Old Xaverians’ under-19s premier men’s team will miss out on playing in Saturday’s grand final after fielding an ineligible player in the preliminary final at the weekend.
The Victorian Amateur Football Association announced late on Sunday night that the Old Xavs would receive a $100 fine and forfeit their five-point victory over St Kevin’s for breaking finals eligibility rules.
St Kevin’s, not Old Xaverians, will compete in this weekend’s grand final against Old Brighton. This masthead is not suggesting that Old Xavs intended to break VAFA rules.
VAFA rules state that under-19s footballers cannot have played more than 12 games in the season in question in the Talent League – the AFL’s premier junior feeder competition – to retain finals eligibility.
The player in question, who was on Oakleigh Chargers’ list and in Greater Western Sydney’s academy this season, exceeded that tally, but met other eligibility criteria, which required him to play at least five games for Old Xavs, including a minimum of two after June 30.
This masthead contacted Old Xaverians president Michael Logan, general manager James Woods and under-19 coach Matthew Handley.
St Kevin’s president Patrick Mount told this masthead it was an “unfortunate situation”, but that people at his club flagged the player’s ineligibility with the league once they noticed he played in the game.
“There have been people saying we knew about it and kept it deliberately quiet, but team sheets can be changed until the last minute, and you don’t know if a player is actually going to play until you see them on the field,” Mount said.
“I didn’t know who he was personally, but we had a number of people on our side who flagged it, and every player’s profile on play HQ is publicly accessible and clearly showed he played 16 games in the Talent League.
“The rule is black and white – you can’t play more than 12 [Talent League] games.
“We have great respect for them as a football club, they have very good people in charge, and I don’t think this was anything more than an administrative oversight. I don’t think it was a deliberately sinister ploy to seek an unfair advantage.”
In a statement, the VAFA said it had investigated and confirmed that Old Xaverians under-19 men’s team fielded an ineligible player against St Kevin’s on Saturday.
“In accordance with VAFA rule 50, ‘A club which includes a player who is not eligible in a team by which it is represented in a premiership match shall be fined as prescribed in schedule of fines contained in rule 129 ($100) and shall forfeit all matches in which such player played … each such match shall be awarded to the opposing club…’,” the statement read.
“Accordingly, St Kevin’s U19 Men’s will proceed through to the Holmesglen U19 Premier Men’s grand final match against Old Brighton U19 Men’s on Saturday, September 19 at Revo Fitness Park.”
This masthead contacted the VAFA for comment.
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