Bombers seek answers on year bans

LAUDERDALE is seeking clarification on a ruling that automatically bans players for a year from the Mercury Cup.

Each team is allowed to field six players aged over 23 in the under-23 Mercury Cup, but any over-age player suspended in that competition or the TSL is banned from the Mercury Cup for 12 months, no matter what their original sentence.

Lauderdale has captain Bryce Walsh on the long-term injury list but at present cannot gain match fitness in the Mercury Cup once he overcomes his broken ankle because of a TSL suspension last year.

The Bombers also have two overage Mercury Cup players, Nick Grubb and assistant coach Clinton Brown, unable to play for the club because of suspensions from last year, and another, Tim Daff, fighting a four-match ban for striking at the tribunal last night.

Lauderdale president Julie Kay said there was some confusion around the rule.

“For example if a senior player is coming back from injury and has been suspended, by the rules he’s not eligible to play in the Mercury Cup,” Kay said. “I think it has become a little bit difficult to manage at this stage. We are feeling the brunt of that at the moment.

“Whether that is because we’ve had more players suspended in the past 12 months than any other club I’m not sure, but I’m not even sure if the other clubs are fully aware of it either so maybe there needs to be some clarification around it.”

TSL general manager Carl Saunder said with an average age of 19, the ruling has had minimal impact on the Mercury Cup, and consideration would be given to senior players returning from injury.

“The Mercury Cup is a development competition and there is an emphasis on creating a safe environment for young footballers to develop and flourish,” Saunder said.