AFLNT introduces rule and by-law changes for 2020-21 NTFL season

AFLNT has released a list of key rule and by-law changes to address issues from last NTFL season, while trying to reduce the cost burden on all clubs as a result of the COVID-19 crisis

St Mary's star and fly-in Jackson Geary. All clubs will be permitted to play a maximum of three fly-in players per round and a total of eight for the season during the 2020-21 NTFL competition. Picture: JUSTIN KENNEDY

AFLNT has released a list of key rule and by-law changes to address issues from last NTFL season, while trying to reduce the cost burden on all clubs as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, ahead of the 2020-21 competition.

These are the rule changes likely to be of interest to players, clubs and fans.

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■ 3.9.2 AFLNT Rules & Regulations: Competition – Playing Numbers:

Has been updated to state that teams competing in the youth girls competitions (under-15 and 18) shall have no more than 16 players on the field and six on the interchange. This is consistent with senior women’s football and will make it easier for clubs to manage.

■ 3.9.2 AFLNT Rules & Regulations: Competition – Playing Numbers:

Has been updated so that if a team submits a team sheet that does not accurately represent the team that took the field during that match the team will now receive a fine instead of automatically being deemed to have forfeited the game.

However, an investigation will also be conducted into the breach, which may determine further penalties such as loss of points.

■ 3.14 AFLNT Rules & Regulations: Competition – Consequence of Forfeiture:

Has been updated so that where a team is removed from a competition all preceding matches in which they were scheduled to play will now be reflected as a forfeit and their opposition will be awarded a 60 to zero-point win.

In junior divisions, Under 16s and below, matches may be re-fixtured where available so that the juniors are not missing out on opportunities to play.

■ 5.5 AFLNT Rules & Regulations: Junior Core Lists:

Has been introduced to help keep consistency and fairness across junior grades. This covers the divisions from under-12s through to Under 16s.

Clubs fielding multiple teams in the same age group must provide a Core List of Core Players to the Competition Manager for the higher division team, which includes any representative or Academy players.

Any player listed on their club’s Core List will be required to play in their club’s top division team and will not be able to play down a division.

The number of players on the Core List is determined by age group.

■ 10.10 AFLNT Rules & Regulations: Fines & Penalties:

Fines will now be relevant to a particular breach of a rule from the AFLNT Rules & Regulations or NTFL By-Laws and have been weighted by the level of the offence – minor to major. This means there are no longer blanket fines, which sometimes resulted in significant fines for minor breaches. A full list of the Fines & Penalties can be found in the Appendix of the Rules & Regulations.

■ 3.2 NTFL By-Laws: Rules – Fly-In Players:

In the 2020-21 NTFL season, clubs will be permitted to play a maximum of three fly-in players per round and a maximum of eight for the season.

This rule will be applied across Men’s Premier League and Division 1.

For example, a Men’s Premier League club may choose to play two fly-ins in their Men’s Premier League game and one fly-in in Division 1 of the same round, but must not exceed a total of three fly-ins across the two grades.

Division 1 only clubs also have a maximum of three fly-ins per round and a total of eight for the season.

■ 3.11.6 NTFL By-Laws: Rules – Player Points System:

In the 2020-21 TIO NTFL season, two new player points categories have been added.

A returning junior club player, who is 21 or younger on January 1 in the year that the competition commences, who is returning to the club in which he has played a minimum of three junior seasons, where he would’ve met the finals qualification rules, will be worth two points (down from four points) if they played six or more Men’s Premier League games in the past 12 months or zero points if it was less than six games. To qualify under this classification, the player must not have spent more than two seasons away from his junior club.

The same points allocation will apply for a returning Tiwi junior local who is defined as being 21 or younger on January 1 in the year that the competition commences who having resided in Darwin for the purpose of education is relocating home to the Tiwi Islands.

■ 3.11.16 NTFL By-Laws: Rules – Player Points System:

In the 2020-21 NTFL season, a points concession will apply for the relocation of interstate players. A club may apply to receive a concession for a maximum of four players in which that player will be allocated one point regardless of category.

Any relocated players above and beyond the maximum allowable four players will attract the normal points value.

Any player that relocates to the Northern Territory must meet the AFLNT Residency Test before participating in a Men’s Premier League match.

■ 5.2 NTFL By-Laws: Player Eligibility – NTFL Finals Matches:

In the 2020-21 NTFL season, the player eligibility for finals has been updated.

A player is eligible to play a Men’s Premier League finals match for a club if that player has played a minimum of four minor-round matches for that club, this is two fewer games than previous seasons.

Eligibility criteria for all other non-Men’s Premier League divisions will remain as is at three games.

AFLNT said these changes were made following months of consultation, which started with clubs taking up the invitation to submit their ideas for rules changes and additions to the NTFL Laws Committee.