Nightcliff Tigers successfully appeal NTFL fly-in breach sanctions

The result of an NTFL club’s appeal arguing it did not breach the fly-in rule as been handed down, fighting sanctions that could have hamstrung its finals campaign. Read the reaction.

The Nightcliff Tigers have successfully appealed that it did not breach the fly-in rule reversing heavy sanctions from the AFLNT, which could have hamstrung the club’s finals campaign.

A spanner was thrown into Nightcliff’s pre-finals preparations over the weekend when the AFLNT declared they had breached the rules by fielding more than three fly-in players.

The club consistently maintained its innocence with president Mark Dodge declaring they would fight it the whole way through and on Sunday the sanctions were overturned.

It is understood that Nightcliff’s Riley Baldi was originally listed as a relocated player, but had to move back to Victoria temporarily for medical reasons.

The Nightcliff Tigers in the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Celina Whan / AFLNT Media

When he returned to play in round 13, as well as the following week, then when he moved back to Victoria to take on a coaching role at the Casey Demons, he was moved on to the fly-in list.

However, his previous matches were called into question with a perception he was flying in for them too sparking an AFLNT investigation.

The AFLNT announced on Friday that the club would be docked competition points for fielding more than the allowed three fly-in players in Round 13 and 14.

As a result the club was fined $10,000, their coach Leigh Crossman was banned for two matches and they were made to forfeit those two games, gaining no advantage from either.

It meant influential players such as Tom Boyd and Lachlan Tardrew would no longer have played the necessary number of games to qualify for finals.

Nightcliff’s Premier League side would have also had to play in the elimination final instead of the qualifying final having fallen to fifth.

Dodge said it was such a relief for the club to hear the news the two and half-hour tribunal had found in their favour.

“It’s such a relief, we at Nightcliff don’t cheat and now we’re looking forward to playing under lights against Tiwi in the qualifying final on Friday,” he said.

“The decision really vindicates the hard work of Leigh Crossman and our whole coaching staff, we want to play hard and win but we want to do it professionally and fairly.

“The team that are behind me and the whole club have absolute integrity and we were very upset that we were called into question.

“We want to thank the AFLNT tribunal for giving us a chance to state our case and for doing so early on a Sunday and we’re really glad they found the way they did.”

Originally published as Nightcliff Tigers successfully appeal NTFL fly-in breach sanctions