Even allowing for the current dry conditions, which make watering the fields difficult, the user-groups believe the situation is not a new problem.

Council staff are aware of the issues and have even targeted a number of venues – including Olympic Park, Highbrook Park, Victoria Park, Weeraman Fields and Denman Recreational Grounds – to undergo treatment in the coming months.

But, that will be too late for Olympic Park, which will host the Greater Northern Tigers rugby league selection trials in February.

Some officials feel the ground is hardly a good advertisement for Muswellbrook, with teams hailing from Group 21, Central Coast/Newcastle, Group 4, Hastings and Group 19.

The site’s No. 1 field is also officially shut for the Muswellbrook Rams’ training sessions in 2018.

Meanwhile, Muswellbrook Eagles Football Club president Andrew Spradbrow said Victoria Park was the “worst by far”.

“The surface is a nightmare,” he explained.

“We’ve had two serious knee injuries occur in a fortnight [during our summer competition].

“Members of the club have been in contact with [Muswellbrook Shire] council – and were told it is watered 40 minutes a day.

“You can plainly see it hasn’t.

“The sprinklers are also showing on the turf now – they’re exposed all the time, which can be dangerous.

“But, it’s been a concern for about five years.

“We used to have the best pitch; now it’s not, due to a lack of maintenance.

“Guys from other sports, who are playing in our summer comp, laugh at the state of our field.

“What I don’t understand is the fact the Eagles pay fees, per player, for the ground to be maintained.

“And, what do we have to show for it?”

A council spokesperson said an over-sow program was planned for numerous venues in town.

However, the work would affect the host organisations.

“Olympic Park (Oval 1), Highbrook Park (Oval 1), Victoria Park (Oval  2), Weeraman Fields (Oval 1) in Muswellbrook and the Denman Recreational Grounds (Oval 1) will be closed during the period from March 26 to April 20,” the spokesperson said.

“The benefit of over-sowing the ryegrass is that it provides an actively growing cool season grass cover that will help provide a safe, high-quality playing surface while normal warm season grass types are dormant.

“This will lessen the heavily-worn playing surfaces normally encountered in this region with our warm season grass types.

“There is only a three-week period from the time of sowing the seed until the field is reopened, which hopefully minuses the disruption to users.

“Although the main fields will be closed, the committees can contact council to discuss an alternative venue.”