WXV - Directory, About Us and Official Rulebook v2.0

[PowerBug]

New, and improved.


Links to old rules discussions topics:
- 2024
- 2023
- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013

[PowerBug]

The Official WXV Rulebook

Part 1 - Game Day


1.1 Submission Format Overview
Team sheets are preferably submitted using the following template:

Code Select Expand

Def: Player A, Player B, Player C, Player D.
Mid: Player E, Player F, Player G, Player H.
Fwd: Player I, Player J, Player K, Player L.
Ruck: Player M.
Util: Player N, Player O.
Emerg: Player P, Player Q, Player R, Player S.


• Teams must be submitted prior to each full lockout. Be careful when editing your post, if the editing time-stamp is post lock-out, your team submission may be void.
• All named players must be selected in their AFL club's 26-man squad for that round.
• You cannot name known non-playing players. If you submit your team before AFL teams are published, which later includes players not selected, and this submission is not corrected, players not named in the 26 are removed at lockout, and your first available emergency slides into the hole and you play with 3 emergencies only.
• Flood/Attack, Resting or Tagging strategies must be explicitly stated; otherwise, they are not considered in effect. These are able to be changed after partial lockouts but before full lockouts, unless otherwise stated in that rounds thread OP.

1.2 Floods and Attacks

• You may use either Flood or Attack up to 5 times per season (including finals), but only once per round.
• Cannot combine (e.g., 8-4-1-0-2 format is invalid).

1.2.1 Flooding (5-4-1-3-2 Formation):

• 5 Defenders: +15% score per defender
• 3 Forwards: –25% score per forward

1.2.2 Attacking (3-4-1-5-2 Formation):

• 3 Defenders: –25% score per defender
• 5 Forwards: +15% score per forward

1.2.3 Other important notes:

• OOP (Out Of Position) penalties (50%) are calculated independently of these modifiers.
• Captains, Tagging, and Resting bonuses are calculated independently of these modifiers.
• Opponents cannot cancel your strategic formation choice.

1.3 Out Of Position Players
Players may be selected in non-native positions, with penalties:

• Standard OOP: –50% to raw score
• Train-On OOP: –25% penalty

1.4 Train-on Players
Each coach will have the ability to choose up to 2 players to have a train-on position added for the season. These players when played in this position are only given a 25% OOP penalty instead of the usual 50%.

• Coaches have from the end of the WXV Intl. Draft until the end of the calendar year to nominate any players they wish to use as a train-on player
• That player will not be able to be traded in Trade Period 2.
• Coaches will be able to update their train-on players during the mid-year WXV representative rounds.
• For a player to be considered eligible for a ruck train-on spot, they need to have averaged at least 1 hitout per game the recently concluded AFL Home & Away season. A full list will be provided but here is the link to the source. There is no minimum games requirement applied to this criteria.
• There are no restrictions on who can be added as a def, mid, or fwd train-on.
• A train-on position may be added to a player who is already DPP.
• The train-on player may be named in their added position as many times as desired across your entire season.

1.5 Emergencies
Emergencies will play should a starting member of your team not play, but with conditions:

• 4 emergencies (unless otherwise specified) may be listed across any positions.
• If an interchange player matches the position of a late out, they replace them. Your top-listed emergency fills the interchange spot.
• If no interchange matches the position, the emergency replaces the late out.
• Emergencies only score full points if they match the position.
• If no match is found, your top-listed emergency fills in Out of Position (OOP).
• If multiple emergencies positionally match, the highest-ranked (e.g. E2 over E3) is used.
• Dual-position emergencies can fill either position.
• If more than 4 starters are out and no eligible subs remain, your top-ranked unnamed squad member fills in at 25% score.
• When one emergency must play OOP and another in-position, the lower scorer plays OOP irrespective of order.
• OOP players named in the XV can be replaced by another OOP if no eligible players were available at the time.
• Loopholing (manipulating lineups to directly or indirectly exploit emergency scores) is forbidden except in the EurAsia v AAP Rep Round.

