"I just don't understand why we don't close the roof,” he said last year and several times since.
"There's a policy that when the sun's shining the roof's open…No one likes it; the fans don't like it, the broadcasters hate it, the players hate it, close it, it's not that hard."
On Sunday, Melbourne hosted Brisbane at the venue and the roof remained open causing problems. Coaches Justin Leppitsch and Paul Roos voiced strong opinions that it should have been closed.
The AFL has flagged a more ‘flexible’ approach in coming seasons, but Roos wants it closed all the time.
‘‘I don’t understand why it’s open, because it’s an indoor stadium,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s bizarre.’’
"You can tell it impacted, which at the MCG or SCG or wherever you play is not an issue.
"It obviously impacted the game but that's another thing.
"We've got an indoor venue and you spend however many millions of dollars on it and you leave it open.”
Channel Seven’s managing director in Melbourne Lewis Martin, echoed those views.
‘‘You only have to watch your TV screen to know the preferred option. And that’s clearly to close the roof,’’ Martin said.
Currently, the AFL closes the roof for twilight and night games. With day games, stadium officials look at the weather forecast and consult with the AFL ground manager – then a final call is made. Making things more difficult – once that decision is made, there’s simply no turning back. It stands for the entire match.
As Brad Scott and North Melbourne know only too well, people make mistakes.
During a match against Geelong in 2013, the roof remained open and the weather turned late in the afternoon. The rain came pouring in and the match was turned on its head, with Geelong storming home for a come-from-behind win in the wet.
"It is laughable," Scott said after the match. "I don't think everyone brought their ponchos."
The rain is one thing, the sun is another. With the light streaming in, players and spectators can be blinded at one end of the ground while the other end is in the shade according to Leppitsch.
"I spoke to the umpires before the game – they hate it because it's very difficult to look through the light," he said.
"They probably won't admit to that, but they told me privately that they're not happy with making those calls, sometimes it's difficult.
"You can see the players - how many times (did they hold their hands to their eyes)?
"There's a lot of games played in the sun but obviously the ground's built on a funny shape that the sun goes right in your eyes too…I think to a man every one (of the club coaches) voted to shut the roof but still they keep it open.”
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