Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan has questioned the AFL’s decision to schedule their Round 2 clash against West Coast for a noon timeslot, citing the extreme heat and humidity as a major concern for player welfare.
The match, which kicked off at 12:10pm local time, saw numerous players from both teams struggling with cramps and exhaustion due to the sweltering conditions. Temperatures soared to nearly 30 degrees, with humidity levels reaching 76%.
Fagan expressed his puzzlement over the AFL’s scheduling decision, stating, “It’s a bit unusual to be playing a game at midday in Brisbane… I don’t know the reasoning behind it, but I think it’s pretty tough on players to expect them to be playing in the middle of the day like that.”
The Brisbane coach noted that both teams’ players were “pretty cooked” by the end of each quarter, with a record number of cramps reported. Fagan acknowledged that the conditions were not unusual for March weather in Brisbane, but questioned why the AFL would schedule the match for the hottest part of the day.
Brisbane’s next match against Geelong is expected to provide some relief, with the game scheduled for night time and temperatures forecasted to be in the mid-20s.