EFL 2019: Balwyn facing players points headache in the Eastern Football League

Balwyn’s match committee will be facing a player points headache as the Tigers push for a return to Eastern Football League finals gains momentum.

Balwyn coach Rodney Eade. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Balwyn is facing a player points squeeze as its push for a return to Eastern Football League finals gains momentum.

The Tigers have played at their points cap of 47 in each of their six games, but some first-choice players could be facing a stint in the reserves.

The one-point pair of Kris Pendlebury and Marc O’Regan remain on the sidelines with injury, while former Sydney forward Xavier Richards is recovering from a hamstring injury.

Richards is valued at six points under the AFL Victoria Player Points Policy.

Xavier Richards during his time at Sydney. Picture: George Salpigtidis

“To be honest, he’s got to work his way back in the team,” Balwyn coach Rodney Eade said after Saturday’s win over Doncaster.

“He’s no walk-up start. He hasn’t started running yet so he’ll probably won’t be right until the bye so he’ll have missed six or seven (weeks).

“I would think he’ll have to come back through the twos.

“With the way players are, we just pick them on form. No reputations.”

Ruckman Ryley Monkhurst, who is allocated three points, also needs to come back in to the side.

“Next week we’re going to get Monkhurst back, Pendlebury is a good chance to be back,” Eade said.

“O’Regan will be right next week and he was our best player the first two weeks so we’ve got some stock coming back.

“The one-pointers we’ll find space for, that’s easy enough, it’s just finding space for players with points.”

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Promising young forward Cooper Sharman has been one victim of Balwyn’s player points headaches.

Sharman has twice been dropped to the reserves as the Tigers juggle trying to fit their best side in the points cap.

Balwyn missed finals for the first time in 23 years last season but sit third on the Premier Division ladder with a 5-1 record.

“Players know if they don’t play the way we want them to play, they face a chance to go back to the twos, which is causing good competition,” Eade said.

“Players who are doing their role and playing well, I can’t drop them.”

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