Brindabella Blues FC wants a special tribunal to handle a complaint ahead of NPLY relegation decision

Brindabella Blues Football Club, which is set to be relegated to the NPLY2 league in 2022, queried the eligibility of a player from West Canberra Wanderers in April and again in July.

Capital Football chief executive officer Phil Brown confirmed BBFC had lodged a complaint about player eligibility in the NPLY1 competition but did not elaborate.

"That complaint has been considered and a response provided to the club," he said.

In documents seen by The Canberra Times, an administrative error was blamed for the relative age effect exemption mistake. The Wanderers reported and complied with CF throughout the season, and CF blamed an error on its end for the club breaching the clause that states the RAE player could not play more than 50 per cent of matches in their own age group.

BBFC said the club was not actively looking through match cards to identify it and instead was alerted to it as Canberra was a small place and word travelled.

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CF argued the incorrect interpretation of regulations by a staff member led to the organisation not picking up on the player's ineligibility during the season, triggering a clause where the player was eligible due to CF's error.

A spokesperson from Brindabella said the club was not satisfied with the response, as the administrative error clause had been used before in a separate matter, and wanted an independent review.

"All we have asked is a fair and transparent decision by a special tribunal as allowed by the regulations," they said.

"For us as a club, it is important that the other clubs in the competition are aware of the decision and the implication of this. We are also not aware if other clubs have had similar administrative errors held against them."

Brindabella's push for a review is likely to be too late, with a decision on relegation/promotion set for the CF board meeting next week.

In the NPLY competition, where relegation and promotion is based on a club points system across each teams 18s, 16s, 14s and 13s age groups, Radford College is set to be promoted.

And BBFC relegated. However, the club feels it was unfairly impacted - alongside other clubs in the under-16 competition - by this administrative error. Despite not being allowed its own RAE under the special consideration clause for one of its youth team's games.

Brown said no decision had been made yet on relegation or promotion, as it would be discussed at the October 27 board meeting.

"Capital Football has sought confirmation from clubs of their commitment to compete in the 2022 leagues," he said.

"That information, along with the league tables applying the principles for promotion and relegation are provided to the board for their October meeting annually, after which the leagues are declared for the following season."

In addition to a relegation decision in the NPL and NPLY competitions at the board meeting, CF will also likely discuss possible relegation changes next season in the NPL1 and NPL2 men's leagues.

The change being considered is a club points system - for both first grade and under-23s - to decide relegation and promotion. Under the current relegation system, first grade results are the only contributing factor.

Under the 2021 season rules, O'Connor Knights are set to make their return to the NPL1 next season after a 12-year hiatus, with Tuggeranong United FC likely to be relegated to the NPL2.

The Knights took out the NPL2 competition before the season was cancelled. ANU FC were two points behind, with four games yet to be played. The promotion decision, however, was decided by a points per matches played method, which O'Connor took out after 17 rounds.