By David Nagel
The integrity of AFL Victoria’s Player Points System (PPS) faced its greatest test as 71 clubs across seven leagues in AFL Gippsland received breach notices. The breaches resulted in AFL Gippsland restructuring its approach to the PPS system moving forward.
OCTOBER, 2022
The integrity of AFL Victoria’s Player Points System (PPS) is facing its greatest test as 71 clubs across seven leagues in AFL Gippsland receive breach notices in the coming days.
A Memo sent to AFL Gippsland Leagues and Clubs, from AFL Victoria Community Football Manager John O’Donohue, confirms that 100 percent of clubs across the Omeo, East Gippsland, North Gippsland, Mid Gippsland, Ellinbank, Gippsland and West Gippsland Football Leagues have been found to be in breach of incorrect player points allocations.
Star News understands that every club has at least one player that has been incorrectly assessed, with up to seven players at one particular club being in question.
The most common error made by clubs is incorrectly assessing players that transfer from Premier to Minor leagues, or reverse, while many transferred juniors have been incorrectly assessed as one-point players instead of three.
AFL Gippsland Region Manager Cameron McPhan said the widespread nature of the breaches had highlighted the need for education on the application of the PPS to all clubs.
“Education in the off-season was already high on the agenda, but this highlights the need for a thorough approach to training and educating our clubs,” McPhan said.
“The same process will now take place as previous breaches, where letters will be rolled out to clubs who will be asked to respond and clarify their situations.”
Warragul Industrials was fined $3,000 for a breach of the PPS in early September, with AFL Victoria insisting that a consistent approach will be undertaken as incorrect allocations are identified.
If a consistent approach is undertaken in regards to the fines, up to $213,000 in fines could be handed down to clubs.
The memo from O’Donohue to clubs reads:
To: AFL Gippsland Leagues and Clubs
Cc: AFL Victoria Management and AFL Gippsland
From: John O’Donohue – Community Football Manager
Date: 4 October 2022
Re: AFL Gippsland Player Point System Policy Breaches
Further to correspondence to AFL Gippsland Leagues and Clubs dated September 13th, 2022, regarding a series of incorrect Player Point System (PPS) assessments for season 2022 within AFL Gippsland League Clubs, AFL Gippsland and AFL Victoria conducted a full audit of all 2022 player point allocations as indicated.
The basis of the review was evidence exposing breaches from several clubs in the Omeo, East Gippsland, North Gippsland, Mid Gippsland, Ellinbank, Gippsland and West Gippsland Football Leagues.
Clubs identified to be in breach received relevant breach notices and were offered the opportunity to explain the respective PPS breaches identified.
The audit of 2022 PPS allocations in AFL Gippsland Leagues has now been completed and regrettably, 100 percent of clubs have been found to be in breach of incorrect player point allocations.
In some instances, the breach involved only one player whilst some clubs were found to have several players being both over and under assessed.
As suggested in previous communications, as incorrect allocations are identified, a consistent approach will be undertaken and therefore all clubs will receive a breach notice in the coming days and will be offered the opportunity to explain the respective PPS breaches identified.
Where PPS assessments were identified as incorrect, the appropriate adjustments have immediately been made within PLAY HQ.
Given the commitment to the PPS and the audit identifying processes and practice adopted by leagues and clubs were inconsistent and subject to error, it is also appropriate that corrective and ongoing management systems are implemented to support and protect club volunteers and league management by AFL Gippsland ahead of the 2023 season.
Regards
John O’Donohue
Community Football Manager
AFL Victoria
