VAFA confirm Uni Blues player ratings, penalty looms

The University Blues could be docked almost all their points following an independent review confirming the point rating of two players, including an ex-AFL 97-gamer.

The Uni Blues could lose all their points if they are found to have breached player ratings.

The VAFA are set to hand the University Blues a hefty penalty after an independent review confirmed the rating of two players, including ex-AFL star Martin Gleeson.

If found in breach of the 45-point limit, the Uni Blues could lose all their points from five of their six wins this season.

This would put them in equal last position with St Bernards on one win.

The league released a statement on Tuesday afternoon confirming that Martin Gleeson was a six-point player and Mojwok Akoch would be downgraded from three to two-points.

The University Blues however were believed to be arguing that Gleeson was a one-point player because he attends RMIT University, who the club say they have an association with.

Following two independent hearings the VAFA said that a University Blues player had to be a “full time student at Melbourne University” or a “graduated alumnus” to be rated as a one-point player.

This then confirmed Gleeson as a six-point rated player.

Akoch was downgraded to a two-point rating due to “his youth, the two recent Covid interrupted seasons and the fact that he has moved from Melbourne for his studies,” the statement said.

So far this season, the Uni Blues have won six matches.

In all those wins except for round 11, they have been found to be over the 45-point limit with Gleeson rated as six-point player.

Taking into account Akoch’s downgraded rating and the two matches he played in and won, the club would still be over the limit as they had an overall rating of 47 in those games.

Akoch played in round two in a 15-point win over St Bernards and round seven in a four-point win over Collegians.

Akoch was only downgraded by one point, leaving the club over the limit at 46 for those matches.

The VAFA are holding meetings to determine if the club has been in breach of the 45-point limit and what the penalty may be.

The league is set to release an outcome in the coming days.