Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has called for the NRL to consider playing all games in the first month of competition at night to avoid the heat.
With his side and St George Illawarra kicking off at 3pm with the mercury nudging 33 degrees at AAMI Park, and it hitting 32 degrees for the other Sunday day game between Penrith and Canberra, Bellamy was concerned for the welfare of players.
“The heat is coming later,” Bellamy said after his team’s 30-10 win.
“It used to be January and February now it comes in March.
“The NRL might look at the first month of the competition just playing night games.
“We could play Thursday, a couple on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights and then one on the Monday night.
“Every year there seems to be someone playing in extreme temperatures.”
Bellamy said it wasn’t fair to teams who played in the day-time in terms of their ability to recover and prepare for the next round.
He said the NRL could also consider extra interchanges for the teams.
While the temperature got up to 34 degrees in the first half, there were no drinks breaks midway through each half.
Bellamy said the Dragons didn’t agree to it.
Storm and Test skipper Cameron Smith said he couldn’t recall playing in such tough conditions.
Smith came off five minutes early and said he was “buggered”.
“I can’t remember a match in recent times when it’s been so difficult to get out there and play,” Smith said.
“It was hot but on top of that it was quite muggy.
“It was like playing in a sauna.”
Bellamy joked that it must have been hot because his captain never complained about being replaced.
“When he didn’t whinge coming off today, that tells me that it was extreme conditions out there,” he said.