DEFENDING premiers Geelong have been forced to delay the start of their 2008 pre-season after an intra-club trial planned for the Gold Coast next month was cancelled.

The practice match was scheduled for February 8 at Carrara during the Cats community camp on the tourist strip but was called off after the re-turfed ground failed an inspection.

AFL Queensland and Gold Coast City Council officials cancelled the trial as a precaution to ensure Carrara was ready for the Brisbane-Essendon NAB Cup match February 16.

They said Carrara will be ready for the first round pre-season competition match that was originally scheduled to feature the Kangaroos.

“We have been again reassured by council officials that the surface will be ready for the NAB Cup match but we have taken this move as a precautionary measure," said AFL ground operations manager Jill Lindsay.

Geelong is now expected to wait until they return home from their community camp to play their intra-club trial at Skilled Stadium.