Three AFL Riverina clubs granted extra player points for season 2024

Farrer League clubs Coleambally and Barellan have again had their requests for extra points approved by AFL Riverina's League Equalisation Panel (LEP).

Riverina League wooden spooners Narrandera have also been given extra points for the upcoming season.

All three clubs have been allocated an extra four points, giving Coleambally and Barellan 41 and Narrandera 43.

AFL Southern NSW community football and competitions manager Luke Olsen said the idea behind the extra points was to help the clubs be able to attract more players and improve their chances of rising up the ladder.

"If you look at those three clubs, they are outside or a fair way from the major centres so it helps them recruit players," Olsen said.

"Not only that but also with their location and proximity to either no players or other competitions, it helps them out a bit.

"You look at Coleambally and they're so close to those northern Victorian competitions, it is hard for them, they're stuck in the middle of some really competitive markets. It's helping them attract those extra players.

"We're really just trying to get them to the point where they can bring in a couple of higher profile players to increase the amount of players they can get."

Coleambally have not played finals football in the Farrer League since 2019, while Barellan have not finished in the top five since their return from the Northern Riverina League in 2015.

Narrandera were winless last year and have only won 11 games since 2016.

Olsen said it was a straight forward decision for the LEP to make.

"They were all in agreeance, the LEP were really solid with those ones and didn't have an issue with them at all really," he said.

It is the first time Narrandera have requested extra points and comes amid high player turnover in the off-season.

The club has lost their Canberra-based recruits but have been able to bring in a number of predominantly local players to replace them.

Barellan had been granted three extra points over the past couple of Farrer League seasons but will work with the four additional points in 2024.

The Farrer League season gets underway on Saturday with the opening round.