NSW/ACT IMPLEMENT PLAYER POINTS SYSTEM
AFL NSW/ ACT, in conjunction with the relevant leagues, has enhanced the Player Points System, which will be applicable to AFL Canberra, Riverina FNL, Farrer FNL and Hume FNL for the 2017 season.
The Player Points System was first introduced for the AFL Canberra, Riverina FNL and Farrer FNL for the 2016 season off the back of AFL Victoria‘s Community Club Sustainability Program, and will now see the Player Points System extend to the Hume FNL as well as reducing the points caps for each team.
The Player Points System seeks to address concerns with respect to competitive balance and the sustainability of community football clubs and leagues.
State Manager for Football Operations, Governance and Policy, Sam Chadwick said “The AFL’s recent Future Directions of Australian Football Report reiterated the importance of state/ community football and strong competition structures and clubs. The Report also identified competitive balance as a major issue impacting the long term sustainability of community clubs.”
“Competitive balance measures already exist in some leagues in Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. Player Points Systems are proven mechanisms that are simple to administer and can be tailored to local needs. Accordingly, AFL NSW/ACT is implementing a similar regime to enhance competitive balance and provide consistency across leagues.”
“Given the varying ability of clubs to attract players due to financial, geographical or demographical factors, the Player Points System is designed to better spread player talent, reward player retention/ loyalty and encourage the development of junior players” said Chadwick.
“Importantly, the revised points caps now more closely align our NSW/ACT leagues with the AFL Victoria leagues near the border.
“It is particularly pleasing to see the initiative and collaboration across Southern NSW and ACT leagues in the development of a consistent Player Points System across the broader region. I commend AFL Canberra, AFL Riverina and the Hume FNL, and their clubs, on working together to implement such a model.”
The point caps for each league has been revised for 2017, with AFL Canberra and Hume Football League clubs entitled to 38 points, while the Riverina Football League and Farrer Football League clubs have 42 points.
The general philosophy of the Community Club Sustainability Program is to:
Assist the equalisation of competitions
Improve the sustainability of Community Clubs by curbing the inflationary nature of player payments as a result of player movement
Promote player loyalty and junior development
Support the role volunteers undertake in managing their clubs.
Players are worth more points the higher standard of competitions they have played in, unless they have played 40 or more junior games at a club, in which case they are worth just one point.
To administer the Player Points System AFL Canberra has formed their own independent League Equalisation Panels, which will adjudicate on matters relating to player and/or club points within stipulated timeframes. The Riverina, Farrer and Hume Leagues will have a combined League Equalisation Panel.
