'Absolutely pathetic': Plan to penalise winning junior teams savaged

An AFL Queensland proposal to deduct points from junior teams who win by too many points has been panned by former Hawks star Campbell Brown.

First reported by The Courier Mail, clubs in South-East Queensland have been worded up about a rule change that would see teams who win by 90 or more points be docked ‘E-Points’.

Clubs can also lose points for poor behaviour from parents or spectators, as well as unsportsmanlike behaviour from the players themselves.

Team could lose as many as three ‘E-Points’ if they win games by 150 points or more.

Brown, who won a premiership with Hawthorn in 2008 before becoming a member of the Gold Coast Suns in 2011, took to Twitter to ridicule the move.

“Absolutely pathetic rule by AFL QLD,” he wrote.

“Who comes up with this garbage? Deduct premiership pts for winning by too much. What terrible lessons it teaches juniors.”

AFL Queensland’s ‘E-Points’ system bears similarities to similar rulesets in place in NSW and Western Australia.

Star Magpie Beams steps away from AFL

Star Collingwood midfielder Dayne Beams has stepped away from the AFL indefinitely to concentrate on his mental health.

Beams played nine games with the Magpies this year after returning from a stint with Brisbane, but did not feature after round 11 as he took a break to deal with mental health issues.

"Trying to improve my quality of life and meet the demands of playing and training for football at the elite level continues to be a struggle," Beams said in a club statement released on Friday.

"My health and football have come to feel like competing priorities, which is not a position that is helping or enabling me to meet my responsibilities.

"I have been trying to meet this challenge for a number of years but, with a series of debilitating recent injuries and my mental health a work in progress, I have reached a point where I know that stepping away from football is necessary.

"I want to thank all who have supported me and my family. I look forward to a brighter future."

WITH AAP