FILL-IN PLAYERS ELIGIBILITY
These guidelines explain how fill in and emergency players may be used in McKinnon Basketball Association domestic competitions.
They provide a plain English summary of the MBA Domestic Competition By-Laws. Where these guidelines and the By-Laws differ, the By-Laws apply.
Clubs and teams are responsible for confirming that a player is eligible before they take the court. Playing an ineligible player will result in a forfeit.
Download the Fill In and Emergency Player Guidelines
Fill In Players
A fill in player must be currently registered to another team within the same MBA club.
A fill in may only be used when a team has five or fewer eligible players available for the game.
A fill in may bring a junior team to a maximum of six players.
Open and senior teams may be brought to a maximum of seven players.
If a sixth registered player arrives and takes the court, the fill in must be substituted out for the remainder of the game.
Players must never play under another player’s name.
A player may not fill in for a team in their own division.
A player may fill in for a maximum of three games per season.
Division Eligibility
A player may play no more than one age group above their own.
When filling in within the same age group, the player must be registered at least one division below the team they are filling in for.
For example, a U14 Division 5 player may fill in for U14 Division 4 or above.
When playing in the age group above, the team being filled in for may be no more than three divisions below the player’s regular division.
For example, a U14 Division 1 player may fill in for U16 Divisions 1 to 4.
VJBL Team 1 players may fill in no more than two divisions below their domestic division.
All U12 to U16 representative players must play domestic basketball in their natural age group.
Open and Senior Competitions
Open Classic, Over 30 and Over 35 teams may use a fill in from another open or senior team in a lower division.
For example, an Open Division 3 player may fill in for Open Division 2 or above.
Open players must be at least 16 years old. Players filling in for Over 30 and Over 35 competitions must meet the relevant age requirements.
A player cannot be permanently registered in two open teams that play on the same night.
Emergency Players
An emergency player is someone who is not currently registered to an MBA team or club.
Emergency players may only take the court when:
They are playing for an independent or senior team, to a maximum of two games in any 12-month period; or
MBA has approved the player in writing before the game.
Where no eligible fill in is available, the club must contact the MBA Competitions Team before the game and explain why an emergency player is required.
Approval is at MBA’s discretion and must be provided before the player takes the court. Without approval, the player will be considered ineligible and the team will forfeit the match.
Registration and Game Limits
A player entered on the scoresheet is not automatically registered.
Emergency players added courtside through PlayHQ may play two games in any 12-month period before registration and Basketball Victoria fees are required.
A player filling in for the same team for three or more games must be registered to both teams.
Games played as an unregistered fill in or emergency player do not count towards finals eligibility.
Once a player has filled in three times for one team in a higher age group, they cannot fill in for another team in that age group.
A player who fills in after Round 4 cannot become a permanent player for that team without written approval from MBA.
A player cannot participate in two games scheduled at the same time and venue.
Before Using a Fill In
Before game day, teams should confirm:
The team has five or fewer eligible players available.
The fill in is registered with the same club.
The player is from an eligible age group and division.
The player has not exceeded their three-game fill in limit.
The player’s correct details are entered into PlayHQ on the iPad.
MBA approval has been received if an emergency player is required.
Breaches and Penalties
Playing an ineligible player will result in the team forfeiting every match in which that player participated.
Using an ineligible player during grading rounds may also result in a $50 fine.
Questions?
If you are unsure whether a player is eligible, contact the MBA Competitions Team before game day. Teams are encouraged to seek clarification early rather than risk a forfeit.