WANGARATTA Rovers and Myrtleford are set to appeal their total player points allocation for next season.
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Five of the 10 Ovens and Murray clubs submitted applications for extra points.
Corowa Rutherglen (8), North Albury (6), Wodonga (6), and Wangaratta Rovers (2) were all granted additional points above the league standard of 38.
Myrtleford was ruled ineligible next year after benefiting from four extra points this season.
Disgruntled football operations manager, Barry Sullivan, said the Rovers felt let down after having their allocation reduced from six to two.
"We are disappointed," Sullivan said.
"We felt having four less points allocated for next season compared to this season when we didn't make finals and haven't won more than a dozen games over the past three years was harsh.
"From our point of view for equalisation to work, clubs that have been outside the top-five for a sustained period need to have a few years of additional points to maintain improvement."
Myrtleford president, Ian Wales, said he had already been in contact with AFL NEB General Manager John O'Donohue to vent his anger about not receiving any additional points.
"As a club we are filthy with the decision," Wales said.
"I can't understand after only one season of being competitive that your extra points get wiped.
"We are a town with a population of 3000 people with no TAFE, no university, scarce employment opportunities and against cities the size of Albury, Wodonga and Wangaratta.
"How do we attract players to the club?
"This year we were lucky that several of the locals made the commitment to travel back home from Melbourne each week.
"When that stops, how are we going to get recruits and remain under the 38 point threshold?
"Common sense would tell you that smaller towns need more points and a fairer system would be to allocate points on a ratio per capita basis."
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O'Donohue said clubs had until Monday to lodge an appeal with AFL NEB.
"Additional points is always going to be subjective and both Wangaratta Rovers and Myrtleford have the right to an appeal," O'Donohue said.
"Everybody concerned has got an opinion on it.
"There is a lot of factors taken into account in each application.
"The clubs look at it from an individual perspective and that's why there is an appeals process in place."
Wangaratta Rovers and Myrtleford were two of the league's biggest improvers this season.
The Rovers went from a winless season to missing finals on percentage while the Saints contested finals for the second time since 2006.
The player points system was first introduced into the O&M in 2016.
This season the most even in more than a decade with Albury missing the grand final for the first time since 2009.
"From a personal point of view the league needs to have different sides each year making the top-five to reward board members, volunteers, supporters and sponsors," Sullivan said.
"I think that creates interest, enthusiasm and energy for people to get involved and get the crowds back to the football.
"From our point of view player turnover is inevitable and the extra two points that we will get will have minimal benefit in us achieving our goal of making the top-five.
"To recruit a ready made senior player in the O&M you need at least four points."
The Rovers under coach Darryn Cresswell had issues remaining under their limit of 44 points when VFL players Charlie Thompson and Tom McCaffrey were available.
The pair attracted five points each and one less than GWS Academy's Nick Murray.
Raven Jolliffe was also a five pointer while key defender Nathan Cooper was four points.