How local footy clubs are exploiting loophole to qualify VFL players

That’s precisely what it seems some Essendon District Football League clubs are doing with VFL-listed players.

Last weekend, with the VFL on a bye due to the representative game against the SANFL, some state league players were released to their community clubs.

However, strangely, many didn’t play in their club’s senior side. Rather they were listed on the respective club’s thirds teamsheet on Friday night.

Keilor had Jack Brown, Nathan Colenso, Jovan Petric and Toby Triffett on the teamsheet for the game against Greenvale, which the Jets forfeited.

The quartet had played in Williamstown’s first three games of the year. Damon Hollow was also picked, having featured twice for the Seagulls.

Strathmore’s thirds had Coburg trio Matt Allison (who was on St Kilda’s AFL list in 2024), Cooper Keogh and Kyle Weightman.

Northern Bullants gun Jean-Luc Velissaris was named best afield in Aberfeldie’s thirds game while Richmond VFL’s Mohammed Yassine was on Pascoe Vale’s thirds player list in Division 2.

EDFL rules state a player must play four home-and-away matches to qualify for finals. This simply means being on the teamsheet with a player not having to enter the playing arena.

In the event of a forfeit, the game shall count.

“The Chief Executive Officer shall have the discretion to accept a team sheet from an affiliated club where the opposing team has forfeited the game and advice of the forfeit has been received by the league and/or that affiliated club prior to the scheduled start of the game,” the rules read.

Players become ineligible for thirds footy if they’ve played a senior game unless approved by the league boss.

One club official labelled the rule a “joke” and said the league’s best teams would only become “stronger” come finals footy.

Another said: “It’s a tricky situation for the players as well. It would be quite frustrating losing your spot to someone you might only see during a couple of times during the year.”

Team selection is often difficult enough for clubs with VFL-listed players, particularly those on the fringe of selection for their state league club.

“It’s a week-to-week proposition, sometimes you’re making changes late on a Friday night or a couple of hours before a game on a Saturday,” one told this masthead.

It’s understood the EDFL annually reviews its rules, regulations and by-laws in consultation with clubs.

There is no blanket rule regarding finals eligibility from AFL Victoria which clubs and leagues must enforce.

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The Southern league has its own rule where if you play more than 10 VFL games, you are not eligible for a local footy finals series while the competition’s Open Grade doesn’t count towards senior or reserves finals.

Western league players must play a minimum of six games excluding thirds. In the RDFL, club 18 games are counted for finals eligibility.

Suburban clubs have also been known to name VFL players in the reserves during the year to help them reduce player points. A reduction of one point is applied for each season of service (a minimum of five senior or reserves games in a year).

Originally published as How local footy clubs are exploiting loophole to qualify VFL players