REGULATIONS AND RULES 2016
Table of Contents: SECTION 4 CONDUCT OF TDF COMPETITIONS - SENIOR FOOTBALL... 3 REFERENCES:... 3 SECTION 4A - MENS T-LEAGUE COMPETITION... 3 61. PHOTO ID AND TEAM SHEETS... 3 62. INITIAL GRADING OF A PLAYER... 3 76. JUNIOR/YOUTH PLAYERS PLAYING SENIOR FOOTBALL... 3 64. STRUCTURE OF THE MENS T-LEAGUE FOOTBALL COMPETITION... 4 65. TEAM AND SQUAD SIZES... 4 66. LOCAL PLAYERS PLAYING IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE... 5 67. PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYERS PLAYING IN THE TAMWORTH T-LEAGUE.... 5 68. MOVEMENT OF PLAYERS FROM 3 RD GRADE TO 1 ST /2 ND GRADE.... 5 69. SUPER SIX PLAYERS... 6 70. ELIGIBILITY OF PLAYERS FOR MENS T-LEAGUE FINALS SERIES... 6 SECTION 4B - WOMENS T-LEAGUE COMPETITION... 8 71. PHOTO ID AND TEAM SHEETS... 8 72. SUPER SIX PLAYERS... 8 73. INITIAL GRADING OF A PLAYER... 8 74. STRUCTURE OF THE TDF WOMENS T-LEAGUE COMPETITION... 8 75. MULTIPLE WOMENS TEAMS FROM THE SAME CLUB... 8 76. QUALIFICATION FOR FINALS... 9 SECTION 4C RULES & REGULATIONS TO BE DELETED, ADDED, UPDATED OR AMENDED 77. INTRODUCTION... 10 A. THE IMPROVEMENTS, AMENDMENTS AND ADDITIONS TO THESE RULES SHOWN BELOW WHILE MAY BE IN FORCE WON T BE FULLY RATIFIED AND ADDED TO THE RULES ABOVE UNTIL AFTER THE END OF SEASON 2016: 10
References: SECTION 4 CONDUCT OF TDF COMPETITIONS - SENIOR FOOTBALL A. FIFA Laws of the Game B. FIFA Equipment Regulations C. FFA Disciplinary Regulations D. FFA Grievance Resolution Regulations E. FFA Code of Conduct F. FFA Spectator Code of Conduct G. TDF Codes of Conduct H. Mini Roos Playing Format and Rules I. FFA National Registration Regulations J. FFA Statutes K. TDF Constitution SECTION 4A - MENS T-LEAGUE COMPETITION 61. Photo ID and Team Sheets a. All senior players are to have a recent photo loaded into MFC. b. For youth players it is requested that they have a recent photo loaded into MFC. c. All clubs are to ensure that their senior players (over 16) are allocated to one of their senior teams/squads prior to the start of the season, or as a new player joins the club after the start of the season. d. The Competition Administrator will produce, from MFC, laminated team/squad sheets. Once produced these sheets will be considered the source document when determining if a player is playing in the correct team/grade/competition. e. The sheets will indicate, where applicable, who the Super 6 players are. f. Each team/squad will receive a laminated copy of their team/squad sheet. Team Managers are to have this sheet available at the start of every game whenever that team/squad is playing. Failure to do this will incur a financial penalty. g. Where a club has approval to add or delete a player from one of its senior teams/squads the Competition Administrator is to be informed immediately and they will produce a new team/squad sheet. h. Once a youth player is graded into a senior side, while they are additional to the number of senior players in that team/squad, they need to appear on the laminated team sheet for the team/squad they have been graded into. 62. Initial Grading of a Player a. At the start of the season (or later on) Clubs will register/allocate/grade a player into its NIPL squad, its Local 1 st /2 nd Grade squad or one of its 3 rd grade teams. b. Once a player is registered and then plays in that team/squad in the relevant grade or competition, from that point on, for the rest of that season, they are then governed by the rules covering players playing in that grade or competition and may only play in another grade or competition if other rules allow it. c. This applies to youth players as well. See rule 62 below. 76. Junior/Youth Players Playing Senior Football d. None of the rules for playing in a senior competition affects a youth player s ability to play in their junior/youth team. No matter what happens in senior football the youth player will continue to play in their junior/youth team. e. When a junior/youth player is graded into one of their clubs 3 rd grade teams and then plays for that team then they are considered a 3 rd Grade player in the local senior competition. f. They cannot then play for any of their clubs other 3 rd grade teams that season. g. As a 3 rd Grade player they may play up in local 2nd grade for a maximum three (3) times ONLY without penalty.
