Barwon’s by-law review
Player points tallies boosted for five clubs
APPEALS won by three clubs may have returned them to the regular total for next season, but a reduction in player points is still on the table for AFL Barwon in the future.
GFL clubs St Joseph’s, St Mary’s and Barwon Heads in the BFL argued successfully that September’s decision to drop them from the standard 40 points to 38 for season 2020 because of sustained success was incorrect.
All three will now play with 40.
But AFL Barwon chairman Craig Keating said he still supported the idea of points reduction and more supportive guidelines were needed.
A review will be conducted into the points by-laws by AFL Barwon and an AFL Victoria committee, which Keating said would address the laws relating to point reductions.
“The guidelines weren’t clear and didn’t support the calls,” he said.
“We want to take all the emotion and the judgment out of it, we want to make it black and white on results.
“We want to make it clearer so decisions are based on something people can see and understand.”
A total of 15 appeals were made to the region’s football body, with CDFL clubs Birregurra and South Colac the only others to be successful as they were also bumped back up from 38 points. Lorne did not appeal its decision to be handed 38 and will be the only side in the region operating at below 40 points in 2020.
St Joseph’s played with its maximum of 40 points in its preliminary final loss to St Mary’s and president Todd Devine said struggling clubs should be given extra points, but no club should have its total reduced.
“What we were concerned about is the reduction of points was a potential way of reducing the standard of the competition,” he said.
“Unless the league decides the solution to evening up the competition is reducing the standard at the top end, this isn’t the way to do it. Taking points off clubs is an acknowledgment that we need to dumb the competition down to make it more competitive.”
Keating, however, said reducing points would even competitions.