Essendon District Football League is closer to settling on a player points cap for each of its teams.
In its bid to run a fairer competition, the EDFL has signalled it will look to introduce a 55-point cap on each playing group in all its three divisions.
Under the new regulations, each player will be awarded between one and six points, based on their playing history.
As previously reported by Star Weekly, AFL Victoria has approved a statewide player points system for 2016 and the introduction of a player salary cap in 2017. The total number of allotted points for each team is up to the discretion of individual leagues.
At the EDFL’s best and fairest awards night late last month, its president, Brett Scott, said the league was looking at a 55-point cap with a reduction of two points in the following years.
League general manager Marc Turri confirmed last week the league was looking at that number.
“The cap is still something we’re going through before confirming what it will be next season,” Turri said. “The 55 points is an option and something that needs approval from AFL Victoria and the clubs.
“Some clubs would be over that, so we’re working with those clubs and the clubs with low points to get to a figure that everyone can work with.”
Turri said all teams across the three divisions would be allocated the same number of points.
A player with at least one match at AFL level in the previous three seasons will command the maximum six points, while players who have played 40 junior matches for a club or been a one-club player will cost only one point.
Points decrease one point a year for being at a club until down to one point.
“A key factor in being a new program is making sure it’s user-friendly for clubs in the first year,” Turri said.
“This year we had some teams in premier division that were quite high and some in division 2 that were also high.”
Turri said the league wouldn’t allocate extra points to clubs with smaller junior programs in the first couple of years. “We want to look and assess if there’s need for any tweaks.”
The EDFL is also looking at making changes to the age groups of its junior program all the way up to under-18.5s competition.
Turri said changes would not be introduced next season. “We are looking at changing our whole junior program from even numbers to odd age groups.
“It means under-10s will become under-11s, and all the way through to under-18.5s becoming under-19s.