h. If a youth player plays a 4 th game in their local 2 nd grade team they are then considered a local 1 st /2 nd grade player and can no longer play in 3 rd grade for the rest of that season. i. When a youth player is graded into their clubs 1 st /2 nd Grade squad and then plays for that squad then they are considered a local 1 st /2 nd Grade player. They are then governed by the rules covering local 1 st /2 nd Grade players. j. When a youth player is graded into their clubs Premier League squad and then plays 2 or more games in a row for the Pl squad they are considered a Premier League player. They are then governed by the rules covering Premier League players playing in the local competition. k. For a youth player to be dropped permanently from Premier League to their clubs local 1 st/ /2 nd grade squad their club must make a submission to the Competition Administrator. 64. Structure of the Mens T-League Football Competition a. In 2016 the Mens T-League will consist of 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd Grade Competitions. b. To play in the 1 st and 2 nd Grade Competitions a Club must be able to field a squad with sufficient players to play in both the 1 st and 2 nd Grade competitions up to a maximum of senior thirty (30) players. c. If a club has only enough players to field one side then that side can only play in the 3 rd Grade Competition. d. Where a Club has enough players to field a third side (or more) these sides must play in the 3 rd Grade Competition. e. It is not compulsory to enter the local 1 st /2ndGrade competition. If a club has enough for two (2) teams but only wants to enter both teams in 3 rd grade this is allowed. f. Where a Club has more than one side entered in the 3 rd Grade Competition then once a player plays in one of those 3 rd grade sides they are not permitted to play in any of their Clubs other 3 rd Grade sides in the current season. 65. Team and Squad Sizes a. The maximum number of players over the age of 16 that can be registered in a 1 st /2 nd Grade Squad to play in the T-League 1 st and 2 nd grade competitions will be thirty (30). b. The number of players allowed to be registered exclusively in a senior team applies to players over the age of 16. Also see rule 64(g) below. c. Where a Club does not have enough players to qualify to play in the T-League 1 st /2 nd Grade Competition, or does not want to enter the T-League 1 st /2 nd Grade Competition, that Club may field one or more squads, with a maximum of eighteen (18) players per squad, but these squads must play in the T-League 3 rd Grade Competition as separate teams. While this squad will have a maximum of 18 players only fifteen (15) can be on the match card for any one game. d. Where a Club has enough players to field three or more teams then that Club must first select a squad (maximum of 30 players) to play in the 1 st /2 nd Grade Competition and then that Club can then select further squads (maximum of 18 players each) to play in the 3 rd Grade Competition. e. While these 3 rd Grade extra squads can have a maximum of 18 players each only fifteen (15) players can be on the match card for any one game. f. While players registered in youth teams are required to play in their own age competitions as a priority, youth players shall be allowed to play in Senior Football matches without penalty, as long as they are old enough. See the Eligibility of Players section. g. The exception is where a youth player, as defined in the Eligibility of Players section, is exempt from playing in any youth competition and is only playing in a T-League competition. Then they are counted as either one of the thirty (30) players in their clubs local 1 st /2 nd Grade squad or one of the eighteen (18) players in one of their clubs local 3 rd grade squad. h. Movement between 1 st grade and 2 nd grade within one squad is unrestricted. Players will normally be promoted and relegated based on their form or as a Club sees fit. The exception to this are players nominated on a teams Super 6 list and during finals.
