League standing behind points system after more changes

Great Southern Football League president Joe Burton has backed the controversial player points system after more changes were made mid-season.

This time, the team totals for three clubs were altered after a directors’ meeting last Wednesday.

Following changes to individual player points ratings and the removal of a subclause in an existing by-law that came after the completion of round 1, the GSFL has moved to give North Albany, Railways and Royals one extra point.

The move is a backflip from their decision to leave the Kangas at 27 points and drop the Lions and Tigers from 28 also to 27 before the 2019 season started.

Despite the vote not being unanimous between directors, a motion that the Kangas, Tigers and Lions all be given a team allocation of 28 points was carried last week.

The subclause “A player who transfers from North Albany, Railways or Royals to any of Albany, Denmark-Walpole or Mt Barker, who decides to transfer back to their original club, will be given a PPV equal to their value at the time of the original transfer” was repealed at a meeting on May 1.

Those players going back to their original clubs will be worth three points.

Burton conceded although making changes in-season was not ideal, it was necessary to avoid further problems.

“A director moved a motion to give three Albany clubs one more point,” Burton said. “It was voted on, it wasn’t unanimous, but it was conclusive.

“We’ll stand by it.

“It wasn’t good to change it after week one, but if we hadn’t it would have caused an even bigger mess.

“The rules are clear-cut. I’m confident that will be it (for changes).”

The Lions played with their capacity of 28 points in round 4 at the weekend, while the Tigers and the Kangas had 27 apiece.

Albany, Denmark-Walpole and Mt Barker all have a team allocation of 40 points.

The Bulls, with the inclusion of four-point player Nathan Krakouer, were at 36 points in Saturday’s loss to the Kangas.

The Sharks and Magpies both sat on 31 points in round 4.

Burton said the GSFL would review the player points system at the conclusion of the regular season and believed the WA Country Football League’s new six-point system would be implemented in 2020.

He also said the premiership-winning club would more than likely face a points reduction for the following season and believed clubs should not be trying to exploit the system.

“I’d like to think they’re not (exploiting it),” he said.

“All clubs were supportive of what we were trying to do at the start and I believe it has helped the Sharks a bit, with a couple of players heading there.

“Again, it will be reviewed before the finals with some recommendations for next year.”

The Albany Advertiser understands the move to again make mid-season changes to the system has frustrated and angered clubs.