http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/sp...-district-finals/story-fnmfj55m-1227040958576
UPDATE: TOMORROW’S Omeo and District league grand final has been called off.
League delegates tonight voted unanimously to ban Buchan from taking the field tomorrow after the club admitted to fielding an ineligible player during finals.
Omeo and District general manager Rod Twining said the league’s six club delegates had voted to reschedule the grand final until September 6, with Swan Reach to play Omeo-Benambra.
Omeo-Benambra was beaten by Buchan in the preliminary final, but finished second after the home-and-away season.
“It was an excellent meeting; the delegates went through all the possible scenarios and in the end it was an unanimous vote,” Twining said.
Tomorrow’s junior grand final has also been postponed until September 6.
Buchan admitted to league officials on Thursday night that Matthew Bedggood had been listed on the club’s team sheet for its Round 14 clash with Swan Reach on July 26, despite being in Bali at the time.
The confession followed a league probe into whether Bedggood had played the required four home-and-away games to qualify for finals.
Twining said Bedggood had played three home-and-away games for the Cavemen, but a post on Facebook revealed he was holidaying in Bali when he was listed on the team sheet on July 26.
The league would decide on further penalties or sanctions for Buchan when the season had concluded, Twining said.
“We’ll worry about them when there’s been some clear air and the heat has gone out of the situation,” he said.
Buchan was due to play Swan Reach in tomorrow’s grand final at Ensay in the first premiership decider of the country football season.
Bedggood was named best afield as Buchan came from five goals down at half time to win the first semi-final against Bruthen a fortnight ago.
He booted two goals and was named in Buchan’s best players in last weekend’s preliminary final win over Omeo-Benambra.
UPDATE: TOMORROW’S Omeo and District league grand final has been called off.
League delegates tonight voted unanimously to ban Buchan from taking the field tomorrow after the club admitted to fielding an ineligible player during finals.
Omeo and District general manager Rod Twining said the league’s six club delegates had voted to reschedule the grand final until September 6, with Swan Reach to play Omeo-Benambra.
Omeo-Benambra was beaten by Buchan in the preliminary final, but finished second after the home-and-away season.
“It was an excellent meeting; the delegates went through all the possible scenarios and in the end it was an unanimous vote,” Twining said.
Tomorrow’s junior grand final has also been postponed until September 6.
Buchan admitted to league officials on Thursday night that Matthew Bedggood had been listed on the club’s team sheet for its Round 14 clash with Swan Reach on July 26, despite being in Bali at the time.
The confession followed a league probe into whether Bedggood had played the required four home-and-away games to qualify for finals.
Twining said Bedggood had played three home-and-away games for the Cavemen, but a post on Facebook revealed he was holidaying in Bali when he was listed on the team sheet on July 26.
The league would decide on further penalties or sanctions for Buchan when the season had concluded, Twining said.
“We’ll worry about them when there’s been some clear air and the heat has gone out of the situation,” he said.
Buchan was due to play Swan Reach in tomorrow’s grand final at Ensay in the first premiership decider of the country football season.
Bedggood was named best afield as Buchan came from five goals down at half time to win the first semi-final against Bruthen a fortnight ago.
He booted two goals and was named in Buchan’s best players in last weekend’s preliminary final win over Omeo-Benambra.
