AFL Victoria has brought in a statewide rule that means players who play more than 10 VFL games throughout the year are no longer eligible to play finals at their home club.

The rule is designed to prevent players spending most of the season in the top Victorian league, only to drop back and dominate in country leagues for finals.

AFL Victoria community football operations manager Gerard Ryan said there had been concerns about the previous rules, which placed no restrictions on how many VFL games could be played.

“The rule was introduced because of the concern that players who played the majority of the season at VFL level were having an unfair impact on determining the result of community competitions,” he said.

“Like all aspects of the AFL Victoria Country rules and regulations, the decision will be reviewed at season’s end.”

The new rule would have only affected one player in the 2014 Ballarat Football League finals series. Sunbury’s Jack Sheahan played 13 games for Bendigo Gold in the VFL last year.

Since Bendigo did not feature in the VFL finals series, Sheahan was free to play in the Lions’ elimination final against Ballarat, in which he kicked three goals.

He had played the mandatory three BFL games to qualify for finals.

However, under the new rules he would not be eligible to play.

The rules are an addition to a similar rule that affects TAC Cup players returning to their home club for under-age football in finals.

Under the rules, a TAC Cup match will be considered to be at the same level as a senior AFL Victoria Country match. For example, a BFL junior cannot play finals if they have played more than 50 per cent of the year at a higher level, which includes the TAC Cup.

patrick.nolan@fairfaxmedia.com.au