By ADEM SARICAOGLU
KEILOR coach Mick McGuane has backed an AFL Victoria push for a player points system in local footy.
McGuane – one of the most respected coaches in the Essendon District Football League – has spoken out against the big-spending clubs of local football, telling Star his club will continue to favour the promotion of local talent over paying top dollar for “imports”.
“The competition’s spiralled out of control in relation to the monetary side of things,” McGuane said.
“It’s ludicrous at the moment. We deal with talking to players on a week-to-week basis and recruitment has obviously got to a point where you just go to the highest bidder.
“I just think points is the logical way to go about it because it’ll spread the talent pool around. It will stop clubs that can afford it – and have benefactors that don’t mind writing out a cheque – creating ‘chequebook footy’.”
A new-look Keilor filled with more youth is set to take the field in the EDFL’s Premier Division this year.
Former skipper Jarrod Garth, along with Luke Cartelli, Daniel Cooper, James Armstrong and James Butty, have all left Keilor over the summer.
However, the Blues are hopeful a number of aligned players from the VFL and TAC Cup may become available in certain weeks throughout the year.
McGuane said the club’s youth policy would play a major part at the selection table each week.
“Our players who are listed to Keilor only understand exactly where we’re at,” McGuane explained.
“If we think an 18-year-old kid’s going to enhance our performance to win on a Saturday, and we think we’ve got a role to play to get him back to where he should be, we’ll certainly go down that path every week.
“We’ve got a youth before age policy when it comes to selection criteria and if (two players are) evenly matched, we’ll always revert to the young.”
Meanwhile, Blues president Craig Teal has confirmed Keilor Recreation Reserve will not be ready to host the club’s round one clash with Airport West.
The game could possibly be moved to Windy Hill, though it is more likely Airport West will be given hosting duties.
Teal said the redeveloped venue would be ready in time for the traditional round three Good Friday clash with Strathmore.
