Local footy: EDFL club bosses have say on player points
Should returning local footballers have a point shaved off their value next year after the 2020 season was canned? EDFL club presidents give their verdicts.
Local Footy
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An Essendon District Football League club boss has declared there should be a freeze on player points for 2021.
Westmeadows president Grant Smith said shaving a point off the value of returning players next year presented a golden opportunity for more well-resourced suburban football clubs to recruit heavily.
He said some clubs could be boosted by “four or five more four-point players” as a result of the reduction.
“It does open the door for the clubs out there with the big dollars and lack of junior sides to go and recruit at the top end,” Smith said.
“That (player points) I think required a little bit more consultation than the salary cap itself.
“You can put the cap wherever you want. Clubs have what they’ve got to spend and you can’t really control that.”
The EDFL is yet to ratify its player points limit for next season, but chief executive Ian Kyte said his competition wanted to “reward players staying at clubs next year after this year and bring them down a point”.
The Southern, Northern, Western Region, Eastern, and VAFA competitions will also go ahead with the reduction.
It is understood some country competitions will apply the same points to returning players next year.
The EDFL has slashed salary caps by 50 per cent in its three senior divisions for next season.
Tullamarine president Peter Labbad also said player points should remain the same but added it was a complex issue.
“It’s never going to suit all clubs in the comp,” Labbad said.
“I don’t know if there’s another way around it where each club is actually happy.”
East Keilor coach Pat Christofi said the decision had given his club room to move ahead of next season.
The ambitious Cougars have made three key signings in Fabian Brancatisano, Lockie Rayner and Bruno Laguda since the season was canned and are chasing promotion to Premier Division.
“It has helped us improve our list, as it’s helped every other club in Victoria improve their list,” Christofi said.
“We’re in no different boat to anyone else.
“It’s helped us dramatically, but at the end of the day it’s an even playing field.”
Player points were introduced statewide in 2016 as part of AFL Victoria’s Club Sustainability Program.
Every player is given a points value based on their experience, with former AFL players typically worth six points and homegrown juniors one point.
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