The Central Highlands Football League reigning premiers have escaped penalty despite going over its points cap during the round three victory against Buninyong.

Introduced state-wide this season to help with equalisation and to curb rising player payments, the system applies to a team that takes to the field in any particular match, with each individual given a points rating between one and six points based on their football history.

Tyler was lodged as a one-point player for the March 23 clash, but in-depth analysis found he should have been valued at three points.

As a result, Springbank’s senior team should have totaled 43 points, one more than its allocation of 42.

Ward said there had been some ambiguity in relation to Tyler’s classification and categorically denied any deliberate act by the Tigers to cheat the policy.

He said the club had been honest in its valuation for another key player on the list whose correct value could have easily been hidden.

“The match that (Springbank) won, and now that it is clarified that they were over, there was still uncertainty on Matt Tyler’s point allocation at that point,” Ward said.

“We have said to Springbank that this does highlight the importance of ensuring that the points allocated to players are accurate moving forward.

“And one word of warning: clubs should not use this case as a precedent, thinking the commission will take a soft approach to any breaches in the future.”

Ward said the commission had decided to take a lenient approach to Springbank because of the unintentional manner of the breach.

“The club had been open and transparent in their dealings with us,” he said.

Ward said AFL Victoria had now drafted specific sanctions for certain breaches of the points cap.

Springbank joint-coach Nick Couch said he believed Tyler was a one-point player when the Tigers clashed with the Bombers last month and still isn’t convinced the former Brisbane Lions-listed footballer should be rated as a three-pointer.

“That’s what we honestly believed at the time,” Couch said.

“We were very surprised (to learn of the breach). Personally, because of the fact he’s been out of the VFL system for five years, since 2011.”

Couch said the club had recruited during the pre-season based on Tyler being a one-pointer and had now come to the realisation that selectors might have to drop a good footballer to remain under the cap come finals.

Buninyong joint-coach Jarrod Morgan said Tyler played a “ripping game” in the Anzac Day weekend fixture against his side.

“It’s definitely worth the league following up the process and making sure it doesn’t happen again,” Morgan said.

“They haven’t cheated the system, I just think the system is not quite fool proof yet.”

Tyler was delisted by the Brisbane Lions in 2009 without playing an AFL match and then lifted the VFL premiership cup with the North Ballarat Roosters in 2010.

He joined Springbank for the 2014 campaign after spending two seasons with home club Rupanyup.