IT MIGHT appear to be an open or shut case but the AFL will not change its policy on the Etihad Stadium roof until it assesses feedback from fans.
That existing policy is clear at the moment: the roof will stay open for day games unless there is a chance of rain.
But after trialling a partial closure at the weekend, concerns were strong enough that some coaches and players called for the roof to be closed in the future.
The criticism was strongest after Saturday's game between North Melbourne and Richmond.
“Is it that hard, really? Here's an idea, shut the bloody thing. Jesus," Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said after the match.
Kangaroos coach Brad Scott agreed but expressed support for trialling a partial closure during the NAB Challenge.
On Sunday evening, Geelong coach Chris Scott said: “I have a view. I think the roof should be closed, but I'm not going to go to war over it.”
On Monday, AFL football operations manager Mark Evans admitted the partial closure of the roof on Saturday did not work well, as the sunlight created a bright strip down what former coach David Parkin might have termed 'the corridor'.
But he said players at other venues could easily have complained about not being able to see the ball at certain times because of the sun, as North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein did at the Kangaroos' family day on Sunday.
Evans also said it was worth remembering the game was an outdoor sport and the partial closure was only a trial.
"We only have the debate here because there is a roof," Evans said.
He said the AFL was particularly interested in canvassing the views of supporters who attended the weekend's games played at Etihad Stadium before considering whether the policy needed to be changed.
The AFL has claimed that supporter feedback gathered before last season showed 60 per cent of respondents supported the idea of the roof remaining open unless there was a threat of rain.
If the majority now thought it should be closed, then Evans said the AFL was all ears.
"If that is what they believe than that is what they should tell us," Evans said.
"We are really interested in those who attended the game and who have attended recently to tell us what they think."
Evans said that information should be available in a week and when that was taken into account, then the AFL would be in a better position to consider the policy.
