The AFL has made a concession with its Etihad Stadium roof policy, declaring the roof will be shut for day games if the contrast between the sun and shade inside the ground is deemed to be a problem for players, coaches and spectators.
The League trialled an initiative for the final round of NAB Challenge games at the venue where the roof was partially closed, in an attempt to keep the aesthetics of playing a 'day game' intact.
But after North Melbourne and Richmond players struggled to see the ball in the glare of the sun, during a 1.10pm match, coaches, players and fans widely condemned the proposal.
Evans said the AFL had reviewed that feedback and the League had decided to alter its stance.
"When we have sun impacting and we have strong shade and sun, and it's contrasting like that, I think you'll see us close the roof," Evans told AFL.com.au's First Bounce on Thursday morning.
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Coaches Brad Scott and Damien Hardwick strongly objected to the initiative after the game, saying the roof should be shut at all times.
“Here's an idea, shut the bloody thing," Hardwick said in his post-match media conference.
Evans also outlined the changes to the AFL's concussion protocols, as the League continued its crack down on serious head injuries.
With input from the clubs, the League has helped develop a head injury assessment form that doctors will need to refer to when a player is being evaluated for a concussion in 2015.
"We've tried to get greater consistency in the management of concussion on the sideline … [that is] more prescriptive about when a player is removed or left in the game," Evans told First Bounce.
"In lay terms, what people should look for, is that if someone's lost consciousness, if someone clearly has balance issues, if someone has that very stiff arm while laying on the ground, they'll immediately be out of the game.
"If the doctor suspects there may have been some of those things, but hasn't seen the incident himself, then we'd expect they'd use the concussion assessment form to clear that player (to return to action)."
In the wake of the disallowed goal to Eddie Betts in Adelaide’s opening NAB Challenge game, the League has also taken a "common sense" approach to how scores are awarded if the ball strikes a goal umpire or other official.
"We're now saying the umpires will use common sense and confer to determine what score there will be," Evans said.
"If it was going to be a clear goal or a clear point they'll stick with that. If they're not sure, then they'll award the lower score and we'll use the score review to check that."
