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Tolland’s bizarre and controversial Pascoe Cup season has fittingly finished in extraordinarily strange circumstances, with Wolves coach Chris Ayton forfeiting his side’s preliminary final at half-time against the wishes of club president Maurie Hogan.
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Ayton made the decision after discovering that midfielder Bruno Andre had not been listed on the team sheet, a misdemeanour which warrants disqualification, according to the Football Wagga (FWW) by-laws.
FWW operations manager David Merlino said the incident did not warrant an instant disqualification, but rather the board would make a final decision on the matter after receiving reports from the referees and any other parties wishing to make their voices heard.
But Ayton was of the firm belief that the disqualification was inevitable, saying he saw no point in playing a meaningless second-half and risking injuries to Henwood Park ahead of their grand final showdown with Lake Albert next week.
Scores were locked at 0-0 when the game was called off.
Hogan said he accepted full responsibility for the administrative oversight which cost his team the chance to push for the grand final.
“I’m the president of the club and I didn’t even check the team sheet,” he said.
“I should’ve checked, it was a tragic mistake.”
But he was still livid following Ayton’s decision to abandon the game.
“Two life members, myself and Wayne Cuttle, made a passionate statement to play the game out for pride,” he said.
“No one in the shed said we wouldn’t play it out, so the coach has made a decision himself that it isn’t worth it.
“It was not the wishes of the club, it was the wishes of the coach.”
But Ayton stood by his decision to defy his president and abandon the game.
“I understand Maurie is disappointed, and he’s pretty filthy at me to be honest, but I wasn’t going to risk anyone getting injured,” he said.
“I just didn’t see the point in risking it, these boys (Henwood Park) have to play a grand final next week.
“But it is frustrating because you play all year, you train all year, you put in all your time and effort all year, to play in games like this.”
The heartbreaking turn of events comes after Andre was granted a last-minute clearance by the Riverina branch of Football NSW from the seven-game suspension he was handed by FWW in round 15.
It also follows a controversial season for Tolland, one which was headlined by Ayton’s unpopular decision to play just seven men in the regular season finale.
