by eags » Fri Jul 22, 2011 6:14 pm
Some interesting reading from the ABC website...
I've heard that a complaint has been lodged into Great Flinders, asking them to inquire into what paperwork was done for Shannon to play with the Blues.
It's raised some questions about our young EP lads having the chance to return from their Affiliated SANFL club - in Eyre Peninsula's case it's the Port Adelaide Magpies.
We know that when Eagles footballer Craig Fitzgerald returned to the Ramblers Magpies he had to fill in a form, but many believed that was due to him playing for a non-affiliated zone.
I was always told that if someone along the lines of a Mark "Froggy" Dolling returned from the Port Adelaide Magpies to his grass-roots club of Ramblers Magpies, that he could just come home and play, given that he's never been cleared to play for another team during his time with the Magpies.
But maybe not?
Reading the SANFL Rules and Regulations on their website I'm wondering if the question relates to section 13.1 Playing Without Clearance (SANFL League Clubs) which states: "A player desiring to transfer from an SANFL League Club to an Affiliated League Club must not play for the Affiliated League Club until such time as he has obtained a Clearance from the SANFL Club with which he was last registered and any transfer fee payable under the SANFL Regulations has been paid."
The Port Adelaide Magpies knew and encouraged Shannon to return home to play for his grass-roots club for a week or two to gain some game fitness. An SANFL club isn't going to want to try their luck at a 'returning from injury' player that isn't yet SANFL fit. So surely it's not just about Shannon, but about all 'returning from injury' SANFL footballers.
If this is now not allowed, what avenue is there for our SANFL footballers, still registered to their grass-roots clubs, to play for them when coming back from injury. Or is it allowed and are there new rules that mean paperwork now just has to be completed?
It will be interesting to see what the result is, as in section 12.2 it states that "A player who plays with a team of an Affiliated League Club without having first been granted the necessary Clearance or permit required under these Regulations will be liable to a fine of $1,000.00 and disqualification for a period not exceeding twelve (12) months."
But in Late Breaking News, Great Flinders Football League President Grant Beard says that the case with Shannon has all been cleared.
He says it was a "non-issue because Jay Shannon had never been cleared to play for another club apart from Tumby Bay".
President Beard says an interesting discussion was had where a lot was learnt.