NTFL Waratah premier coach calls for better timeslots for her girls

A sports scientist has revealed the possible health complications from playing in the Territory heat of the day. HAVE YOUR SAY.

UPDATE THURSDAY: NTFL players and coaches have called for alternative solutions to midday and 2pm playing times for ‘health reasons’.

The plea for urgent change comes after the premier NTFL women’s semi finals were played during “putrid” and “unacceptable”conditions at midday and 2.15pm last Saturday.

When Charles Darwin University Senior Lecturer in Exercise and Sport science Dr Daniel Gahreman moved to the Territory eight years ago, he was “outraged” to see athletes performing intense exercise during the heat of the day.

Charles Darwin University Senior Lecturer in Exercise and Sport science Dr Daniel Gahreman says athletes need to be constantly hydrating themselves in the Territory playing conditions. Picture: Supplied.

He said in extreme circumstances athletes could “cook” themselves from performing during a really hot or humid times of the day.

“How do they do it, I don’t understand,” Dr Gahreman said.

He said sweating only cools you down if it could evaporate.

“The problem with that in hot and humid environments is that when the humidity is relatively high, sweat doesn’t evaporate as easily, so if it doesn’t evaporate, it basically doesn’t cool us down,” Dr Gahreman said.

For Waratah premiers women’s player, Jo Guthridge, to find an alternative solution to avoid playing under the sweltering heat of the day was a no-brainer.

“It’s a health issue rather than a gender equality issue for me – I don’t think anyone should be playing at those times, regardless of gender,” Guthridge said.

St Mary's v Waratah Women's Qualifying Final

“If there is another option, I don’t understand why we’re not taking that option and playing at a better time.”

Guthridge regularly suffers from migraines which is exacerbated and triggered by heat and humidity which at times interferes with her ability to participate in the sport.

“Doctors fall off their feet when I tell them I play at the time I do, especially with my health conditions,” she said.

“As a player, it is a sport which is already so physically demanding, I think health has to come first.

“Sport should be fun and shouldn’t compromise your health for any other reasons.”

NTFL premier women’s Buffettes captain Kylie Duggan welcomed the idea of playing at cooler times of the day but was concerned that time or location changes could tamper with the Saturday footy culture the Territory has cultivated for years.

Kylie Duggan In the Women's NTFL semi final between the Darwin Buffettes and Nightcliff Tigers. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Duggan said keeping everyone together at the same fields creates the iconic NT footy “atmosphere”.

“It’s hard when the teams are spread out at different ovals and that’s just how it’s always been, at TIO or gardens.”

Playing in the last five seasons, Duggan is a veteran of the harsh conditions and said preparation leading up to each game was key.

“Our sports trainer is quite on to us about hydration – it’s about preparing our bodies for those hot conditions and knowing what we’re up for,” she said.

“Your body has to be prepared two days prior to a game being played to cope with the heat, that’s really important and it makes the team’s performance on the day.

“Your health and safety always comes first.”

She welcomed the emergency sub as another solution.

TUESDAY: A DISPARITY in AFL game timeslots between the premier mens and women's teams has an NTFL coach calling for urgent change.

Semi finals for the NTFL competition played out on Saturday with the premier women’s team playing at the hottest times of the day 12pm and 2.15pm and the men’s games following at 4.15pm and 6.45pm.

Waratah NTFL women’s coach Heidi Thompson described Saturdays conditions for the women’s teams to play in as “putrid” and “unacceptable”.

AFL NT premier women's Waratah coach Heidi Thompson. Picture: Supplied.

“It’s going to take someone dying on the field because that’s what I thought was going to happen on the weekend, ‘’ Ms Thompson Said.

“It was the toughest conditions that any of our girls have played in and some of the girls have played up here for over a decade.”

With such a large movement for women’s AFL in Southern states, the passionate coach has called to abolish the Territory’s “outdated” perception of the women’s league.

“I guess historically they played women earlier due to the fact that the competition hasn’t been as strong – so now I’m all about changing that mindset, the women’s games on the weekend were highly entertaining,” she said.

A Tahs player goes for the kick on during the semi finals against PINTS. Picture Glenn Campbell

One of Ms Thompson’s players didn’t even make it onto the field before and was sent to hospital after having blurred vision and not being able to walk straight from the heat.

Ms Thompson said she felt “irresponsible” on AFL NT’s behalf.

“It wasn’t acceptable based on the fact that I had one of the girls had to go to hospital and many of them had heat stroke the following day and were severely sunburnt and dehydrated,

“I was surprised there weren’t more girls hospitalised to be perfectly honest.”

Tahs Jo-Anna Baltais In the Women's semi final between PINT and Waratah. at TIO Stadium. Picture: Glenn Campbell

An AFLT NT, spokesman said after the completion of each season there was a review which takes place, including a full review of the fixtures in consultation with a variety of stakeholders, including clubs and their coaches.

“This is an opportunity for the league to receive feedback leading into the preparations and planning for next season,” the Spokesman said.

“The considerable growth in women and girls football, including across junior divisions, has exposed a shortfall in the number of facilities with lights across the Top End.

“A priority of AFLNT is to increase the number of ovals with compliant lighting to provide greater flexibility when scheduling matches in the future.”

Tahs Bronte Gaynor In the Women's semi final between PINT and Waratah. at TIO Stadium. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Overall, Ms Thompson applauded her girls for their efforts to defeat the PINT girls with a final score of 61 -27.

“Obviously in the conditions we were fantastic in the way of running out the game and running over the top of PINT who is a quality team and I thought we were exceptional, especially our forward entries,” she said.

I thought that PINTs came back at us pretty hard in the second half and we responded well and we got up by 30 odd points.

“So it wasn’t a super close match in the end but showed that we have got some really good talent at our footy club and they all stood up and contributed which was most pleasing.”