Frequently Asked Questions

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU
Our Throwing Cages are designed using Aluminium and Hot Dip Galvanised Steel, which in turn, creates a sturdier corrosion-resistant structure for longevity in outdoor weather elements and is easier for you to install with a lighter weight than other general cages. They are also World Athletics Certified and have a wind rating of up to 115km/h with the net established, where it can also be lowered during off-season or severe weather using the rope and pulley system that are guided by rails.
Yes! All of our Thor and Apollo Cages are World Athletics Certified (formally known as IAAF) and have also been Certified by a Structural Engineer. Our Throwing Cages have a unique Patent Design Certified by the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO): Patent #9,889,366 B2
World Athletics Certified & NCAA Compliant
- Thor 9: E-15-0822
- Thor 10: E-05-0403
- Apollo: E-12-0695
Below we have highlighted all of our Thor Hammer Cages and Apollo Discus Cage Dimensions, along with some separating details so you can have an overview of what each cage brings to you. If you wish to view some further information and dimensions of our Cages, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us as we’d be more than happy to provide further documents.
We also have each Cage Specifications listed on the dedicated product page: Thor 9, Thor 10, & Apollo.
- 9m High Gates, 7m High Perimeter (Single Throw Circle)
- 3 Support Poles
- Gate is 4.2m from Center of the Circle
- Assembly: 2 People – 5 Hours (Assemble on ground, raise with winch)
- 10m High Gates, 7m High Perimeter (Twin or Single Throw Circle)
- 4 Support Poles
- Gate is 7m from Center of the Circle
- Assembly: 2 People – 6 Hours (Assemble on ground, raise with winch)
- 6m High Gates, 4m High Perimeter
- 3 Support Poles
- Gate is 7m from Center of the Circle
- Assembly: 2 People – 4 Hours
All of our Cages & products are manufactured here on the Gold Coast in Australia, which is the home of Play Hard Sports Equipment. For UK and European based customers, our cages are distributed by our Partners, Sport & Play UK, who are located in the United Kingdom, and can carry out the installation.
Yes of course! We have many of our Throw Cages installed across the globe already going from Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA, Channel Islands and more! If you’re located in the UK or surrounding area, you can order a cage directly from our UK Partners Sport & Play UK who can install our Throw Cages in the United Kingdom/Europe. Alternatively, you can get in touch with us directly and we’d be more than happy to assist you and provide you with further details and specific requests.
You can take a look at the international Projects we’ve been a part of that now house our Thor 9 & Thor 10 Hammer Throw Cages!
With fewer net support poles, athletes say they feel less claustrophobic in our cages and are less fearful of implements ricocheting off poles back to the thrower. Another advantage is that the spectators have a clearer view of the thrower.
Standard Throw Cages that are currently on the market are overly outdated in design and haven’t been created with the mindset of lasting a long time in the open weather. Our Throw Cages have been designed by Trevor Bowman, who is the owner of Play Hard Sports Equipment, where he specifically designed the Thor & Apollo Cages with the intention of changing the way Athletics are being played today.
Our Cages have gone through an extensive and progressive design shift as they have been innovated to save you money by using less materials with a sturdier structure, have outward facing support poles to avoid damage to the structure and more of a chance for the discus/hammer to avoid hitting the net, time spent on installation & maintenance is greatly minimised, and quality with the materials that are used to manufacture our cages for longevity.
For example, have you been to an Athletics field where they have an old looking Throw Cage that has 6 or 8 support poles, the design looks poor, and the cage is deteriorating so you don’t look twice at it? Our Thor and Apollo Cages are the opposite!
With only a 3 and 4 pole support structure on Hinged Bases, our Throw Cages are designed to make the installation process a lot quicker than general cages and use less material, which makes it cheaper and lighter than other cages. We have also integrated a net rope and pulley system to seamlessly erect and take down the net when not needed. Our Throw Cages also have a high wind rating of 110km /ph which means that there’s no need to lower the net and then re-raise it constantly.
Yes of course! You can choose any colour/s you wish to have, where it’s best to choose from the RAL Colour Chart so that touch-up spray cans can be available for future use. Whether it’s a personal preference or you wish to match your athletics field, we will happily customise your Cage to suit your requirements additionally. You can take a look at some of the Cages we’ve had the opportunity to custom make for our customers in various colours, such as Tangerine Orange, Emerald Green, Deep Sea Blue, Black, & White.
Take a look at our video of how our Thor 9 Hammer Throw Cage is installed.
Our Thor 9 & Apollo Throw Cages are both made up of a 3 Pole Support System, where the Thor 10 has 4 Support Poles that hinge at the base. This makes installation even easier and less time consuming. Each Throw Cage also consists of an integrated Rope Pulley System where the net slides on rails for ease of movement while assembling and lowering the net where need be.
In the video linked, you’ll be able to see an overview of the installation process and how much more seamless it is compared to other cages on the market.
Yes of course! For our Thor 9 and Thor 10 Hammer Throw Cages, we have an in-ground circle available: THM20
Our Hammer Cages generally have our TDS30 Discus Circle, which is 2.5m in Diameter and is made using Aluminium, supplied in 2 reinforced sections that bolt together.
It is then used with our THM25 Removable Conversion Circle that’s placed inside to reduce the circle diameter to 2.135m for Hammer Throwing.
The circle is then Hot Dip Galvanised and coated White
Note: Alternatively a TDS30 discus circle 2.5m diameter can be used with THM25 conversion circle. This allows for both Discus & Hammer Throw sports.
If you require an in-ground Throw Circle for our Apollo Discus Cage, we have available our TDS30
We also have a Portable Circle: TDS35.
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TESTIMONIALS

