Eagles support new rules on 19th man after controversial preliminary final

The SANFL has boosted powers to probe extra player controversies in the wake of this year’s preliminary final fiasco.

• How the Roosters rose to SANFL power
• Gallery: SANFL Grand Final in pictures
• South Australians give their verdict on the 19th man debacle

WOODVILLE-West Torrens chief executive Luke Powell has applauded the 19th man rule changes which the SANFL hopes will prevent a repeat of the controversial preliminary final drama in September.

Powell claimed the SA Football Commission had done a great job to update the rules and in partnership with the league, had hopefully alleviated a repeat of the finals dispute.

“We widely acknowledged throughout the industry the rules were archaic through no fault of anyone,” Powell said. “We all should be happy with the result of the rule changes and now we can put all this behind us and move forward to hopefully a prosperous 2019.

North Adelaide coach Josh Carr on the boundary line during the SANFL Grand Final. Picture: Sarah Reed

“Often what happens in events like this, everyone will be more diligent in the way they go about things. Not just the team which had to deal with the extra player, but the opposition.

“It was an incident no one went out to do or wanted to happen and the rule changes are for the betterment of the game.”

North Adelaide had 19 players on the field for the first four minutes of the final quarter of the preliminary final before claiming a five-point victory in an extraordinary contest. The Roosters then conquered Norwood in the grand final.

The new regulations enable a team runner and vice-captain to join the skipper in being able to call for a head count. Should a team be found to have more than 18 players on the field, the umpires will pay a free kick and 50m penalty.

There will be no loss of points scored, but the umpires will report the circumstances to the SANFL for post-match consideration.

A review can be instigated by the report or it can be requested by a club, league or match official within 24 hours of the end of the game. If there has been a breach, the SANFL will deal with minor indiscretions.

If the SANFL determines the breach impacted on the result of the game, it will be referred to the tribunal. The penalty can be a fine, reversal of the result or a replay.

The Roosters were fined $10,000 and will lose four premiership points next season.

But retired Supreme Court judge Michael David QC said at the tribunal his preference was a replay, but such an option was not possible under the old rules.

The tribunal’s powers will be much broader after the Commission ratified the rule changes on Tuesday.

A significant move by the SANFL is to have an additional match day official at every game, while quarters cannot start until the interchange players from each team have been accounted for.

Powell, the Eagles’ runner this year, said it can be easier for the runner to get to the field umpires.

“As long as the coaching staff know what is going on and with the added stewards, it should alleviate the runner ever having to go out there,” he said.

The AFL Commission also endorsed 19th man rule changes for state leagues and community level.

Instead of a loss of points for the entire game, there will be a loss of points for the relevant quarter to the time of the count.

However, the SANFL has adopted its own game-day management of the issue. The SANFL already has different rules to the AFL, including 25m penalties and last possession out of bounds.

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