The AFL will enact its heat policy for every JLT Community Series match played this weekend, except for the West Coast-Geelong clash at Leederville Oval on Friday evening.
With extreme heat expected across the country, the League has confirmed to AFL.com.au that there will be modified playing conditions for the opening pre-season fixtures.
The North Melbourne-St Kilda game at Werribee on Saturday afternoon and the Richmond-Melbourne fixture in Shepparton on Sunday will contain extended quarter, half-time and three-quarter time breaks.
The quarter-time and three-quarter time breaks will run for eight minutes (increased from six minutes), while the half-time changeover period has been extended to 22 minutes rather than the usual 20 minutes.
With a forecast top of 40 degrees for the Adelaide and Port Adelaide clash in Port Pirie on Saturday, the breaks at quarter and three-quarter time will span 10 minutes with half-time to lengthen to 22 minutes.
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Teams will also be permitted the following:
- Two additional water carriers
- Trainers permitted to enter the arena at any time during the match to deliver water (they must remain well clear of play).
Therefore the newly-instituted rule for the 2019 season – that dictates water carriers are not permitted to enter the playing surface during live play – will not be in place.
The heat policy will not be implemented for the Eagles-Cats clash with an expected top of 22 degrees forecast for the match starting at 4.10pm AWST on Friday evening.
The altered conditions will also be in play for all the NAB AFLW matches staged this weekend.
