Finals Eligibility
Memo to Club Presidents and Club Secretaries: The current rules set out below are the guidelines for clubs to follow when selecting teams in the upcoming finals series. There is one area we need to provide clarification on given the unintended consequences of how PlayHQ works.
2025-02-07
Dear Presidents and Secretaries.
We are writing to you in respect to finals eligibility in the senior mixed competitions for 2024-25. The current rules set out below are the guidelines for clubs to follow when selecting teams in the upcoming finals series. There is one area we need to provide clarification on given the unintended consequences of how PlayHQ works.
That is the reference to byes in rule 9.3.5 which indicates clubs can select teams for a bye and ie that game would count towards finals eligibility. PlayHQ does not allow clubs to select teams for byes and the rule itself states clubs need to submit teams within the specified time frames after the conclusion of the game. Therefore byes will not count towards eligibility for the upcoming finals series. We will need to review this rule for 2025-26.
Rule 9.3.5
When a match is forfeited, abandoned without play commencing, or a bye, a match report may be submitted listing no more than eleven registered (named) players who are eligible to be names and who have not participated in any other match for that day(s) and these players shall be deemed to have played in the match. Any such match report must be submitted within the specified time frames and no late reports will be accepted. The team impacted shall be responsible for the submission of any match report.
The ECA executive wishes all clubs competing in the finals all the best. If you have any questions in respect to this message let us know, thanks.
Kind regards
Peter Simpson
ECA General Manager
11.8 Eligibility and Qualification for Semi-Finals and Final Matches
11.8.1
To be eligible to play or be named with a club in a semi-final or final, a player must have played or be named to play in at least 5 senior games.
11.8.2
A player must have also played or been named to play with that club in in that grade or lower by at least 6 games for the LOC grades (& F Turf) or 5 games in other senior grades, but not more than half (½) the scheduled games in a team in a higher ranked grade in the home and away season, except when:
All of a club’s senior teams are participating in the same round of -semi-final or final matches, or when:
A club has consecutively graded teams playing in a semi-final or final, all players who are qualified to play for the first of the consecutively graded teams shall also be eligible for the lower consecutively graded team(s). (See Notes 1 and 2 below).
NOTES TO THIS RULE
Note 1:
An unbroken sequence can be as few as two teams and it is possible for two unbroken sequences to occur for the one club. eg 1st XI and 2nd XI; 4th XI and 5th XI. In this example, players who have played more than ½ the scheduled days in his club’s 3rd XI or higher would be ineligible to play in the 4th or 5th XI but could play in the 1st or 2nd XI.
Note 2:
If an unbroken sequence is broken as a result of a loss by a team in a semi-final, the unbroken sequence rule does not apply to the final. However if under this rule a player plays or is named with a lower ranked team in a semi-final the player will remain eligible to play with that team in the final. A player having played in a semi-final in a particular team is eligible to play in that team in the final, even if the unbroken sequence is broken.
11.8.3
Where an ECA Veterans or ECA Sunday Competition exists, players who play or are named to play in any of these grades for more than 3 games of play will be able to count a maximum of 2 games for semi and grand finals qualifications under Rule 11.8.
*This Rule no longer applies to Sunday Turf as there is a specific exclusion in Sunday Playing Rule 2.10 which specifies that ECA Senior Playing Rule 11.8.3 does not apply.
11.8.4
Clubs must ensure their players are eligible to play in any finals match. If a club is unsure about a players eligibility they may seek confirmation about the players eligibility from the relevant grade secretary (General Manager, Turf or Synthetics Manager) no later than 72 hours before the commencement of any finals match.
11.8.5
Clubs must, unless exceptional circumstances exist, notify the General Manager by 8.00pm on the Tuesday after the completion of any semi-final or final match of their intention to lodge a complaint about any alleged breach of this rule.
11.8.6
Any club playing an ineligible player in a semi-final or final match shall lose that match, whereupon the match shall be awarded to the opposing club.
