth gear and you are done in no time at all. You can get a pitch cleaned up in about 40 minutes with three of you.

“It is great when you leave the stadium after a match-day knowing everything has been done and everything is clean – it certainly helps me sleep easily!”

At the stadium, Anthony and the team use the PRO 34R and the Dennis G860 in conjunction by relying on the rotaries to cut down to 25mm before switching to the cylinder mowers for the final presentation cuts (23mm) in preparation for match-day.

While the G860 has long been the industry’s number one mower of choice for presentation, Anthony is hugely impressed with the finish achieved by the PRO 34R.

“The finish on the rotaries is absolutely superb and I think you could even use them for a match-day cut because they will provide presentation of the highest quality.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter and Instagram @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK. You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

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Wolves Put Trust In ICL Granulars

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Wolves Put Trust In ICL Granulars: Wayne Lumbard, Head Groundsman at Wolverhampton Wanderers FC has reason to celebrate. Not only has the team been promoted to the Premier League, but in his opinion the pitch is at the best it has ever been throughout his thirteen-year tenure at the club – with a little help from ICL.

It is safe to say that Wayne has experienced some highs and lows at the club. However, after being relegated twice, optimism at the club is now at an all-time high.

Wolves Put Trust In ICL Granulars

“Collectively, what everyone at the club has done has been the main ingredient behind our success,” he says. “The football has been the best I’ve ever seen here the pitch has been consistently great all season – everything on and off the pitch has just clicked.”

Wayne acknowledges that the relatively new owners have been instrumental in Wolves’ rise back to the highest heights of English football, and they have certainly signalled some substantial improvements.

Last year, a state-of-the-art Desso Grassmaster hybrid pitch was installed at the Molineux Stadium and after being hugely impressed, the owners sanctioned three more to be built at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Centre in Compton Park.

With a completely new stadium pitch to work with, Wayne chose to adhere to a granular fertilizer programme from ICL.

“It was our first season on the new pitch at the stadium so it was a case of testing the products but the programme worked so well. I am confident that we now have everything down to a tee,” he said.

“Straight from renovation and two weeks after seeding, I applied SierrablenPlus Renovator 20-20-8 as a base feed at a rate of 30 g/m² and continued to apply this all the way through the season until the final game of the season.

“After the initial base feed, it was a case of applying the spring and summer fertilizers at the correct time. We had huge success with Greenmaster Pro-Lite NK 12-0-12 which we applied at 30g/m2 before we moved into Autumn with Greenmaster Pro-Lite Double K at 30g/m2 because we needed more potassium than nitrogen at that time of year. Into winter, we decided to go with a Greenmaster Pro-Lite Invigorator 4-0-8 at 30g/m2 while still continuing with regular feeds of ProTurf 20-0-7 at 25g/m2 – which we had been applying since June.

“It is all about applying the right products at the right time and in the right place. Personally, I think what is more important than anything, is the overlap of the products so that you have that even line of consistency throughout the season.

“I’ve been using ICL products since 1983 and they give you everything you want, not just technically, but aesthetically as well. What I like is that there is something for whatever the problem, whatever the issue. Whatever you want, there is a product.

“With the pressures that groundsmen are under today with having to produce a pitch for match day, I want guarantees and that is what I get with ICL. Quite simply, they are products that I can trust and along with the back-up assistance I receive from Emma Kilby (ICL Technical Area Sales Manager) is as good as the products themselves.

“I sit down with Emma at the end of each season, we look at the iTurf programme we had in place and how the pitches at the stadium and training ground performed. At this stage, if we need to make any tweaks to our programme, then we will. Based on the last twelve months, I can’t see us making too many changes – the pitches have performed fantastically well and along with the grounds team, ICL products have played their part in our success.”

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit http://www.icl-sf.co.uk or http://www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

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