VTCA introduces new player points system for next season

The Victorian Turf Cricket Association will introduce a new player points for next season to help make the competition as “balanced as possible” with the chances of a salary cap also discussed.

The Victorian Turf Cricket Association will have a new player points model for the 2023-24 season.

League president Zoran Havranek describes the new model as much “more simple” with just five player point categories.

It’s a reduction from the previous system which had more than 20 different criteria.

Each club’s First XI will have 23 base points to work with for each game although Havranek said there could be a possibility of “allowances” for clubs in exceptional circumstances.

“We feel this new system is transparent and easy to follow,” he said.

“The point system is about evening out the competition and trying to make it as balanced as possible. There’s the reward of playing at one point for clubs who are playing those who have come through the junior system.

“It’s also designed so clubs aren’t building from overseas and it can also prevent poaching. The former system was good for its time, but it was time for change.

“As president, I don’t want to see any of my clubs falling into financial difficulty and we believe this model can help prevent that.”

While the new points system will come into play, Havranek said there were no plans to implement a salary cap in the competition.

He said a full-time employee would be needed to enforce the rules of a cap.

“There’s zero chance of that actually happening as it stands,” he said.

“As a league, we wouldn’t have the capacity to follow it because we’re all volunteers. There’s always going to be assertions about what players are making, you hear the talk every summer.

“People want you to look at the bank accounts of wives, parents and friends. We don’t have the time to do all of those things.

“Clubs all have different budgets and as president, I want to them to be spending within their means.”