VAFA chief Brett Connell explains how association determines player eligibility
VAFA boss Brett Connell has explained the eligibility criteria for the amateur competition after the recent addition of several ex-AFL players raised eyebrows.
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It’s an age-old argument, the legitimacy of players to meet eligibility rules of the Victorian Amateur Football Association.
Tom Boyd’s recent signing with St Kevin’s Old Boys, and the large number of ex-AFL players with University Blues, has raised eyebrows from some quarters within a competition that boasts 13,000 registered players, including 3000 women.
Boyd’s transformation from Western Bulldogs premiership hero to VAFA ruckman/forward with St Kevin’s prompted the usual cynicism that goes with such signings.
Returning to Norwood this year was an amazing experience and I can’t thank the club enough for having me.
— Tom Boyd (@Tom_Boyd17) November 12, 2019
However, after much deliberation, I’ve decided that I’ll be playing at St Kevin’s in 2020 and am extremely excited for Anna and I be joining the SKOB community going forward
But from the man himself, Boyd chose St Kevin’s over other suitors (namely Old Trinity) because of his desire to get access to their old boy network which he will use when building a business based around mental health counselling.
Brett Connell, who is CEO of the Victorian Amateur Football Association after a playing career that included three premierships with Ormond and 13 state games, answered some questions this week.
JA: The 2019 Premier A champions in University Blues fielded a grand final team that included more than a third with AFL backgrounds. Are you comfortable with that?
BC: Yes, but we are reviewing their recruiting areas (and Uni Blacks) which include RMIT and ACU, just as we are reviewing the two years at school that currently classes as alumni for Old School teams. I don’t think it’s fair that a person attends University and automatically becomes a one-pointer because the system is built around loyalty.
JA: Such as former Melbourne player Jay Kennedy Harris?
BC: Once the registration comes in for Jay Kennedy Harris to play for University Blues, we will ask him why he landed at Uni and not with the other clubs he spoke with.
JA: Mav Weller is another rumoured to be joining Blues, who are already a brilliant outfit based on 2019.
BC: My concern is are we starting to look like the Eastern Footy League of five years ago where there was Vermont, Balwyn and Noble Park, where the other seven said, “We can’t compete”.
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JA: So how can you prevent domination from two or three clubs at the top?
BC: We have our points system which we can use as a handbrake, such as has happened in another competition with Frankston YC where next year they will play under 36 points, where everyone else will be 45. In time we would consider that if one team became so dominant. Every year Uni’s AFL players drop a point if they play on, so if they lose a point they can effectively pick up another AFL player.
JA: How does Luke Russell, who was best on ground for Uni Blues, play for money in Tasmania then suddenly become an amateur during the year?
BC: Under our rules he’s allowed to do that. We interviewed him, about his link with the University and why he wanted to play for nothing. Yes, it’s a point of conjecture but we also have players earning for the full year on a VFL contract who we allow to come back and play. That’s about opportunity.
Originally published as VAFA chief Brett Connell explains how association determines player eligibility
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