Riverland Football League backs decision to strip Renmark Football Club of 2023 premiership points

A local footy league has backed its decision to strip a club of premiership and player points for next season after it fielded an ineligible player in its semi-final on Saturday.

A local footy league has defended its decision to fine a club and strip it of premiership and player points for the 2023 season after it fielded an ineligible player in a final.

The Riverland Football League said the Renmark Football Club was aware of the rule it was breaking when it fielded forward Matt O’Loughlin on its second semi-final clash with Waikerie on Saturday.

O’Loughlin was not eligible to represent the Rovers’ A Grade side after playing for the club’s B Grade side in its semi-final prior to the A Grade game.

The RFL was made aware of O’Loughlin’s participation by Waikerie after the game, which Renmark won by 66 points.

A hearing on Monday night found Renmark would be fined $5000 and stripped of four premiership points and four player points used for recruiting high-end talent next season.

Renmark and Waikerie do battle in last season’s grand final. Renmark has been docked premiership and player points for next season after fielding an ineligible player. Picture: Grant Schwartzkopff

“Every year before finals we are asked what makes a player eligible and every year we reiterate how clearly laid out the regulations are in our constitution,” league president Mark Wright said.

“Generally we have our semi-finals all on the same weekend but we still enforced the rule in this circumstance, which we made pretty clear we would beforehand.

“We don’t believe this was a blatant attempt to flout the rules by Renmark but from our investigation they were well aware of the finals qualifications players need to meet.”

Wright said the league believed the punishment fit the crime and that it did not consider overturning the result of Saturday’s game and placing Waikerie in the grand final instead of Renmark.

“There were a number of penalties we could have imposed but we assessed what would be most appropriate to the circumstance.

Renmark has kept its spot in the 2022 grand final and will have the chance to add another trophy to its mantle. Picture: Grant Schwartzkopff

“Based on the information we have been privy to, we thought taking away a finals win wasn’t suitable and we sit very comfortable with our decision.”

Waikerie will now play Loxton in the preliminary final this Saturday.

Magpies president Aaron Thompson said the club was focused on the matchup with Loxton and never asked the league to overturn the semi-final result.

“When it came to our attention on Saturday I emailed the league a query as to why the player had been allowed to play – as any club would have done,” Thompson said.

“We never protested the result of the game and we were never looking to get the final score overturned.

“We’re looking forward to playing Loxton, we beat them a few weeks ago and played really well so we’re excited about the opportunity we now have to get to the grand final.”

The Messenger contacted the Renmark Football Club but is yet to receive comment.