VICTORIAN-based footballers have been ruled out of the start of the Riverina and Farrer League seasons.
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The NSW Government decided to close the Victorian border on Monday, a move that comes on the back of a recruitment frenzy from AFL Riverina clubs.
The ban on travel across the border will put a line through any Victorian-based players for the time being, but AFL Riverina has not ruled out extending the ban for the length of the season.
The Daily Advertiser understands the decision will impact around 40 footballers across the Riverina and Farrer competitions.
AFL Southern NSW regional manager Marc Geppert confirmed Victorian-based footballers will not be allowed in.
"Obviously since the Victorian and the NSW Government announcement this morning, none of those Victorian-based players can travel into NSW to play footy. That's as it stands and that will impact quite a few players across the border," Geppert said.
Geppert revealed AFL NSW-ACT will look to police the ruling and that a player's residential address will be used to determine eligibility.
"The AFL has a national transfer system which allows us to have access to all of the players' personal information. So we'll crosscheck any players that are Victorian based and we can run reports on who reside in Victoria and who are based in NSW," he said
"That's a relatively easy thing for us to follow up and yes 100 per cent that's something we will be policing but it's now a Government restriction so not only are they not allowed to travel into NSW to play footy by law, the AFL will still be able to monitor these players and they won't be allowed to form part of a team sheet.
"That's as it currently stands, obviously when borders re-open, that's where leagues will look to implement their own measures, if they need to, to protect the general football community because at the end of the day, that's our number one priority. That's just not the players but everyone involved with football and netball clubs and if that means it makes it a lot more difficult for Victorian players to play in a NSW competition then that's what we'll look at."
AFL Riverina chairman Michael Irons confirmed the board had already been exploring what measures it could implement.
"AFL Riverina had already started work on a policy to deal with players coming from Victoria and what scope under the AFL by-laws and regulations that it could be implemented. Assistance is being provided by the AFL in Melbourne in regards to this matter," Irons said.
"With today's announcement by the NSW Government we need to understand the detail within the Public Health Order to know timelines for any policy and restrictions that we may implement.
"AFL Riverina will also review all recent transfers and COVID-19 permits that relate to Victorian players to consider whether they still apply."
The development comes after Wagga Tigers just last week put a line through their Melbourne-based players.
Wagga Tigers president Anthony Lyons told The Daily Advertiser on Sunday that the club's committee had decided to rule out any Melbourne-based players, including former coach Shaun Campbell and potentially, former AFL-listed footballer and club junior, Max King.
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