One of the more controversial rules concerns the number of players permitted on the field. The limit is 18, and that can vary when there is an order off. Junior leagues also have variable rules when one side or both can't come up with a full team.

In the Hawthorn District Junior FL, the rule was that numbers on the ground had to be even. If one team only had 14 players, the other side could only have 14 on the ground. The interchange was unlimited though, and there was also the option of lending players in order to get more kids on the ground.

On one Sunday, I was umpiring a bottom of the ladder clash between St. Francis and Canterbury in the Under 14's on my own. St. Francis hadn't won a game but Canterbury were not a strong team. It looked like the home side were going to finally break their duck, when the Canterbury captain called for a player count late in the last quarter. There were rumblings before that from other players wanting a count, but I'd made it clear - only the captain can request a count.

At the time of the count, St. Francis had a 22 point lead and had the game won. But they had 18 players on the ground and Canterbury only had 15! Under the HDJFL rules, I had no choice but to annul the scores of St. Francis. The home side was furious, and the siren blew just a minute later and Canterbury won by 31 points.

St. Francis wanted answers. I made the rules clear and even showed the coach and the team manager what it said, and explained it. They complained that other teams had done it to them and no action had been taken, prompting me to ask why they didn't ask their captain to request a count as Canterbury had done that day. That was when they realised the folly of their own actions. They didn't know the rules of the game with regards to applying a count - probably assuming that the action could be taken off field.