A local footy club has lost four points after a league investigation into its Round 1 match
A local footy club has had its Round 1 win reversed after a league investigation found it twice fielded too many players, with the four points handed to its opponent.
Riddell
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A local footy club has been stripped of its Round 1 win.
Woodend-Hesket lost the four points after a Riddell District league investigation found the club had twice fielded too many players in Saturday’s season-opener against Melton Centrals.
Centrals called for a head count during the third quarter of the match at Gilbert Gordon Oval and the Hawks were found with too many players.
As a result, the club’s points scoring in that time in the term were removed, 1.3 (9).
Woodend would still go on to win the match by 16 points.
However, a follow-up investigation found the club had again fielded too many players in the fourth term, for more than five minutes.
As a result, the Hawks score during the fourth quarter – 3.5 (23) – has also been removed.
Instead of a 9.12 (66) to 7.8 (50) victory to Woodend-Hesket, the match has now been declared a 7.8 (50) to 5.4 (34) win to Melton Centrals.
“The RDFNL acknowledges that this was not a deliberate act by the WHFNC and want to point out that the Woodend-Hesket Football Netball Club are an excellent club which was highlighted by their back to back top three finishes in the RDFNL Club of the Year across the 2022 and 2023 seasons,” a league statement said.
“Having said that, the integrity of the competitions cannot be brought into question and on this occasion there is a clear breach and a subsequent penalty whereby the final result of the match … is now Woodend-Hesket 5.4.34 defeated by Melton Centrals 7.8.50.”
Under league rules “a club or other person may request a post-match review by the relevant controlling body of a team exceeding the permitted number of players on the playing surface where a request under section 5.5.1 did not occur during a match”.
“Notification of the request and lodgement of relevant evidence must occur within 24 hours of the completion of the relevant match in a form prescribed by the controlling body.
“The controlling body may further determine the matter by way of a fine, reversal of match result or other sanction it deems appropriate.”
Woodend-Hesket issued a statement on Wednesday night.
“The Woodend-Hesket Football Netball Club acknowledges and accepts the decision handed down by the RDFNL following our match against Melton Centrals,” it read.
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“We recognise that errors were made on two occasions during the second half of the game.
“While there was absolutely no intent to deceive or gain an unfair advantage, we accept full responsibility for the mistakes and understand that this is no excuse.
“We are extremely disappointed for our players, volunteers and loyal supporters – especially after such a positive pre-season and a strong performance in the opening round.”
Melton Centrals posted the league statement on its social media page with a bicep flex emoji.
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