The widespread Australian heatwave predicted from tomorrow has forced Football Federation Australia to reschedule the Round 19 A-League match between Newcastle and the Melbourne Victory.
With temperatures expected to reach 34 degrees at the scheduled kick-off time on Saturday, the league said it had a duty of care to the players under its heat policy.
“Today’s forecast leaves no doubt that the conditions on Saturday in Newcastle will be significantly above the thresholds we have in place under the FFA heat policy so we have made the decision to move the Newcastle v Melbourne Victory match to Monday night,” the A-League’s Greg O’Rourke said.
The FFA heat policy states that matches should be delayed or postponed once the temperature exceeds 28 degrees on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature scale.
The match will now kick-off at 7:50 (AEDT) on Monday February 13 at Newcatle’s McDonald Jones Stadium.
“Taking into consideration the obvious player welfare concerns as well as the need to give players, teams and fans the best possible opportunity to plan for the match, moving the match to Monday night is the only decision we could make,” O’Rourke said.
“We have spoken to both clubs who have welcomed the decision.”
All other Round 19 fixtures will, at this stage go ahead as scheduled.
Waz
Guest
Mid That is unfair and unreasonable of you. What you are basically saying is because I have criticised "football management" in the past an individual point like this can't be debated on its own merits - basically either support us or we disagree with everything you say? That is a shocking indictment on the quality of debate and discussion on these pages.
Midfielder
Guest
Waz A bit pot calling kettle .... maybe if you were not so anti Football management often calling for heads to roll people would enter into more discussion.
Waz
Guest
You are incapable of reasonable discussion.
Nemesis
Guest
"The City/Roar game could have been moved over safety concerns also (this time caused by fatigue) but it hasn’t been. And that’s wrong – both games should have been moved. " Totally agree with you. However, this has never been done for ALeague teams in the ACL. In the last ACL campaign for Victory, Kevin Muscat had issues with the ALeague schedule that had Victory playing on Saturday evening after arriving home from China on Friday morning. Fans from other clubs told Muscat to toughen up & these fans from other clubs did not want the ALeague schedule altered to help Victory. What goes around. Comes around. This is football.
Waz
Guest
Yet again you choose not to address the discussion topic but push your own agenda, you're worse than Fuss. The Jets/Victiry game was correctly moved due to safety concerns (caused by heat). The City/Roar game could have been moved over safety concerns also (this time caused by fatigue) but it hasn't been. And that's wrong - both games should have been moved. It's only the FFAs own guidelines they are breaking - it would have been a simple matter to move the City game back 24 hours instead the FFA said it was "impossible" when clearly it is not because the Jets game was moved. The ffa do very little to help clubs competing in the ACL and it is time they changed.
Nemesis
Guest
"Why couldn’t the ffa delay the City/Roar game 24 hours to Sunday?" If there an Extreme Heat event in Brisbane today, you have a point. Otherwise, there is no comparison. The Jets v MV game is being moved because of Extreme Heat. Not because the players may be tired.
Paul
Guest
@ Midfielder I never said the FFA could or should move AFC games, that would be a silly suggestion, wouldn't it? But the FFA do have the power and control to move A League games, which is what I was suggesting. Which is less silly, no?
Paul
Guest
Bit of a silly reply that
Waz
Guest
Missing the point completely. Why couldn't the ffa delay the City/Roar game 24 hours to Sunday? Why couldn't the ffa delay the game until Monday as they did with the Jets/victory game? Why are the ffa insisting on A League sides playing within 72 hours of the previous game, contrary to their own safety guidelines? Why do we have this debate every season, with different clubs? What will it take to force change, serious injury? And your final comment of "get used to it" could equally be applied to the heat, why aren't you arguing against these games being delayed and saying "get used to it, it's only heat"???
Nemesis
Guest
Funny how ALeague fans, when they are not involved in ACL, are quick to dismiss scheduling issues raised by clubs involved in ACL, but quickly complain about scheduling & the bad bad FFA when the scheduling issues impact them. Every ALeague team in the ACL has scheduling problems. There are teams who have arrived home from away ACL fixtures on Friday morning and had to play Saturday night. Get used to it, or don't accept the ACL invitation.
Waz
Guest
Roar sent a request in to the ffa to have the City game delayed for 24 hours to Sunday, this would have allowed the Roar players the necessary rest period between games under the ffa's own safety guidelines. The FFA told Roar such a delay was impossible and, despite their own safety guidelines, the game would proceed as scheduled. So it's right they are delaying games due to the heat but it's wrong they didn't do the same for City/Roar which just shows the FFAs muddled thinking imo
Midfielder
Guest
Paul Are you sure FFA have the power to change international games run by the AFC ... this is not AFL & NRL when they governing body can change things at will...
Nemesis
Guest
When you & your mates join the workforce & get appropriate qualifications you can apply for CEO of FFA and make these changes. Work hard & you'll get there.
Paul
Guest
Well done FFA???? How long has it taken to make the right decision? And when will the "well done FFA" be introducing adequate rest breaks for teams competing in the ACL?
Nemesis
Guest
BREAKING NEWS... Kick off for AUFC vs Perth Glory has been delayed to 8:20 pm local time (8:50 pm AEDST) due to extreme heat. Excellent news. Well done FFA.
Waz
Guest
They could have moved the city/Roar game to Monday night on safety grounds and the Jets/victory game to the cooler evening.
Post_hoc
Guest
Football NSW has sent out a message all SAP Youth and Women's League games have been cancelled for this weekend
Swanny
Guest
It's going to be about 42 plus max temp Newcastle on Saturday , not 34
Johnny J-Dog
Guest
What is the relevance of these gender issues?
Jacko
Guest
Yet they pushed ahead with the Adelaide/Wellington game in 44deg heat and now are moving timeslots due to 34 deg? Is this WGBT different to outside temps? It seems to make sense to me and I was surprised the game in Adelaide went ahead.