Difficult playing conditions 

The smoke and heat made conditions tough for players at Marden Sporting Complex.

Although it was 25 degrees at the time of kick-off, Adelaide has experienced temperatures of up to 46 degrees throughout the week, with nearby fires making conditions hazy and the air difficult to breathe.

Halfway through the first half Nikola Orgill needed to have a break to take her puffer, whilst Kaleigh Kurtz had to temporarily leave the field several times to deal with a bleeding nose.

The referee herself was replaced in the 94th minute, who clearly looked distressed in the hazy conditions.

Throughout the week both Adelaide and Canberra had changed training sessions to adapt to the heat and smoke, with gym sessions and indoor trainings taking place of regular outdoor sessions.

With smoke only a couple of kilometres away from a nearby bushfire at Adelaide Hills, the question of player safety arises. Are these conditions too dangerous for a game of football?

Heat will always be an issue in Australia whilst the W-League is played in the early afternoon in Summer. But with recent smoke and bushfires occurring so frequently, it might be worth being more flexible with the fixture and rescheduling or delaying more games in unfavourable weather conditions.

Tough conditions here for the players! #ADLvCBR #WLeague https://t.co/m0QNMFHBnH

— The Football Sack (@TheFootballSack) December 22, 2019 ">