fair - it is like a V8 on the road vrs a 4 cyl.

or a 190cm junior vrs 130cm

fact of the system

not much you can do about it.

from my experience most clubs will do that from juniors to seniors.

our team had something similar - the other clubs first team had a bye so they dropped a majority of the team and they won - none of them have played in that grade since and we a L against the bottom team.

Most comps have qualifying rules for finals etc to avoid this situation but in a qualifier for the Classic I guess the organisers don't care who plays.

The coach/players of the cheating team must feel so proud of their achievement.

Not Cheating! What you are saying is you should penalise a player who happens to be good enough to play above his age group and takes that opportunity. The team should be able to play their best (eligible) players when they wish. It was obviously a close game so it is not as if they played him to destroy the opposition.

*Unless the rules of the competition specify otherwise.

If entry to the Classic is based on VJC competition placings after 9 rounds then you would expect the VJBL Player Movement Rules would apply for any Challenge games:

3.5.2 Any player, who plays one (1) or more games with a team during Grading Phase Two, shall not be
eligible to change teams during Grading Phase Two or the Championship phase. Approval to transfer after
the player has competed in Grading Phase Two will be granted only in exceptional circumstances.

If the player concerned has never played in the Nunawading U14 Team throughout the Grading Phase 2 or Championship Phase then I believe there is a case to answer.

Be interested to hear how VJBL management could possibly justify approval of this.

If they got a clearance through VJBL (which I am sure they would have) then it is not cheating. This happens all the time in junior footy.
Many teams bring up players from their 2s to fill in for teams that make the Classic/Nationals due to injuries etc.
Obviously the kid is pretty good to be playing up an age group.

This boy decided to play up in U16s because he thought the nunawading team in 14s were horrible. If he then came down to u14s and intends to play in the classic then that is a joke. Against all principles of VJBL competition.

it is within the boundaries of by laws - so winners can laugh.... losers can please themselves....

Dont understand all the Fuss! If the player is registered with that team - has decided to play up an age group to keep inproving his game - has Club and VJBL OK - then whats the arguement!

I would be more asking the question of why a spot is left open for a country team (winner of Country Cup) then get a second chance using the metro competition?
Esp[ecially as the year the team finished outsid the top 4 in their pool??

Bunny, why is it a question about Country? What is wrong with country teams also qualifying through VJBL? which is not metro btw.

Not sure I get it. If Country have a team like Moe, who won this years Country Under 14 Girls but don't play in VJBL, and then another country team makes Classic through VJBL - what is the problem?

HO - Nothing worng with the scenario you put forward. But why should a country team get to double dip into both competitions to qualify for the Classic and Under 14 Nationals thru Country Cup (maybe not make it) but thats ok we will go play VJBL and try to qualify that way? Agree the best teams should represent Vic - but just not a level playing field in terms of chances to qualify?

But if you want to allow for the scenario I presented, then you have to do it this way. My understanding btw is if a country team qualifies through VJBL and also wins Country champs, then the second placed country team does not get the Classic position.

Why do they do it? I think largely because Country Victorian basketball is a very large body, someone told me recently bigger than SA, WA, Qld etc, and deserve a place - but it is extremely difficult for many country teams to practically play in VJBL.

I reckon its a positive.

I believe the word would be "integrity".......If the player is good enough to play U16 and has been selected for that team then that is where he should play - especially if that is the choice that has been made by the player, parents and coaches.

Its in poor taste to bring him into the team to help them get over the line for 1 game.....Not against the rules but definitely poor taste.

The issue that concerns me more would be bringing in this player for a game, takes court time away from other players from this team....."good job coach that will build the other players confidence"

At some point in time you would like coaches in Victoria to stop having pissing contests with each other every week and start doing a better job of developing the kids and looking after their players.....Pick your teams - good bad or indifferent coach them up and give them a great basketball experience that will help them fall in love with game......

stop poaching talent, bending the rules (bringing players down, playing zone in U12) and looking at the scoreboard for confirmation you have done a good job.......Heres a tip - ITS KIDS BASKETBALL NO BODY CARES HOW WELL YOU THINK YOU CAN COACH......Parents want wins - YES - but parents want to see their kids get better have fun and learn and develop a passion for basketball....