1.6 Substitutes
Coaches choose before the round starts whether they want to opt out of the 'substitute' rule, which otherwise applies by default:

• Any player whom takes no part in the 2nd half of their AFL game (i.e. AFL subbed-out or deemend unfit to play before or during half-time) will be replaced by an emergency.
• Up to 4 players injured in the first half (including half-time) may be replaced by emergencies.
• If a player returns after halftime, they are not eligible to be substituted.
• Standard emergency rules apply — only same-position replacements are permissible (OOP players named in the XV can be subbed out for another OOP emergency).
• If no suitable emergency is available, the injured player's score stands (no OOP subs).
• Subbed-out player scores count for the Reserves

1.7 Captains
Captains are nominated each week, you have the choice of either:

• Your nominated captain will receive double points each week. Should he not play, your vice-captain will receive double points.
• You can nominate Co-captains, each of who will earn 1.5 times there score. If one doesn't play, the other will receive double points. No vice-captain.
• If you fail to nominate either a C or VC then list preferences will be used to determine which players receive these roles

Loopholing (manipulating lineups to exploit VC or CC bonuses) is forbidden except in the EurAsia v AAP Rep Round.


1.8 Tagging

1.8.1 Definition: A tag sacrifices some of your player's score to reduce an opponent's player's score.

• Only 1 tag per team per round, max 5 per season (including finals).
• Only players listed in the first XV (including utilities) are eligble to tag and be tagged
• Midfielders can only tag midfielders, defenders can only tag forwards, and forwards can only tag defenders (including those listed on the utilities).
• A player who is a Tagger for one team, can also be the Captive from the other team (i.e. Tagging the tagger)
• Captaincy and Resting bonuses are unaffected by tagging, they are still calculated independently.

1.8.2 Tag outcomes:
When a tag is applied, the raw scores of the two players are compared, which will result in one of two scenarios:

Scenario 1: A Successful Tag
The Tagger scores more than half the Captive's score. This results in:

• The Tagger having their score reduced by 30%
• The Captive having their score reduced to the Raw score of the Tagger
  
  • If the Tagger's raw score is higher, the Captive's score is unchanged.

Note: Within a successful tag there's a sub-category where the result is a net loss to the team applying the tag. In this case you can consider it a "wasted" tag.

Scenario 2: A Broken Tag
The Captive scores equal to or more than double the Tagger's score. This results in:

• The Tagger having the score reduced by 50%
• The Captive's score being unchanged.

1.9 Resting

• One player may be rested per week (optional), gaining a 20% bonus the following round.
• Not allowed in the last home & away game of the season or during finals.
• The rested player must play AFL in the week of him being rested.
• The rested player must not be sub-eligible (i.e. green vested or withdrawn due to injury before or at half time) to keep resting bonus for next week
• You cannot rest a player if doing so prevents fielding a full team.
• If a player in the XV + emergencies in their AFL club's original 23, and coverage is need that the emergencies cannot provide, the rested player returns at 25% score and loses their rest bonus.
• Rested player's score counts in the Reserves.
• Rested player must play in the next round to get the bonus.
• If named as an AFL emergency before lockout, you may choose to omit them.

1.10 Home Ground Advantage

• When you have a home-match, your lowest scoring player will have his score counted twice.
• If you can only field a team of 14 or less, your lowest scoring player that actually plays counts twice.
• If your lowest scoring player scores less than zero, the players score is still doubled (e.g. -5 becomes -10).
• All finals except the Grand Final will have a home-game system.

1.11 The Practice Of Loopholing
Captain/Vice-Captain/Co-Captain or Emergency loopholing is forbidden. Players named in the starting XV must be named in their respective AFL club's 26 player squad for that round. If this criteria has somehow been leveraged to benefit the coach that sough to exploit it, the admin may determine the entire team submission as they see fit.

However, all forms of loopholing are permitted during the EurAsia v AAP Alliance Representative Round clash.

1.12 Non-Submission of Team
If a coach (or their assistants) fails to submit a valid team by the deadline:

• The admin will submit a lineup of available players in order of the list of preferences provided at the beginning of the year.
• Currently each team receives 4 points for every win. If you do not submit a team:
•      1st offence (in a season): No penalty
•      2nd offence: 1 point penalty
•      3rd offence: 2 point penalty
•      4th offence: 3 point penalty and coach termination
• In addition, if a team isn't submitted 2 weeks in a row, you could also be sacked at the admins discretion.

