AFL Gippsland has announced an enhanced management and education program around the Player Points System (PPS) that will give clubs in the region the opportunity to have suspended penalties revoked if they meet certain requirements.
After 71 senior clubs from Gippsland leagues were found by AFL Gippsland to have incorrectly allocated the PPS values of one or more players during the 2022 season and the clubs were subsequently sanctioned, AFL Gippsland is committed to delivering a reinvigorated training program and to providing greater support to clubs and leagues in the region to aid PPS management.
Taking into account feedback from clubs, six PPS training seminars have been scheduled for February 2023. For clubs that meet participation and general compliance requirements, AFL Gippsland will remove sanctions imposed on that club.
The move is designed to improve the integrity of the PPS in 2023 and beyond, ease the burden on volunteers, help clubs and ensure best-practice PPS management is adopted across the region.
AFL Gippsland Region Manager, Cameron McPhan, said: “We have welcomed all responses received from clubs following the recent breach notices which has pleasingly reinforced the commitment to the PPS and Allowable Player Payments (APP) and delivered initiatives as to how a reset in Gippsland can be beneficial whilst acknowledging that all levels of the game must work in collaboration.
“Where clubs participate in the reset by attending PPS training sessions either in person or virtually and meet minimum compliances associated with the management of the PPS for 2023, AFL Gippsland will remove the sanctions imposed on individual clubs, including the period of suspension. A reset is considered necessary and will improve integrity in the PPS and therefore football in Gippsland” McPhan continued.
“I am pleased that we can offer the opportunity to revoke the suspended penalties, reset the region by supporting clubs with training, education and a region review of PPS allocations which aligns to the compliance requirements in the policy to mitigate the risks which have been exposed at all levels during 2023.
“Club volunteers have recognised that breach notices were warranted and acknowledge that the PPS is necessary, however were concerned that given the suspended penalties, further incorrect assessments could occur without the additional support required from the region and therefore provisions provided to revoke the penalties have been well received by clubs across the region.”
AFL Gippsland has also responded to initiatives presented by clubs with McPhan confirming the introduction of a Player Points Panel whose purpose will be to consider applications from clubs for additional points and individual player requests for reassessment as provided for in the PPS policy.
“A Player Points Panel comprising of region management and independent members, provides AFL Gippsland a platform where specific Gippsland issues relevant to the management and implementation of the PPS can be assessed and considered.
“I appreciate that the influence of the PPS will vary across Gippsland; the Player Points Panel will therefore consider reassessment submissions from players and clubs and the influences of local player pathway specific to the many varied locations within Gippsland”.
“We have used this scenario as an opportunity to collectively reset as a region with leagues and clubs and collectively identify more opportunities to progress the game” said McPhan.
AFL Gippsland are seeking Expressions of Interest to join the Player Points Panel as independent members.
