Hampden clubs support league's move to keep 18 players on field in reserves competition

The HFNL considered shifting to a structure with 16 players on the field and five on the bench, but opted against the change at a board meeting on Monday night.

As a result the 2019 HFNL reserves competition will have 18 players on the field and three on the bench, with the option of evening up numbers on game day if necessary.

Koroit coach Andrew Foster views the reserves competition as a "development league", with at least eight under-18 players likely to get a run for the Saints' reserves this season. 

But Foster said this could be compromised under a 16-player rule, meaning he backed the decision. 

"In our club we try to emulate the seniors' structures," he said. "If ressies come into the ones side then they're well-schooled and can easily transition. 

"And players coming through the under 18s who aren't quite able to break into the seniors can bide their time and learn more."

Foster said the proposed change, designed to help clubs with low numbers, might also have had the "unintentional negative effect" of losing more players from the HFNL. 

"First off people just want to play footy – they don't want to sit on the bench," he said. "And rotating five blokes off the pine could be a headache."

Port Fairy coach Matt Dempsey said reserves football players don't have the fitness to play with 16 on the field. 

"If anything most sides could do with an extra bloke out there," he joked. 

But similar to Foster, Dempsey said the shift to 16 players would also negatively affect player development. 

"You'd have to take out a wing or forward flank, which means some guys on the fringe of seniors would be training and playing out of position," he said. 

North Warrnambool coach Nick Butters said most clubs were accommodating of sides short on numbers in the current system. 

"I definitely prefer 18," he said. "But the gentleman's agreement to play with 16 if one side is short works well."

Cobden coach Tom Spokes agreed, despite leading one of the clubs struggling with numbers.

"The new rule would help us avoid chasing up blokes each week and maybe make more free-flowing footy," he said. "But there was never any trouble asking other clubs to play 16 against us."

Hamilton Kangaroos coach Lachie McKenzie said he was a "fence-sitter", pointing out that both the Mininera and District league and the South West District league have opted for 16 players in reserves.

McKenzie said the Kangaroos have healthy numbers and wouldn't be affected by the proposed rule at Melville Oval, but that it could cause problems at bigger grounds like Warrnambool's Reid Oval. 

"Taking out those wings in ressies could be difficult," he said. "But it doesn't bother me too much either way."