Part 2 - Off Season

2.1 Drafting
At the conclusion of Trade Period 1, a single draft (the "International Draft") is held comprising of:

• New AFL draftees
• Delisted WXV players still on AFL lists
• Mid-season draftees
• Unsigned supplemental selection draftees
• AFL Preseason Draftees
• Rookie draftees
• Category B rookies
• Scholarship recipients

2.1.1 Draft Order
The international draft order is determined based on the reverse ladder position from the previous season. That means:

• The team that finished last gets the first pick.
• The premiers (1st place) get the last pick of each round.
• Any traded picks will override natural draft positions.
• The draft occurs after Trade Period 1 (TP1) and WXV list lodgement.
• Drafted players have a calculated salary value based on scoring, consistency, durability, and age.

2.1.2 Priority Picks
Prior to the commencement of Trade Period 1, non-finalists are permitted to apply for a priority pick to the administrator, who will then circulate the application to all coaches for approval. Each applicaiton will state the priorirty pick it is seeking. Approval of a priority pick will be granted with at least 9 votes in favour (excluding the coach applying for the priority pick).

2.1.3 Draft rules

• Teams have 24h per pick (reduced to 2h if a coach or co-coach is active on FF during this period). Missed picks are auto-assigned the next eligible player.
• Teams must stay within the lower and upper limits of the salary cap – picks exceeding cap space are invalid (unless forced to).
• If a force-delisted player of a previous season (due to being off an AFL list) returns to the AFL:
    - After WXV Grand Final: Team may reclaim them automatically.
    - Via SSP: Team may reclaim them in the pre-season if salary cap allows (but can exceed list size cap).
    - Via Mid-Season Draft: Player is unavailable until the end of the season, where they are able to reclaim them automatically.
  

2.2 List Lodgement & Draft Pick Allocation

• Each team submits a list of up to 43 players before the draft [exact number advised by admin every year].
• You keep however many players you want (e.g. 33), then fill the rest via the draft (e.g. 43 - 33 = 10 picks).
• If you hold more picks than list spots, extra picks are forfeited.
• If you hold fewer picks, you'll be assigned picks at the end of the first 6 rounds of the draft to reach 43 (if cap allows).
• Occasionally, teams may draft a 44th or 45th player, depending on AFL player pool size and salary cap. This is confirmed pre-draft and uses your next available pick.

2.3 Trade Period
There are three designated periods of the year where WXV teams are able to trade players and/or picks:

• TP1 (pre-draft) - players: commences after all rule voting is completed and salary caps for the next season are published,  shortly after the conclusion of the WXV Grand Final. This concludes around a couple of days before the AFL National draft (approx 2-3 months).
• TP1 (during draft) - picks: current and future picks - as well as players selected during the  draft - are able to be traded throughout the International draft.
  
• TP2 (post-draft): commences after the conclusion of the WXV International draft and concludes just before the beginning of the first official AFL practice match.

2.3.1 Trade Period 1

• Trades can be any combination of players and picks.
• You can go over the maximum cap, provided you cut it down in your list lodgment.
• You can go below the minimum cap, provided you acquire sufficient cap for your list lodgement to avoid penalty.
• You can trade priority picks, picks in the first 6 rounds of the International draft AND the first 6 rounds of the International draft next year.
• Available list spots will be worth 100k each in your cap, with exception to top 10 draft picks which are worth between 110k to 200k.
• You can't trade a currently retired player. However, if the player retires after the trade has been posted but before it has been approved, the admin will determine its validity.
• Trade must be listed as (or a derivation of):

       Team X trades: Player Y + Pick Z
       Team A trades: Player B + Pick C
       (then provide reason and/or insight as to why you did the trade)

• The other team must then confirm the trade, and also provide a reason and/or insight as to why they did the trade.
• All trades must be approved via competition vote (explained in 2.2.4 below).

2.3.2 In-draft trading

• You are able to trade your current and future International draft picks in the trade confirmation thread, which MUST BE APPROVED by the admin before those picks can be taken.
• You must remain within the lower and upper limits of the salary cap when executing trades.
• You are able to trade players already taken in the draft for current or future International draft picks only.

2.3.3 Trade Period 2

• You must remain within the lower and upper limits of the salary cap when executing trades.
• Your list size must remain within the compeition lowest number (normally 43) and the competitions highest number (usually 44).
• You are permitted FOUR LIST MOVEMENTS. A list movement is defined as the trading out of a player or future pick. If you trade 1 player/pick and get 2 back, this counts as 1 movement for you, and 2 movements for the other team.
• On-trading a player ALSO counts as a list movement.
• Each future pick you trade out counts as a list movement.
• The administrater rules on all trades in this period. These decisions are final.