Coaches challenge yourselves play man to man, run a free flowing motion where all players are interchangeable forcing the biggest kid to dribble and shoot and simply teach every kid to dribble pass and shoot and understand the game - grow their basketball brains!!!!!!

PLEASE TEACH OUR KIDS TO SHOOT OMG I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY BROKEN JUMP SHOTS IN MY LIFE!!!!!!!!

Totall agree Doctor, watch all the chest pumping by the coaches when their U/12s win on the scoreboard by standing in the key like trees. We came up against this last year (Forestville), it is laughable.

this is just funny

I have just read this hole blog and the only sense I can get out of it is there are far to many adults beating there chest and firing salvos regarding junior basketball yes there are rules I presume that nunawading went through the correct channels to check these rules . vjbl say its ok then that's that non of the children on either team have done anything wrong only the parents with this crazy banter . ITS A TOURNAMENT , NOT LIFE AND DEATH . dandynong I presume is playing the nunawading tournament and nunawading is at the classic period . some great comments from some people and some very aggressive coments from others , would you speak this way face to face I know I can love the game not the idiots

Thanks for making my point whoever wrote this little comment below - your inability to see past the point of your nose is almost funny....almost......because its not funny when people like you even talk about basketball.....

"As for the other players in this team (who lose a little bit of court time for ONE game), you don't think getting to play SIX games this weekend, all against quality teams, will not help their development? Even if they play a little less because of another player (assuming he plays this weekend too)?"

No i don't think loosing court time is ok in this situation not ever......Like i said coaches need to coach it up with the team that was originally picked.....If they come up short that is all part of the growth and DEVELOPMENT of a players and coaches....Scooting further down the bench for 6 games is not cool.....

So answer me this question because clearly it is all figured out.......the kid who only plays 5-8 minutes a game as the 10th guy off the bench what happens to his minutes? should he and his parents be stoked about playing what 2-3 minutes or even worse not play at all? I guess as long as they win then they should be happy......But what if they lose? hmmmmmmmm all for nothing i guess.......

I strongly disagree with not being able to play 10 players.........that right there is development and picking the right players for the level of competition and coaching......will every player play equally i would hope not but absolutely a player might be getting 5-8 minutes a game.......

Anyway you spin this it is taking another kids court time and it seems to be a situation that has clearly left a sour taste in peoples mouths......

The Nunawading team in question had an injured player and within the rules brought in a bottom bottom age under 16/1 player to fill the void.
Everything was done above board and with the approval of the VJBL.
The boy who was asked to fill in for the one game to help out his club is not playing at the Classic, he is playing at the Spectres tournament with his under 16 team. The injured under 14 player will play if he is able too. So no one is losing out on court time etc.
Lets just remember that the Spectres and the player concerned have done nothing wrong here. Rules are there for a reason and the rules were abided by.

Credibility hahahaha......You get plenty of development in small amounts of court time if you are given positive minutes in all types of game situations.......

I have never argued the rules of it.....I gave them the benefit of the doubt but again my problem is bringing in another player when it would have provided a perfect opportunity for the rest of the time to step up and fill the void the other player has left in his absence.....

Well, what an interesting read. It appears Dandenong lost to Nunawading.
Dandenong lost a the game to Nunawading and instead of losing gracefully and taking some learnings from the game and making some improvements at training you take to social media. Let me ask, what does that teach the kids?
Junior sport is as much about winning as it is about losing. I heard Dandenong were up by as much as 20 points through the game, even with this so called super star playing for Nunawading. If that's the case, how did Dandenong blow such a demanding lead.
Now there's a good question!
So much whinging and complaining about one player.
Here's a new flash, no team wins with one player, it takes a team.
I also hear that Dandenong has tried to poach this kid to play for them? Don't the coaches sign a code of conduct which includes no poaching?
Is Dandenong really taking the high moral ground on this one?
Auntie, get a life and appreciate the game and stop looking for excuses. I heard both teams played well and as spectators all should appreciate the skill the young boys display.