Collie Eagles stripped of points
The Collie Eagles have been stripped of their 26-point win over South Bunbury at the weekend, after the club was found to have 19 men on the field at the start of the third quarter.
The Eagles' score was reduced by 5.6 after a head count by acting Tigers captain Chris Andrew four minutes after half-time found an extra Collie player on the ground.
The loss of 5.6 changed the end result, giving South Bunbury an 8.7 (55) to 7.3 (45) win and keeping the Collie Eagles winless after six rounds.
According to the Australian Football League rule 5.1 a team must consist of between 14 and 18 players, who may be on the playing surface at any one time, and no more than four interchange players.
Under rule 5.5.3 when a team has more than the permitted players on the ground, the captain of the opposite team will receive a free kick in the centre circle, a 50m penalty and "the team shall lose all points which it has scored in the match up to the time of the count".
South West Football League general manager John Vidos said he informed the Collie Eagles of the decision on Tuesday night.
"The law says they lose that score at the time of the count," he said.
Vidos said the score was not wiped at the time as it was not stated in the law to do so.
"The law says it has to be reported to the governing body," he said.
The win leaves South Bunbury with a 3-3 record and has them just one game outside of the top five.
Collie Eagles coach Brad Humble said he would appeal the decision, after he believed it was not ruled correctly on the night.
"I have read the rule book several times, understand the rule and know why it is in place," he said.
"But I do have an issue with the way it was conducted on the night.
"I am not appealing the rule, I am appealing the factors of the game and the way the umpires ruled was detrimental at the time."
Humble said if he had known his side was going to suffer such a close loss he would not have rested his best players late in the game.
"Due to the fact the scores were not wiped we had no idea where we were," he said.
"I am going to outlay the $500 myself and appeal."
Humble also claims there was no free kick and 50m given to South Bunbury at the time, instead there was just a kick-in awarded.