2.3.4 Trade Voting
All trades in TP1 will be put to vote to WXV coaches, with the outcome to be determined depending on the number of eligible 'negs' (vote to reject the trade) according to the following thresholds:

• 0-3 votes is an auto-pass.
• 4-5 votes passes the trade with the admin having the power to reject it.
• 6-7 votes fails a trade with the admin having the power to pass it.
• 8+ votes is an auto-fail.

An eligible neg is one where a genuine reason (decided by admin discretion) is provided, absent of emotive or petty intentions.


2.4 Salary Cap
Before each season's final list lodgement (after Trade Period 1 and before the International Draft), each club must be within the salary cap lower and upper limits.

2.4.1 System
Total player values + draft pick values must fall within cap boundaries.

Player Value = (Avg score from last 3 seasons [approx. 69 games] × 2000) [2000 is an arbitrary number]
        × (1 + % games scored equal to or over 100) [premium factor]
        × (1 + % of AFL games played in last 3 seasons) [durability factor]
        × (1 - [0.03 × no. of years older than 29]) [age discount]

• Minimum value per player is $100,000
• Players whom have played less than 10 AFL games will be valued at $100,000
• Top 10 draft picks from the last 3 years will have a minimum cap of:

        o    Pick 1: 200k
        o    Pick 2: 190k
        o    ...
        o    Pick 9: 120k
        o    Pick 10: 110k

• Team Total must be within:

        o    MIN: 85% of league average rounded down to the nearest $100,000
        o    MAX: 105% of league average rounded up to the nearest $100,000

• League average is calculated by average player cap x list lodgement player number size (usually 43)

2.4.2 Penalties
Below Min Salary:

• After TP1: Lose 1st-round pick and 4 points for the next season (which has no impact in terms of draft position for the next season)
• All trades must increase salary

Above Max Salary:

• After TP1/TP2: Highest-salary players delisted until compliant
• During Draft: If forced over cap due to draft position, you must take the lowest-salary player available
• After the International draft: No immediate punishment if during the draft you are forced above the maximum salary due to the players left in the pool when your draft pick arrives. Note that you can't deliberately draft a player which would take you take you above the maximum salary, and any draft pick is forced as the lowest salary player if you are already above the maximum salary.

[/list]

[PowerBug]

Part C - General Rules

3.1 Scoring

• Scores are divided by 10 to better reflect the AFL's scoring system, and rounded to the nearest point after all bonuses/penalties are applied.
• If rounded scores are equal, raw scores are used to decide the outcome.
• If still tied, it's a draw; in finals, the higher ladder team progresses.
• Bonuses and penalties are applied independently of each other, and always rounded up (i.e. players will not produce a decimal score).

3.2 Tanking

• Teams may be penalised (loss of 1st-round pick) for making repeated unreasonable selection decisions.
• Subject to admin discretion.

3.3 Inactivity / Sacking

• Coaches (and co-coaches) inactive for at least 2 weeks without communication and no assistant in place may be sacked at the admins discretion.
• Sacking may also occur for other reasons at the admins discretion if needed.

3.4 Finals
Finals will mimic the current AFL Top 8 Finals system.[/list]

[PowerBug]

FAQs + Common Examples

Tagging
Q: The player I want to use as a tagger has already played, can I update my tag?
A: No

Flood/Attack
Q:

Emergencies
Q: I named a player in an emergency spot and they player during a partial lockout, can I shuffle that player up or down the emergency preference list after they have played?
A: No. Once a player has played they are locked into the position you had named them in, whether that's an on-field position, an emergency, or completely out of the squad.

Q: Thanks to R0 we have some WXV rounds which allow loopholing. With my on field loophole position can I leave it blank or put an OOP player in there?
A: The position must be filled but may be filled with an OOP player. Consider the SC interface just with the added flexibility of OOP.

Train-on
Q: My train-on player has retired mid-season, can I change it?
A: No. Train-on players once finalised are locked for the entirety of that season.

Q: My train-on did not play any AFL this year but qualified for ruck eligibility from the previous season, is he ruck-eligible?
A: No.

