HOW ARE THE HDFNL CLUBS FARING IN THE ADDY ISO-SEASON

WITH no Heathcote District league season to be played this year, what will it mean for player points values in 2021?

Will season 2020 be classed as a season played and therefore players who are eligible for a point deduction in 2021 be granted it?

Or will recruits who under normal circumstances would have an additional point attached to them, such as playing for three clubs in three years, still have the same formula applied in 2021 when they don't play a game this year due to the unprecedented canning of a season caused by the coronavirus pandemic?

While such scenarios are all part of the multitudes of "what ifs" for the Bendigo, Loddon Valley and North Central leagues that are all still holding out hope of some season in 2020, the Heathcote District league board made the decision last Thursday night to cancel its season - the first league in the state to do so.

The player points system was introduced across community football by AFL Victoria in 2016 as one of the measures aimed at "equalisation of competitions, stop the inflationary nature of player payments by discouraging the movement of players and promote player loyalty and junior development."

All community players have a rating of one to six based on their playing history, with multi-pointed players earning a one point discount for every year they play with a club.

But for a player to earn the one point discount, they must play a minimum of five senior or reserves games in a year - and that won't be happening in the Heathcote District league in 2020.

HDFNL chairman Peter Cole says the league believes that 2020 should be counted as a season played and that any player point deductions or additions for 2021 be applied accordingly.

"What we would like to see happen is that every player who was registered with one of our clubs this year be counted as having played in regards to the points because it's not their fault that they aren't," Cole said on Thursday.

"We think all player points values for next year should be the same as what they would have been had we been playing this season."

AFL Central Victoria regional manager Carol Cathcart says while the question has been asked of the impact of no season in 2020 on player points values in 2021, the decision will be made by AFL Victoria's Community Club Sustainability Working Party.

"We have asked the question of AFL Victoria and the panel which provides us the guidelines around the player points are still to meet and make any decisions, which is partly due to waiting to see if leagues will get up this year," Cathcart said.

"If some leagues get up and others don't and could that mean players can move without penalty, so there's a fair bit that will need to go into it."

Average points used by all AFLCV clubs since system introduced in 2016:

BENDIGO:

Castlemaine - 34.6

Eaglehawk - 33.6

Gisborne - 28.2

Golden Square - 32.9

Kangaroo Flat - 36.7

Kyneton - 36.0

Maryborough - 33.4

Sandhurst - 31.5

South Bendigo - 39.0

Strathfieldsaye - 32.2

.............................................

HEATHCOTE DISTRICT

Colbinabbin - 38.7

Elmore - 39.7

Heathcote - 36.0

Huntly - 39.3

Leitchville-Gunbower - 37.4

LBU - 34.6

Mount Pleasant - 40.3

North Bendigo - 38.4

White Hills - 39.4

.............................................

LODDON VALLEY

BL-Serpentine - 35.6

Bridgewater - 34.0

Calivil United - 40.8

Inglewood - 39.0

Maiden Gully YCW - 42.7

Marong - 40.9

Mitiamo - 41.1

Newbridge - 39.5

Pyramid Hill - 39.7

.............................................

NORTH CENTRAL

Birchip-Watchem - 39.9

Boort - 33.7

Charlton - 31.5

Donald - 31.8

Sea Lake Nandaly - 34.6

St Arnaud - 29.8

Wedderburn - 28.6

Wycheproof-Narraport - 26.0

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