Mordialloc Redbacks under-13 team kicked out of finals for playing over-age player

A Mordialloc under-13 football team has been stripped of match points and missed finals for an action so unbelievable a top official said he didn’t know “how the club would expect to get away with it”. And now innocent team members are devastated.

The Mordialloc Redbacks under-13 team was kicked out of the finals after it was found to have an over-age player. Picture: iStock

A Mordialloc junior football team that played an over-age player under several false names has been booted out of the finals.

The AFL South East Commission confirmed this morning that the Mordialloc Redbacks had been fined $1400, and their under-13 coach and team manager were suspended over the episode.

AFL South East chief executive John Anderson said the club admitted it deliberately played an under-14 player in the team.

He said a whistleblower had alerted Frankston and District Junior Football League officials late in the season.

Anderson said the over-age player had appeared in four games under different names.

He said the team finished fourth on the ladder, but was stripped of match points earned in the four matches and missed the finals.

“It was one of those whistleblower situations,’’ Anderson said.

“We got some information around the back door and investigated it. After we were put on to it, it went to a disciplinary hearing and the club basically owned up to it.

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“From our point of view it’s very disappointing that a club would go to that length to deceive the competition.

“I was staggered because it’s a very rare occurrence. I honestly don’t know how the club would expect to get away with it, given that people will know the boy and his age. It’s one of those where you take a risk … but when you take a risk like that it’s not going to come off.’’

Anderson said he felt for the “innocent kids who through no fault of their own missed the opportunity to experience finals football’’.

AFL South East chief executive John Anderson was “staggered” at the team’s conduct.

The league said the team manager was suspended for two years after “accepting the majority of responsibility for being the architect of the breach’’.

The coach was suspended for one year, and the Redbacks were fined $400 for playing an ineligible player and $1000 for bringing the game into disrepute.

One parent contacted Leader last night saying his son was in “misery’’ over the situation.

“He’s gutted that his team is labelled as cheats and he is even being bullied at school,’’ the parents, who asked to not be identified, said.

The Redbacks have been contacted for comment.