[PowerBug]

2025 Ruck train-on eligibility list
Note 1: Most of these players will be ruck eligible anyway, so adding ruck as a train-on position won't apply to them
Note 2: These averages are post AFL Week 1 Finals. The requirement is 1.00+ HO per match during the home and away season, so the specific averages are slightly off. I double checked anyone who might not actually make the cutoff.

Rank   Player   Team   Average
1   Reilly O'Brien   Crows   42.76
2   Jarrod Witts   Suns   37.50
3   Lloyd Meek   Hawks   36.20
4   Tristan Xerri   Kangaroos   34.52
5   Jordon Sweet   Power   34.47
6   Max Gawn   Demons   33.95
7   Oscar McInerney   Lions   32.74
8   Toby Nankervis   Tigers   32.57
9   Brodie Grundy   Swans   32.21
10   Sean Darcy   Dockers   31.17
11   Kieren Briggs   Giants   30.74
12   Darcy Cameron   Magpies   29.26
13   Ned Moyle   Suns   28.38
14   Ivan Soldo   Power   28.00
15   Timothy English   Bulldogs   27.04
16   Rowan Marshall   Saints   26.43
17   Marc Pittonet   Blues   25.43
18   Rhys Stanley   Cats   25.31
19   Liam Reidy   Dockers   25.00
20   Todd Goldstein   Bombers   24.57
21   Toby Conway   Cats   24.40
22   Matthew Flynn   Eagles   24.25
23   Dante Visentini   Power   23.67
24   Ned Reeves   Hawks   22.75
25   Bailey J. Williams   Eagles   20.96
26   Nick Bryan   Bombers   20.60
27   Darcy Fort   Lions   20.00
28   Tom De Koning   Blues   19.94
29   Sam Draper   Bombers   19.12
30   Lachlan Keeffe   Giants   19.00
31   Luke Jackson   Dockers   16.30
32   Mason Cox   Magpies   14.81
33   Kieran Strachan   Crows   14.50
34   Sam Naismith   Tigers   12.67
35   Tom Campbell   Saints   10.00
35   Peter Ladhams   Swans   10.00
37   Mark Blicavs   Cats   9.48
38   Peter Wright   Bombers   8.50
39   Harry Barnett   Eagles   8.00
40   Samson Ryan   Tigers   7.88
41   Levi Casboult   Suns   7.67
42   Hayden McLean   Swans   7.12
43   Sam Darcy   Bulldogs   6.90
44   Charlie Dixon   Power   6.76
45   Henry Smith   Lions   6.25
46   Sam De Koning   Cats   5.42
47   Brynn Teakle   Kangaroos   5.18
48   Sam Day   Suns   5.00
49   Chris Burgess   Crows   4.86
50   Jack Williams   Eagles   4.50
51   Tom Hawkins   Cats   4.42
52   Nathan Kreuger   Magpies   4.33
53   Jacob Van Rooyen   Demons   4.24
54   Jacob Koschitzke   Tigers   4.21
55   Jake Riccardi   Giants   3.95
56   Shannon Neale   Cats   3.86
57   Elliott Himmelberg   Crows   3.78
58   Ethan Read   Suns   3.75
59   Riley Thilthorpe   Crows   3.71
60   Callum Coleman-Jones   Kangaroos   3.67
60   Hugh Greenwood   Kangaroos   3.67
60   Max Ramsden   Hawks   3.67
63   Josh Treacy   Dockers   3.15
64   Jeremy Finlayson   Power   3.00
65   Rory Lobb   Bulldogs   2.94
66   Harrison Petty   Demons   2.05
67   Joe Daniher   Lions   2.00
67   Jack Hayes   Saints   2.00
69   Mac Andrew   Suns   1.85
70   Lachlan Gollant   Crows   1.75
71   Mabior Chol   Hawks   1.73
72   Anthony Caminiti   Saints   1.60
73   Mykelti Lefau   Tigers   1.50
74   Nick Larkey   Kangaroos   1.48
75   Noah Balta   Tigers   1.47
76   Conor Nash   Hawks   1.46
77   Harry McKay   Blues   1.43
78   Jed Walter   Suns   1.14
79   Jack Darling   Eagles   1.10
79   Jack Lukosius   Suns   1.10
81   Callum Jamieson   Eagles   1.00
81   Josh Schache   Demons   1.00