Woodville-West Torrens continue fight for compensation after SANFL rejects claim over 19th man saga

Woodville-West Torrens is continuing its fight with the SANFL for financial compensation and will consider going to court six months after the league’s 19th man saga.

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Woodville-West Torrens is continuing its fight with the SANFL for financial compensation and will consider going to court six months after the league’s 19th man saga.

The Eagles wrote to the SANFL demanding they be compensated for missing a spot in the 2018 grand final after North Adelaide had an extra man on the field for the first four minutes of the last quarter of their five-point win in the preliminary final.

The result was allowed to stand and the Roosters went on to win the premiership despite being found to have been “grossly negligent” for their part in the 19th man fiasco, and subsequently were fined $10,000 and docked four premiership points to start the 2019 season.

It is not known how much the Eagles were seeking in compensation but the club believes it was denied significant commercial opportunities around membership, merchandise, events and prizemoney associated with playing in a grand final.

In a written reply to the Eagles earlier this year, the SANFL is understood to have rejected the club’s claim for compensation and considers the matter closed.

SANFL chief executive Jake Parkinson yesterday said his only comment was “the SANFL has already made its position clear to the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club on this matter”.

Eagles president Kurt Slaven said the club was seeking further legal advice and would not give up the fight.

“We’ll be pursuing this as hard as we can,” Slaven said.

“We had members at our AGM in February asking questions in that space and we are looking at all options.”

Asked whether that would mean taking legal action, Slaven said “we’re considering all our options”.

The Eagles are embracing their new-found rivalry with North Adelaide and requested a Round 1 rematch with the Roosters at Woodville Oval which was granted for Sunday, March 31.

While the club is maintaining its rage regarding the 19th man saga, Slaven said the playing group had moved on.

“This is a club matter,” he said.

“We have a new coach, new recruits and the team is focused on getting the 2019 season off to a positive start with a win.”

North Adelaide received $20,000 in prizemoney for winning the grand final and Norwood which lost received $10,000.

The Roosters were also crowned ‘Team of the Year’ at the SA Sports Awards in November after their reserves also won the grand final in an historic premiership double/

When the Eagles lodged the paperwork with the SANFL in September, chief executive Luke Powell said the club “feels it has had something taken away from them”.

“For members, supporters and sponsors, we have to stand up and show that we’re not going to be pushed around,” he said.

“We are a small club but there is plenty of fight in us.”

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