TIGERS FIGHT PENALTY
GROVEDALE WON’T GIVE UP ON PENALTY RULING
GROVEDALE has vowed to continue the fight to win back premiership points, declaring it is “confused” by a GCA ruling to penalise the club.
As the Tigers move to sit before an independent tribunal in a desperate bid to have the stripped points reinstated from its win over South Barwon, the GCA revealed it had dismissed the club’s request to have the players’ points allocation for two stars readjusted.
Grovedale was penalised in Round 3 when South Barwon tipped the GCA off about an apparent breach of the player points system.
After a thorough review, it was found that gun all-rounder Luke Ford had been listed as a seven-point player, instead of an eight.
That pushed Grovedale over the points threshold of 40 and gave the GCA no choice under rules but to penalise the club.
In a letter to the league, Grovedale claimed stars Chris Young and Anthony Quarrell were each playing with an extra point, and with those adjustments, the Tigers team that played the Swans would actually fit back under the cap.
But GCA president Barry McFarlane quashed Grovedale’s hopes of a points amendment in a letter issued yesterday.
“They believe two of their players were on more points than they should, but in the letter we explained that they are the correct points and we believed we’ve answered all their queries,” McFarlane said.
“It’s not up to them whether they accept that or not accept it.”
Grovedale president Graeme Harper said the club was bitterly disappointing with the GCA’s decision.
“I’m a little bit confused about the process, to tell you the truth,” Harper said.
“My understanding is the case was meant to be heard by the pennant committee, but it was heard directly by management and they’ve made the original decision.
“We sent an appeal letter and we got a notification back saying we would be advised when the appeal would be heard so that we would be present. Then yesterday we got a response to that appeal (in writing).”
McFarlane revealed BPCA president Ian Caldwell, CDCA stalwart Rob Oborne and Barwon regional manager Dom McGlinchey, the only three independent members of the Barwon region, would likely sit in the hearing.
The Tigers want Young, a three-point player, reduced to two, and Quarrell brought down from four to two.
But the GCA is having none of it. “Youngy is an interesting one,” Harper said. “The wording on the documentation is still a little bit unclear. Chris is an overseas player and started as an eight, but the points value for someone rated as an overseas player was later lowered to seven. So based on that, his points value should drop.”
Grovedale will mount a strong case that it should not have been penalised with the points breach with Ford.
“It’s an honest mistake, and while the regulations say clubs are responsible for their own points, it also says the association ratifies the points before they go live,” Harper said.
“If you look up the word ratify it says “to confirm by expressing consent, approval, or formal sanction”. How can you ratify something and then say it means nothing?”