Brenton Sanderson has called for the end of sunscreen footy in Queensland after his Crows overcame the Brisbane heat to produce their best AFL win of the year.
Although immensely proud of Adelaide’s efforts in their 105-point victory over the Lions, Sanderson was highly critical of the AFL’s scheduling of the 1.10pm match at the Gabba.
“Playing a game here in the middle of August, in the middle of the day, is just baffling,” Sanderson said.
“I think if you’re going to schedule games up here at this time of year, you’ve got to put them at night, otherwise you’re going to put players health and safety at risk.”
Gold Coast have also hosted lunchtime games at the start of this season in questionable pieces of scheduling.
With the temperature hitting 24.6 degrees in Brisbane on Sunday, Sanderson made an unsuccessful pre-match request for a lift on the cap of 120 interchanges.
His concerns were only heightened when the Crows lost both Tom Lynch (neck) and Andy Otten (knee) to serious injuries in the second quarter.
Fears of being run down quickly subsided as Adelaide piled on 13 second-half goals.
But the coach remains worried about the affect it will have on his side heading into a crucial home clash with Richmond on Saturday.
“For the AFL to constantly preach player safety with the rules, you can’t have a game in these conditions with a reduced interchange cap, as you saw today,” he said.
“I mean our players, every player is cramping, every player is absolutely spent, and you want us to turn up in six days and take on Richmond in a blockbuster game?
“We’ll do everything we possibly can, and I’ve told our players not to listen to me in the media today, because we can win next week, but it’s a challenge for us.”
Brisbane coach Justin Leppitsch pointed to the fact the Lions train in similar conditions all season, however they gained no advantage in the record Gabba defeat.
“It looked like the opposite,” he said. “It looked like they were the ones who train in the heat all the time, not us.”
Daws
Guest
Yeah especially at the start of the year when it can still hit mid 30's, suck it up Sando.
Jason K
Guest
Yes, the AFL should do a better job of scheduling the weather. What were they thinking scheduling a 24 degree day? Clearly it was in their power to make it 15 degrees.
Nik
Guest
Very few games would be able to be played in WA then, and last time I checked, Adelaide can get a wee bit warm too...
vocans
Guest
His point is to not have day games. What was the humidity? The commentators seemed to think it was hot, and did not say what a balmy day it was etc. 24 with a cooling air off the sea is great footy weather down South, but was it the same in Brisbane?
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Mental
SportsFanGC
Roar Guru
Was super surprised to hear these comments from Sanderson – 24 degrees too hot for football you are kidding yourself! You could not have had better weather at the footy either for the players or spectators. Funnily enough it won’t stop clubs doing their pre-seasons in similar weather would it?
Frank R
Roar Rookie
Pretty sure it was around 24 yesterday in Perth as well. Didn't hear Nathan Buckley complaining.
Dalgety Carrington
Guest
Yeah bit of a silly idea by Sanderson, perhaps he was still emotionally affected by Andy Ottens knee injury and therefore a bit prone to getting cranky about trivial things.
Avatar
Roar Guru
Have to agree with your comment. The quality of AFL matches is sometimes decided by the weather. For example, a match in driving rain might result in a slog (think GWS vs Melbourne in Round 3 earlier this year when it was raining, was very low-scoring - 10.19 (79) to 7.5 (47)).
BigAl
Guest
I'm sure there is somewhere/way to find the average temp. at the MCG on Grand Final day ? - 24 C doesn't sound too extreme to me.
AR
Guest
What absolute bollocks. 24 degrees is a beautiful day for football. If southern teams have to acclimatise to conditions up north, guess what...northern teams also have to acclimatise to conditions down south. Total non-issue.
Axle an the guru
Guest
I know Melbourne and Adelaide get cooler conditions than Brisbane,but i also know they get days where football has to be played in 25 degrees. Just one of the boys from the coaches club trying to get a precedent set in place so they all have a loop hole to exploite the rule IMO.
Mik
Guest
You have got to be kidding. Seems to be setting up an excuse if they lose next week - Adelaide Oval has not been good to the crows this year.
Aw
Guest
Suck it up Sando ifs called home ground advantage and it's about the only one the lions get because they certainly don't get any help from the umpires. Maybe the lions can go down South and say 'It's too bloody cold to play footy here and the crowd is too loud, we can't hear each other..." No, didn't think so.
slane
Guest
Hate hearing the coaches complain about the weather. Suck it up Sando. The QLD teams have to live and train in that 'heat'. Wish it was 24 today! He's complaining about the heat 'at this time of year', not sure if he realizes it's the middle of winter. Just what time of year should the AFL be scheduling day games in Brizzy?