Player points system: Regional solution flagged to head off rising disquiet

Calls for changes to the player points system are resonating, with AFL Victoria currently reviewing possible solutions. See what is under consideration.

The statewide player points system is poised for the biggest shake up since its inception with region-specific solutions under serious consideration for next season.

AFL Victoria is presently taking feedback on the points system that was introduced in 2016 along with the salary cap to even up leagues and guard against clubs spending too much money on players.

Gippsland has become a hotbed of angst about the points system, with one club that had four players reassessed after round 1 describing the present conditions as “not fit for purpose” and lacking flexibility.

Warragul coach Jed Lamb had four players under player point allocations after round 1 this year. Picture: Supplied

A player needing to play 40 games for a club to qualify as a one-pointer continues to frustrate clubs.

AFL Victoria community football manager John O’Donohue said evidence was mounting to make adjustments to the points system to cater for conditions unique to a particular part of the state.

“That overwhelming evidence is starting to become evident in some areas,” he said.

“Those local conditions may vary from Sunraysia, to Gippsland, to the North East.

“Some might be needed, some mightn’t be.”

AFL Victoria community football manager John O’Donohue.

O’Donohue said a statewide player points and salary cap advisory panel constantly reviewed the equalisation policies and was conscious of guarding against “unintended consequences” from changes ultimately made.

“The philosophy we adopt is if there is overwhelming evidence to suggest one of the categories is either wrong or needs to be tweaked then we will look at it,” he said.

“Over the past seven years there hasn’t been that overwhelming evidence.

“There have been what we call ‘blue mooners’ where people think the world is ending because a player falls in or out of a particular category.”

Warragul assistant coach Anthony Pavey said his club had battled player points issues since early in the season.

He said four players were reclassified from one-pointers to multiple-point players because they hadn’t played 40 matches with the club or memorandum of understandings with aligned junior or district league clubs had lapsed.

“It’s not fit for purpose presently,” he said.

“The inflexibility is just ridiculous.”

Swan Reach was stripped of premiership points from eight matches this season because it couldn’t prove four players had played 40 games with the Omeo and District league club to be one-pointers.

The ODFNL has only seniors and under-16 teams.