Weekly Times | TWO players from Heathcote District league club North Bendigo have had their points allocations changed from one point to two after an administration error.
Bulldogs forwards Brady Herdman and Sam Barnes played the first six rounds of the season as one point players under AFL Victoria’s new player points policy.
All senior players have been given a value in points based on their playing history. Clubs then have a limit on the number of points they can use within their senior side.
North Bendigo was originally allocated 46 points, which was later dropped back to 44 points.
Both Barnes and Herdman played with the Bulldogs last year, including its premiership, and kicked 155 goals between them for the season.
Herdman and Barnes were originally valued as two points by North Bendigo, starting from a base of four points then applying a two-point deduction because they stayed at the Bulldogs.
All allocations were sent to AFL Central Victoria to be approved.
But a “worksheet error” saw Herdman and Barnes confirmed as one-point players during that process, according to AFL Central Victoria region general manager Paul Hamilton said.
Even with Barnes and Herdman’s revised values taken into account, North Bendigo came under its tally in all of its six games to date, using between 39-42 points out of a possible 44.
Hamilton said any time a players’ allocation was changed, a reason was given, and no explanation was listed for why Herdman and Barnes dropped from two points to one.
But North Bendigo coach Rob Bennett said “who are we to question because they were meant to be the experts?”
“The list came back from AFL Central Victoria they were one point so we thought maybe we made a mistake, because we were informed once that list came back, that’s what they were allocated for the season” Bennett said.
Bennett said the club took issue with the process, not the allocations.
“It’s not about that we’re struggling with our points, it’s about the process and people being in charge of the process,” Bennett said.
“In my line of work if I make an admin error I’m held accountable and I’ll have to stick to that, where they’ve made an admin error but they’re not willing to take responsibility for it.”
Hamilton said changing the players back to two points was a “no brainer”.
“If you’re going to keep the integrity of the system, then they have to become two point players because they are two point players, the club admits they’re two point players. There is no reason not to make them two-point players,” he said.
Hamilton also pointed to the fact North Bendigo was coming in below its allocated points limit.
He said the situation could have been different if it had confirmed a club’s evaluation of a player’s point value, then later revised it to a higher value.
“That’s a different story. I don’t think we could do that,” Hamilton said.
“But the bottom line is they believe (Barnes and Herdman are) two points, we believe they’re two points, they’ve got to be two points.
“It’s unfair on the other clubs in that league if it wasn’t the case because the system would be harmed.”