66. Local Players Playing in the Premier League a. For Clubs who participate in the Northern Inland Premier League (NIPL), players considered local 1 st /2 nd Grade players, in accordance with rule 61, may play up in the NIPL without penalty, unless they stay up for 3 or more games in a row then they are considered NIPL players. b. Where a local player plays 3 or more games in NIPL but the games are spread over the whole season, that is they only go up on an irregular basis to fill in for injured or absent players, they are then still considered a local player. 67. Premier League Players Playing in the Tamworth T-League. a. For players considered NIPL players in accordance with rule 61 the following limitations apply: i. Where a player plays in, or is going to play in, a NIPL game they cannot play in any local completion that same weekend or round. It is one or the other not both. ii. iii. iv. For a Club to drop one of their NIPL players to local football that player must have appeared on the match card of their Clubs 2 nd Grade NIPL team for the previous week/round and taken the field during that game. In this instance that player can only be dropped to play in their Clubs T-League 1 st Grade team. To drop a NIPL player who did not play the previous week at all the last NIPL game that player played must have played in a 2 nd Grade NIPL game. A player who took the field in their Clubs 1 st Grade NIPL starting eleven (11) one week cannot play 1 st Grade T-League the next week. v. A player who played 2 nd Grade NIPL but was also on the card as a substitute for 1st Grade NIPL is still considered a 2 nd Grade player, even if they took the field, during the 1 st Grade game. vi. A player who has played in 2nd Grade NIPL one week cannot play 2 nd Grade T- League the next week. vii. viii. ix. NIPL players are not permitted to play in any of their clubs 2 nd Grade teams/games. NIPL players are not permitted to play in any of their clubs 3 rd Grade teams/games. As the season progresses and Clubs have players injured, players away, players suspended and players out of form, the rest of the players will move up and down to where they are required taking into consideration rules 57b i-iii above. x. For players who originally registered in a team playing in the Tamworth T-League Competition and are asked to play up in NIPL, if it is to just fill in for one or two weeks there is no restriction on them coming straight back to the Tamworth T-League the round after, unless the week before they are dropped back they played in NIPL 1 st Grade. In this case rule 57b ii above will apply. xi. xii. xiii. xiv. However if a player plays 3 weeks in a row or more in the NIPL they are then considered to be a NIPL player and the rules for NIPL players as per rules 57b i-iv above will then apply. Where a NIPL player is playing down in the Tamworth T-League Competition the team they are playing for is required to note that they are a NIPL player on the match card by putting NIPL in brackets after their name. Once a player has played down 3 matches or more this is no longer a requirement as they are then considered a Tamworth T-League Competition player. If that player should go back up to NIPL, play 3 or more matches in the NIPL and then come back done to the Tamworth T-League Competition then the requirements of rules 57b i-vi above apply once more. 68. Movement of Players from 3 rd Grade to 1 st /2 nd Grade. a. Once a senior player is registered/graded/plays as a local 3 rd Grade player (in accordance with rule 61 above) they may play up in local 2nd grade for a maximum three (3) times ONLY without penalty during the season, including finals.
