Southern Districts Football Club plans to install light towers to address ‘serious health issues’ during extreme heat
An NTFL club has unveiled plans to install light towers in a bid to address ‘serious health issues’ in extreme weather conditions. Have your say in our poll on whether the league needs more lights.
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Southern Districts Football Club “desperately” needs lights installed at Norbuilt Oval to avoid “serious health issues” in extremely hot weather.
The club has written to the NT Government requesting funding for several light towers, with up to $1m required to install an off grid light system run by a diesel generator.
In a club document, Districts said “heat stress is a major risk for the SDFC” and lights would allow it to play later games.
“When some players are running 14km in a game starting at 12pm, serious health issues become a concern,” it states.
“We have teams playing in the extreme heat in the middle of the day to accommodate home game schedules.
“This is not ideal and the risk can be quickly mitigated with lights.
“What is critical is having lights for our next season.”
It comes after AFLNT enacted its extreme heat policy for Round 11 by shortening quarters by two minutes, increasing quarter breaks by two minutes and using misting fans at interchange benches at TIO Stadium.
However, the changes did not apply to Men’s Premier League.
The length of quarters was considered before the MPL match between Districts and St Mary’s at Freds Pass, which started at 4pm.
It comes nearly a year after a Waratah player was taken to hospital with blurred vision and could not walk straight from the heat, following the Women’s Premier League semi-final in March at TIO Stadium.
Tahs coach Heidi Thompson described the conditions at the time as “putrid” and “unacceptable”.
Meanwhile, training and playing during daylight hours at Freds Pass puts a “huge amount of pressure” on the existing facilities, with 26 teams and 800 members and the potential for more in 2023-24, the document revealed.
The club currently uses Norbuilt Oval, soccer fields and Gerry Wood Oval for training and playing.
However, this creates “friction” with other sports during crossover times as “well as physically and literally fragmenting our club”, the document revealed.
With other clubs at an advantage by playing more night games, lights at Norbuilt “evens the playing field”, it found.
The club hopes to secure funding for the lights by February and complete installation by August in time for pre-season training
The club is confident larger crowds, which could equate to more sponsorship, would cover some of its costs.
“Night games at the oval will draw in many more spectators on a tropical evening than in the heat of the day,” it read.
“Having lights will move the games from the heat of the day to the cooler afternoon and evenings.
“Lights gives us the ability to push back the timing of games, making games more family friendly.”
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