Tara Murray
Kyneton will be left heartbroken if it misses finals in the Central Victoria Football League Women’s competition, due to a decision to strip points from another team.
The Bendigo Thunder side was stripped of eight points by the AFL Central Victoria Commission, which oversees the league, after it was found it was above the players points cap in two games.
In a statement from the commission it said the commission took into account the unintentional nature of the breach and noted the honesty and cooperation with the investigation.
“In accordance with the police, the BWC will lose its four premiership points for each of these games, the points will be awarded to their opponents,” the statement said.
It is the decision to award the points to Golden Square and Eaglehawk that has caught the ire of the Tigers.
Tigers football director Eloise Forbes said that decision could cost them finals.
The Tigers faced the Thunder in the final round after deadline, while fifth placed Eaglehawk was to play ladder leaders Castlemaine.
A Tigers loss and Eaglehawk win would mean the Tigers would miss finals.
“We’ve been excited to be in the top four and knowing that we were going to be playing finals,” Forbes said.
“We agreed that Bendigo should have lost the points, but we don’t agree with them going to the opposition.
“It’s challenging for us.”
Forbes said under the rules the commission could have decided not to award any points for those games or looked at suspending Bendigo from the finals.
She pointed to a situation in the Victorian Amateur Football Association where a club was stripped of points due to the points cap issues, but the other teams weren’t awarded the points.
Forbes said with a system that requires them to have players’ names in the system, how did it take two rounds for the error to be picked up?
“We’re asking for a please explain,” she said. “This particular decision is not fair to all teams in the competition.
“It might seem far to three teams, but it’s got a flow on effect for us.”
An AFL Central Victoria spokesman said on Thursday they are are in discussions with clubs on topics raised and we will continue to work with the clubs.