b. If a local 3 rd grade player plays a 4 th game in 2 nd grade that 2 nd grade team will lose 3 competition points even if that team lost while playing the ineligible player. If the infringing team won then the team that was played against will receive 3 competition points. c. Where a club has more than one team playing in the 3 rd Grade competition players from any of those teams may play up in their clubs 2 nd Grade team during the season but they must still comply with rules 67(a) and 67(b) above. d. Once a player plays in the Mens 1st/2nd Grade T-League Competition they cannot play in the Mens 3rd Grade T-League Competition. e. However Open Grade players registered in their Clubs 3rd Grade T-League squad can play up in 1st/2nd grade during the season. f. Once a junior/youth player first plays in the Mens T-League 1st/2nd Grade Competition they cannot then play in Mens T-League 3rd Grade Competition during the current season. g. Once a junior/youth player first plays in the Mens T-League 3rd Grade Competition they cannot then play in the Mens T-League 1st/2nd Grade Competition during the current season. h. In the case where a club has two or more sides in 3rd Grade - once a junior/youth player plays for one of those teams they cannot then play for any other 1 st, 2 nd or 3 rd Grade side during the current season. 69. Super Six Players a. Clubs playing in the Mens T-League 1st/2nd Grade Competitions MUST nominate their top 6 players (excluding GKs) from their 1st/2nd grade squad as their Super 6 Players. b. These players are NOT permitted to play 2nd Grade (or 3 rd Grade) during the season, except for special circumstances, and then an application MUST, before game day, be submitted to the Competition Administrator TDF Management Committee for consideration. c. The aim here is to stop clubs stacking 2nd grade with genuine 1st Grade quality players when they are short of players or it is getting near the end of the season. This gives all teams in 2nd Grade a more even chance of being competitive through the season. EG if a club has their full complement of 30 players, after taking out their Super 6, they will still have 24 players available to be selected for 2nd grade as well as any junior/youth players who can be called up. d. Clubs need to have their Super 6 list submitted to the Competition Administrator by the due date. The Competition Administrator will provide the due date for the submission of the Super 6. 70. Eligibility of Players for Mens T-League Finals Series a. Players considered NIPL players are not permitted to play in any of the last three (3) rounds of the local 1 st /2 nd Grade competition. b. Players considered NIPL players must have played 70% of the games played the local 1 st Grade competition to qualify to play in the local 1 st Grade finals. c. Players considered local players must have payed 70% of 2 nd grade games during the season to qualify to play in their 2 nd grade during the finals. d. A player (youth or senior) who has taken the field in at least three (3) of the last five (5) 1 st grade competition matches in the local competition, shall not be eligible to play in their 2 nd grade team during the final series once their clubs first grade side has been knocked out of the final series. e. However if a player plays 70% or more competition of the eligible games in 2 nd Grade over the whole season then, irrespective of where they played their last 5 games, they will be eligible to play 2 nd Grade in the Final Series. f. To be eligible to play in the final series a Senior Football local player must have played at least 5 games for their Club, in the T-League Competition, during the competition season. g. An exception to this is a player who was registered at the start of the season and has been out injured for a period of time during the season such that they have not qualified in accordance with the rules above. In this case the Club is to submit an application for this player to be allowed to play, which will be considered on a case by case basis.
h. For other circumstances that have prevented a player qualifying for the finals that player s Club is to submit an application to the Competition Administrator for that player to play detailing these circumstances. This submission will be considered on a case by case basis, on its merits, by the Competition Administrator and the Competition Administrator will make a ruling. All affected Clubs are to be notified of the ruling. i. Where the Competition Administrator makes a ruling and the players Club or a club affected by the ruling do not agree with the ruling it can appeal in the normal manner. j. If the Competition Administrator considers it necessary, a hearing can be convened at which the TDF MC and all interested parties will be required to attend and a ruling will be made by the TDF MC. k. Where the TDF MC makes a ruling that ruling will stand and no appeal is permitted. l. Youth football players can play in Senior Mens finals matches for which they are eligible provided they have played at least three (3) matches in that T-League grade/team/squad during the season to qualify. This does not apply to a youth player who is considered a NIPL player. m. Where a Club has both its 1 st and 2 nd Grade sides playing in the final series concurrently, (on the same day) interchange of players between those Grades shall be allowed without restriction (except for the Super 6). The intention being, provided teams are playing concurrently, not to deny players a game who are not in the First Grade starting team. n. Where a Club has both its 1 st and 2 nd Grade sides playing in the final series but, for any reason, the two grades are playing on different days only players who have qualified to play 2 nd Grade in the finals will be eligible for selection in that particular 2 nd Grade finals game. o. Where a Club only has its 1 st Grade side playing in the final series that team may use any player that it has used during the season provided that player has qualified to play in the final series in that grade.
