Footscray’s bid for a VFL premiership in its first season as a standalone club would appear well placed on many fronts.
The VFL Dogs are assured of a double chance and it’s unlikely they will drop out of the first two spots on the ladder.
Coupled with that Footscray virtually have a team of players available, all of whom have played at least one AFL game this season.
Footscray has 22 AFL Listed or Rookie players who have qualified to play in the final series.
Ayce Cordy and Alex Greenwood have not played AFL this season, with former first round AFL National Draft selections Jarrad Grant and Christian Howard available.
So, too, Liam Jones, who last year played 19 AFL games during the home and away season.
During the first week of the VFL finals selection can be open, just as it is throughout the home and away season as it coincides with the final home and away AFL round.
But from the second week of the finals certain eligibility criteria kicks in.
When one club has both its AFL and VFL or affiliated club engaged on the same weekend during the finals, selection will again be open as long as a player has played at least one VFL game during the 2014 home and away season.
For AFL standalone or aligned clubs, AFL Listed or Rookie players must have played at least six VFL games during the 2014 season to be eligible to play in the VFL final series.
With Western Bulldogs season falling well short of putting it anywhere near the AFL finals, the selection depth would appear to favour Footscray from the second week of the finals onwards.
But, Footscray coach Chris Maple flagged that not every eligible player may be available for finals. Maple said the club may choose to shut down the season of some of those players who may need what is generally referred to as end-of-season clean-up surgery.
Maple said those players who require more extensive recovery are less likely to be played than others whose procedure is not as substantial.
As well as its AFL Listed and Rookie players, Footscray also has its strong core of VFL Listed players led by Nick Lower, Brent Prismall and Jordan Russell.
Reigning VFL premier Box Hill Hawks has a Jonathan Simpkin, winner of last year’s Norm Goss Medal for best player in the Grand Final, on the cusp of being available.
If Simpkin plays for Box Hill Hawks against Northern Blues then it will take to 18 Hawthorn Listed/Rookie players who have qualified.
Box Hill Hawks have the luxury that Hawthorn’s top four finish is likely to see them play enough AFL finals so that all its players will be available for selection.
In the space of a week Collingwood’s AFL list has been ravaged with injury which will have a flow on effect for their VFL availability. Several players including Alex Fasolo and Ben Sinclair must play for the VFL Magpies against Bendigo Gold to ensure eligibility.
Werribee’s finals aspirations took a hit with the season-ending injury to Majak Daw, who had qualified to play with the VFL Tigers.
While Daw won’t be available, Werribee will have eight North Melbourne players available. Emerging forward Ben Brown needs to play with Werribee this weekend to qualify.
North Ballarat, which is also jointly aligned to North Melbourne, will have eight Roos players available.
Below is a look at which AFL listed players are eligible for all the clubs in finals contention:
BOX HILL HAWKS
Kaiden Brand, Jonathon Ceglar, Kyle Cheney, Sam Grimley, Mitch Hallahan, Billy Hartung, Kurt Heatherley, Jordan Kelly, Angus Litherland, Luke Lowden, Ben Ross, Tim O’Brien, James Sicily, Derick Wanganeen, Zac Webster, Dallas Willsmore, Alex Woodward
Needs to play in VFL this round: Jonathan Simpkin
COLLINGWOOD
Tony Armstrong, Tim Broomhead, Martin Clarke, Corey Gault, Patrick Karnezis, Ben Kennedy, Quinton Lynch, Kyle Martin, Caolan Mooney, Adam Oxley*, Matt Scharenberg*, Paul Seedsman, Ben Sinclair, Josh Thomas, Peter Yagmoor
Needs to play in VFL this round: Alex Fasolo, Ben Sinclair
FOOTSCRAY
Mark Austin, Tom Campbell, Ayce Cordy, Sam Darley, Tory Dickson, Matthew Fuller, Brett Goodes, Jarrad Grant, Alex Greenwood, Mitch Honeychurch, Christian Howard, Jason Johannisen, Liam Jones, Lin Jong, Daniel Pearce, Josh Prudden, Jack Redpath, Fletcher Roberts, Clay Smith, Michael Talia, Jason Tutt, Tom Young
GEELONG
Jed Bews, Nick Bourke, Mitch Brown, Joel Hamling, Brad Hartman, Jarrod Jansen, Jake Kolodjashnij, Darcy Lang, Michael Luxford, Lincoln McCarthy, Jordan Schroder, Jackson Sheringham, Billie Smedts, Jesse Stringer, Jackson Thurlow, James Toohey, Josh Walker
Needs to play in VFL this round: Taylor Hunt
NORTH BALLARAT
Liam Anthony, Trent Dumont, Ben Jacobs, Brad McKenzie, Joel Tippett, Eric Wallace, Max Warren, Mitch Wilkins
SANDRINGHAM
Blake Acres, Josh Bruce, Trent Dennis Lane, Sam Dunnell, Jason Holmes, Tom Lee, Daniel Markworth, Terry Milera, Darren Minchington, Brodie Murdoch, Lewis Pierce, Dylan Roberton, Seb Ross, Josh Saunders, Cameron Shenton, Tom Simpkin, Spencer White, Nathan Wright
Needs to play in VFL this week: Shane Savage
WERRIBEE
Daniel Currie, Kieran Harper, Taylor Hine, Tim McGennis, Scott McMahon, Kane Turner, Mason Wood, Sam Wright
Needs to play in VFL this round: Ben Brown
Last Modified on 20/08/2014 23:13