Bureaucratic Bungles Hit Fyfes

By Eddy Blaxell

A series of administrative mishaps threaten to derail Team Fyfe, less than a week out from the start of their inaugral ESFA season.

The issues, surrounding young midfielders D'Arcy Blaxell and Luke Connolly and striker Quinn Savit, came to light this morning when ESFA sent Lokomotiv Cove a list of players cleared to play in Sunday's fixtures.

Team Fyfe's Eddy Blaxell said the holdup in Quinn's registration was anticipated, as the player had yet to supply a required photo to ESFA or to the club.

Quinn has since provided the photo, but it is unclear whether the paperwork will be processed in time for the Sydney University clash at Turruwul on Sunday.

Blaxell said the absence of D'Arcy and Luke from the list was more problematic.

Luke appears to have fallen foul of a newly introduced ESFA rule, passed at the last association meeting, which prohibits players from appearing in All Age competitions until the age of 16.

That would rule the fifteen year old out of all matches this season.

Lokomotiv Cove Registrar Victor Azevedo indicated the club's intention to appeal the ruling.

"I'm going to take some stuff to the association this afternoon, this will include a 'You said it was OK for Luke to play but now you say no'" Letter, said Vic.

Club President Ben Willing indicated that he was hopeful of a resolution to the matter, saying it was a matter of "working something out [with the association]."

Also included in the dossier provided to ESFA this afternoon was a letter of parental permission signed by D'Arcy Blaxell's father, Michael, which should allow the defensive anchorman to take his place in this week's lineup.

The club still hopes all three players will be available for Sunday's match, but are starting to face the reality that at least two players may be unexpectedly unavailable.