AFL,VFL finals

[ledge]

Just wondering on rules for playing finals in VFL if your side didnt make AFL finals, is it the old way of if you played so many games in AFL you cant play in VFL finals?

If your side is in AFL finals do rules still apply?
In affect this can make headaches for a player who gets dropped but cant play in VFL because he played too many games in AFL, so how does he get form back if forced to just watch both games?

Can West still play in VFL if he retires from Bulldogs list, in effect stopping him being a Bulldogs affiliated player.
Basic questions but the AFL changes rules every year so thought i would ask.

[bulldogtragic]

Not sure 100%, but my understanding was you must qualify to play finals in the VFL by playing X amount of games. Focus is on how many VFL games played not AFL. But i could very well be wrong.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Not sure 100%, but my understanding was you must qualify to play finals in the VFL by playing X amount of games. Focus is on how many VFL games played not AFL. But i could very well be wrong.

I don't think this applies if your seniors are playing on the same weekend.

[Cyberdoggie]

This is from the vfl record from round 17 (sorry about the formatting, it didn't copy over very well)

With less than one month before the start of the VFL finals series it is timely to clarify the
rules regarding player eligibility. Given at least six, possibly seven, aligned VFL clubs
will participate in the finals it is appropriate supporters understand the complexities that
govern selection during the finals. And, with the continued speculation about Ben Cousins’
availability to play with Port Melbourne, other rules need to be explained.

While there are many relevant rules, the underlining principal governing all aligned VFL clubs’ team make-up is the 12-10 rule. Put simplify, this means no aligned club can play more than 12 AFL-listed players (including rookies) and less than 10 VFL-listed players.
This rule also applies throughout the season when an aligned club plays a standalone
VFL club. Aligned clubs can choose to play as many VFL-listed players as they wish, but, again, must play at least 10. Now the eligibility of AFL-listed players to play in the VFL finals differs depending on whether their side is playing in the AFL finals or whether it is not. When his side is playing in the AFL fi nals, an AFL player can be selected for VFL finals as long as he has played at least one VFL match, or has missed eight consecutive AFL matches during that season. For example, Western Bulldog Scott West, out injured for
the past three months, would qualify to play with his side’s VFL affi liate, Williamstown.
This selection criteria operates until the player’s AFL side is eliminated from the finals.
At that point, an AFL player’s availability is determined by the number of VFL games he has
played that season. If an AFL-listed player has played seven or more VFL games,
he is eligible to play with his club’s VFL affi liate in the finals.

This criteria also applies to any players whose AFL club did not qualify for the finals.
For Ben Cousins to play finals for stand-alone club Port Melbourne, the rule is quite
straightforward – he must play at least one home and away match to qualify. He, or any other player, cannot play finals football without playing one match during the home and away season. Those AFL-listed players who are eligible for selection must meet the criteria published in the round 20 VFL Record. The rules governing finals eligibility have operated successfully now for several seasons and will, again, provide a platform for an equitable final series.

[ledge]

Thanks for that Cyber, round 20 VFL record criteria might be handy to look at also if anyone can post that too.