SANFL has talks with AFL over Sam Powell-Pepper drama

THE SANFL football committee is discuss changing its regulations and policies in the wake of the Sam Powell-Pepper controversy when he fronted in the state league despite being banned from the AFL.

Sam Powell-Pepper played for the Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL. Picture MATT TURNER.

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THE SANFL has had talks with the AFL in the wake of the Sam Powell-Pepper controversy and there is expected to be a push for rule changes to prevent a repeat of the Anzac Day drama.

The SANFL football committee’s next meeting in three weeks will discuss whether a sanctioned player banned from the AFL competition should be allowed to front in the state league.

Powell-Pepper was suspended for three weeks under the AFL’s respect and responsibility policy, but was ruled eligible to play for Port Adelaide against Sturt in the grand final rematch at Unley Oval on Wednesday.

SANFL hierarchy was angered there had been no contact from the AFL and being told Powell-Pepper would be playing just before the reserves game.

“The disappointing thing for us was to find out on the day of the game this was the outcome,” SANFL general manager football Adam Kelly said. “We had to respond to an outcome with no regulations or policy prohibiting that player from playing in our competition.

“Is that something we are prepared to accept status quo, or if it should change.”

Kelly spoke with the AFL on Thursday seeking to understand how the Powell-Pepper matter was managed as well as their decision making process.

The AFL told the SANFL there had been numerous examples of similar decisions interstate, such as Richmond’s Nathan Broad being sanctioned and suspended from the AFL, but being allowed to play in the VFL.

However, this was the first time the SANFL competition had been impacted, prompting the league to question its own regulations and policies.

“We will be reviewing our SANFL policies and regulations and making decisions whether they need to change,” Kelly said. “We have not got to the point of sitting down as a football committee and saying what will the regulations and policies look like moving forward.

“All we can do now is acknowledge because of the precedent set on Wednesday we now feel the need to review what we do on a local level. We will have to go through due process to determine if any change is required.

“It will be more driven from a SANFL point of view rather than of the AFL, other than we have been advised we will be included as a stakeholder when the AFL reviews their handling of this instance. They will engage with us to get some feedback how it affected us.”