Play Hard Sports Equipment (PHS) installed all Throw cages - as per the CCQ SP2 Program. All staff were present and available for asset management at the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships 15-18 February and XXI Commonwealth Games Gold Coast competition 25 March – 14 April. During those two major events Play Hard Sports Equipment (PHS) provided support with multiple installations and removal of the main track cage before and after the 2018 Australian Athletics Championships, the main XXI Commonwealth Games Gold Coast competition days and closing ceremony - in accordance with specified transition timeframes. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Trevor Bowman, Steve Dart and the entire Play Hard Sports Equipment team who collaborated effortlessly and displayed superior responsiveness and great team work to deliver this project without any delays. We have really enjoyed working with such a dynamic team and look forward to more great partnerships in the coming years.

“Whilst our Queensland office has been using your firm for a couple of years until recently the Victorian office had been using a local manufacturer. We curtailed that relationship and put in our first orders to you for a project we have just completed at the Glencairn Tennis Club. I viewed the completed project this morning and I have to say I am particularly impressed with the quality of the tennis playing infrastructure you provided and how good it looked. Thanks for the excellent service to date and we look forward to supporting your firm into the future”.

“As part of a complete rebuild of the Bill Stewart Athletics track in East Burwood, Victoria, we had a Play Hard hammer cage installed. During a thorough investigation of all cages available we decided that the Play Hard cage was second to none. Built for Australian conditions and made of a galvanized steel construction, with square netting making it easier to see through, and the simplicity of the front gates operation. It was clear that the Play Hard cage was the only choice. We made a conscious effort as a committee to buy Australian-made wherever possible, and not only Play Hard’s price is more than competitive, their products stand up against the best in the world. Everything that we purchased from Play Hard is of a robust construction and quality, built to outlast the others and for those reasons we could not be happier”

“The Townsville Sports Reserve is one of the nation’s premier locations for track and field athletics. Situated in a naturally beautiful region the venue is centrally located, easily accessible and affordable. The state of the art facilities provides an unparalleled and world class experience to athletes and fans alike. The latest addition to these facilities, a brand spanking new design Thor 10 throwing cage, manufactured by Play Hard Sports Equipment Australia and IAAF certified, saw its first national record last weekend when Brisbane’s Matthew Denny threw 80.48m to set a new Under 20 hammer record. The new cage received rave reviews. With facilities like these it’s no wonder the Townsville Sports Reserve has carved its niche as one of Australia’s hottest track and field destinations.”