Port Adelaide sees red on AFL heat policy Port Adelaide's Brad Ebert, right, celebrates a goal with Kane Mitchell during the sweltering round one NAB Cup match at AAMI Stadium. Picture: Scott Barbour Source: The Advertiser PORT Adelaide wants the AFL to change its interchange policy if hot weather is forecast for its next NAB Cup clash against Melbourne in Renmark. Power coaching director Alan Richardson described asking his club to take on the Demons in the heat with only three interchange players and a sub as "ridiculous." "If the temperature is hot we'll definitely need more (interchange) numbers," Richardson said of the team's March 3 date with the Dees. If it gets anywhere near to what we experienced on Sunday night (38.7C) then, gee, you'd be disappointed if you weren't given the flexibility of being able to play six (on the bench). There are some significant limitations if you are only allowed to play three and one and the temperature is pushing into the mid-to-high 30s. Apart from the stress on players' bodies, you end up being incredibly conservative with which players you take into a game like that. Under current AFL rules, clubs are only allowed to use three interchange players and one sub from rounds two and three of the NAB Cup, as well as the grand final, as the AFL's trial of a cap on interchange rotations takes effect. Teams are permitted to make just 80 interchange rotations, 20 per quarter, under the new trial rule. They were allowed six interchange players in the round one 20/20 NAB Cup clashes. Port, Adelaide and St Kilda sweltered through extraordinary temperatures at AAMI Stadium on Sunday, prompting Saints coach Scott Watters to call for a review of the league's procedures and Crows coach Brenton Sanderson favouring a return to night football in the pre-season to protect players from the heat. While understanding the league's move to limit interchanges, Richardson said it needed to be smart with its planning at this stage of the year. "The league must also consider that following the Melbourne game we have to play in Alice Springs (against West Coast) on a six-day break," Richardson said. If it's hot and you've got limited interchanges then it really becomes a case of being conservative with which players you use. And apart from the player welfare factor that's not what this competition should really be about. It should be about giving our fans and our new coach a look at our squad and getting our guys playing together, working on a new game plan and forming a synergy. That's important. While the Crows will play a trial against Fremantle at AAMI on Saturday, the Power players - who returned from their AFL Community Camp on the Yorke Peninsula yesterday - will have the weekend off.