TOPIC:

The million dollar question, until we hear it from the horses mouth we can only speculate. I have done a little research and have this list of players qualified.

From the WAFL Rules and Regulations:

4.1.1
In order to qualify for the WAFL Finals AFL listed players must fulfill the requirements of the current AFL/WAFL Service agreement. AFL listed players must have played in at least 5 games in order to qualify for WAFL finals, in the same way as a player who has played WAFL League having to have played 5 reserves games in order to qualify for Reserves Finals selection. AFL listed players must also have played more WAFL League games than AFL games. If an AFL player has been named as an emergency for his AFL club and travels with the team or if the AFL Player has been named as an emergency for his AFL Club when they play at home and does not participate in that AFL Fixture, that emergency game will be credited towards the minimum of five (5) WAFL qualifying matches in the relevant season unless his WAFL team have a bye on that same round of games.

Bell , H Bennell, Collins, Darcy , Dawson , Deluca , Duman , Griffin , Logue , Nyhuis , D Pearce , Strandanica , Taberner. have all played 5 WAFL games and have not played more AFL games , so qualify to play WAFL finals

The ones that have qualified by playing 5 or more games but have have played more AFL games are. Cox played 9 games WAFL , 10 AFL games , Hughes 4 WAFL games and 18 AFL games , Ibbottson 9 WAFL games and 10 AFL games , Ryan 6 WAFL games and 11 AFL games , Sheridan 7 WAFL games and 9 AFL games , Suban 7 WAFL games 12 AFL games , Sutcliffe 6 WAFL and 13 AFL games

From my reckoning that means there is only 13 available Fremantle FC players eligible to play for the reserves team on the weekend?

nice work Dwert. If that's a cut and paste from the regs then clearly those guys with more AFL than WAFL will be ineligible. I read somewhere recently that there were around 18 qualified but your research throws that in doubt. were any that don't qualify held over as emergencies so they get credited with another WAFL game I wonder which would affect Cox, Ibbotson and maybe Sheridan?

BC wrote: nice work Dwert. If that's a cut and paste from the regs then clearly those guys with more AFL than WAFL will be ineligible. I read somewhere recently that there were around 18 qualified but your research throws that in doubt. were any that don't qualify held over as emergencies so they get credited with another WAFL game I wonder which would affect Cox, Ibbotson and maybe Sheridan?

It is BC.. were they the same regs last year?

it changed after last years GF where the AFL aligned teams can ONLY play up to a maximum of 15 in the finals. I've put emphasis on ONLY as I reckon that's a joke as well. so I would imagine that's also written into the regs which begs the question on whether you've got the most recent version or not.

here's the 2017 regulations....it appears the requirement to have played more WAFL than AFL games has been taken out which is really poor.

4.1.1 AFL Partner Club Players Participating in WAFL Finals

An AFL Player may play in the WAFL Finals where:

i. the player must have played a minimum of five (5) WAFL matches;
a. his AFL Club is not participating in the AFL Finals match on the same weekend as his WAFL Partner Club; and
b. the number of qualified AFL players eligible to play does not exceed fifteen (15) players. or where:
c. his AFL Club is still in the AFL Finals and playing on the same weekend then the five (5) Game qualification and maximum fifteen (15) player cap does not apply.

Any special request for AFL Partner Club Players to participate in the WAFL Partner Club League or Reserves Finals when not qualified in accordance with these Rules must be submitted to the WAFC by Tuesday 5pm prior to the Final for approval by the WAFC. Any Club that names a player on the Team Sheet knowing or intending that he will not play, or who seeks to manipulate the intent of rule 4 will be investigated by the WAFC under rule 6.2 ‘Behaviour Detrimental to Football, or any other applicable rule, and may be penalised.

so unfortunately it looks like everyone you've named as playing 5 games is qualified.

BC wrote: here's the 2017 regulations....it appears the requirement to have played more WAFL than AFL games has been taken out which is really poor.

4.1.1 AFL Partner Club Players Participating in WAFL Finals

An AFL Player may play in the WAFL Finals where:

i. the player must have played a minimum of five (5) WAFL matches;
a. his AFL Club is not participating in the AFL Finals match on the same weekend as his WAFL Partner Club; and
b. the number of qualified AFL players eligible to play does not exceed fifteen (15) players. or where:
c. his AFL Club is still in the AFL Finals and playing on the same weekend then the five (5) Game qualification and maximum fifteen (15) player cap does not apply.

Any special request for AFL Partner Club Players to participate in the WAFL Partner Club League or Reserves Finals when not qualified in accordance with these Rules must be submitted to the WAFC by Tuesday 5pm prior to the Final for approval by the WAFC. Any Club that names a player on the Team Sheet knowing or intending that he will not play, or who seeks to manipulate the intent of rule 4 will be investigated by the WAFC under rule 6.2 ‘Behaviour Detrimental to Football, or any other applicable rule, and may be penalised.

so unfortunately it looks like everyone you've named as playing 5 games is qualified.

Thanks mate your regs are correct...That means they have twenty eligible AFL players to choose their final 15 from.

Hardly fair when Cox , Hughes , Ryan , Sheridan , Suban , Sutcliffe , have all played a fair whack of AFL games in 2017.

yep agree...and for mine the 15 would look something like...

H Bennell, Collins, Darcy, Deluca, Griffin, Logue, Nyhuis, Taberner, Cox, Hughes, Ibbotson, Ryan, Sheridan, Suban, Sutcliffe.....FMD...that's just about 15 of the Dockers best starting 22!!!!!! D Pearce and Dawson won't get a look in. Then throw O'Brien, Bell, T Bennell just for good measure...it's going to be a big ask.

BC wrote: yep agree...and for mine the 15 would look something like...

H Bennell, Collins, Darcy, Deluca, Griffin, Logue, Nyhuis, Taberner, Cox, Hughes, Ibbotson, Ryan, Sheridan, Suban, Sutcliffe.....FMD...that's just about 15 of the Dockers best starting 22!!!!!! D Pearce and Dawson won't get a look in. Then throw O'Brien, Bell, T Bennell just for good measure...it's going to be a big ask.

FMD ...My confidence has taken a huge hit:(

why they took out the requirement to play more WAFL than AFL I'll never know. it means a guy like Nic Nat just as a ridiculous example can be coming back from an injury over the pre-season....play the first 5 games for EP and then play out the rest of the season in the AFL and be qualified for WAFL finals.....an extreme example I know and they'd never risk quality players like that but in theory it's possible.

BC wrote: why they took out the requirement to play more WAFL than AFL I'll never know. it means a guy like Nic Nat just as a ridiculous example can be coming back from an injury over the pre-season....play the first 5 games for EP and then play out the rest of the season in the AFL and be qualified for WAFL finals.....an extreme example I know and they'd never risk quality players like that but in theory it's possible.

I am shaking my head in disbelief that in a WAFL Finals series we will have AFL listed players playing WAFL Finals football after playing more games of AFL than WAFL in season 2017? Where is the integrity and fairness in that?