Mininera and District president John Box confirmed to The Courier on Thursday afternoon that a vote by member clubs had gone against the Bulldogs.

He didn't wish to expand on how many clubs voted against Smythesdale’s transfer request, but it is understood the Bulldogs needed 75 per cent of the competition’s 12 existing teams to give them the green light.

“Our clubs and the league board have spent a lot of time considering Smythesdale’s application. We don’t want to see any club without a league to play in but our clubs, rightly, have to consider their interests first,” Box said in a statement.

“We thank Smythesdale for expressing an interest in joining the MDFL and are appreciative for the consideration our clubs gave to this application.”

The news is a shattering blow for Smythesdale, which remains without a league to play football and netball in next year.

Smythesdale's request to join the Maryborough Castlemaine District league was blocked in September this year and a subsequent appeal to AFL Victoria also failed.

Following that, the Central Highlands league - which has been the club's home since 2011 - indicated it did not want the Bulldogs back in season 2019.

From there, the approach to Mininera and District gained momentum, but has amounted to nothing.

Bulldogs president John Cranny was a disappointed man when contacted by The Courier on Thursday afternoon, saying people at the club had been acting angrily at the news.

He said it was like his club was a virus that nobody wanted to touch.

“Whatever they (Mininera and District clubs) wanted us to do we would do because we have a club that wants to play footy and netball,” he said.

Cranny said the most likely scenario was that Smythesdale would now go into recess throughout the 2019 season.

“We can apply for Colac and District league maybe, but it’s all too late now,” he said.

Watch our reaction video with Tim O’Connor and Daniel Short.