SECTION 4B - WOMENS T-LEAGUE COMPETITION 71. Photo ID and Team Sheets a. All senior players are to have a recent photo loaded into MFC. b. For youth players it is requested that they have a recent photo loaded into MFC. c. All clubs are to ensure that their senior players (over 16) are allocated to one of their womens teams prior to the start of the season, or as a new player joins the club after the start of the season. d. The Competition Administrator will produce, from MFC, laminated team/squad sheets. Once produced these sheets will be considered the source document when determining if a player is playing in the correct team. e. The sheets will indicate, where applicable, who the Super 6 players are. f. Each team will receive a laminated copy of their team/squad sheet. Team Managers are to have this sheet available at the start of every game whenever that team is playing. Failure to do this will incur a financial penalty. g. Where a club has approval to add or delete a player from one of its teams the Competition Administrator is to be informed immediately and they will produce a new team/squad sheet. h. Once a youth player is graded into a senior side, while they are additional to the number of senior players in that team, they need to appear on the laminated team sheet for the team they have been graded into. 72. Super Six Players a. All Clubs that have two or more teams on the Women s Competition must nominate a Super 6 (excluding GKs) for each of their teams. The best 6 players in each team a Clubs squad MUST should be the six players listed as the Super 6. b. Any player on their teams Super 6 list cannot play for any of their Clubs other teams in the Womens Competitions except for special circumstances, and then an application MUST, before game day, be submitted to the Competition Administrator for consideration. c. The aim here is to give all teams a more even chance of being competitive throughout the season. 73. Initial Grading of a Player a. At the start of the season (or later on) Clubs will register/allocate/grade a player into one of its women s teams. Once a player is registered and then plays in that team from that point on, for the rest of that season, they are considered a member of that team. 74. Structure of the TDF Womens T-League Competition a. In 2016 the TDF Womens T-League Competition will initially be a one division, one grade, competition. b. Once all teams have played each other once the competition will be split into two (2) or three (3) pools. The situation will be reviewed and confirmed prior to this happening. Teams will then play the other teams on their pool once. c. After that the finals will commence. Structure of the finals will be confirmed and announced by the Competition Administrator. d. Maximum number of players that can be registered with a team is 18. e. Eighteen (18) players can be on the match card for a game. 75. Multiple Womens Teams from the Same Club a. Clubs may enter more than one team in the Open Womens Competition. b. Where a Club has two or more teams in the Open Womens Competition these teams shall be considered separate teams, as happens in all the youth age groups. c. Where a Club has two or more teams in the Open Womens Competition while all teams are playing in the one competition then players can move between their clubs teams as required except for that teams Super 6.
d. Once the Competition is split into two (2) divisions then teams shall be considered separate teams, as happens in all the youth age groups. e. Where a club has two teams in the Womens T-League Competition a youth female player, who has passed their 14th birthday, and is registered in a clubs Under 14 or 15/16 team, can play for either of the clubs two T-League sides from week to week without penalty. f. The exception to this is where a Club does not have an Under 14 and/or Under 15/16 team. In this case the player or players would need to be registered in only one of their clubs T- League sides. 76. Qualification for Finals a. Female youth football players can play in Senior Womens finals matches for which they are eligible provided they have played at least three (3) matches in that T-League grade/team/squad during the season to qualify.
SECTION 4C RULES & REGULATIONS TO BE DELETED, ADDED, UPDATED OR AMENDED 77. Introduction a. The improvements, amendments and additions to these rules shown below while may be in force won t be fully ratified and added to the rules above until after the end of Season 2016: