The Ballarat Football League board has launched an immediate review into the competition's senior football representative program.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The BFL was left stunned by a 74-point hiding at the hands of Hampden at Mars Stadium on Saturday - 20.15 (135) to 8.13 (61).
BFL co-chairmen Wayne Baker and Robert Allan, speaking just minutes after the match, said a review was already under way, with informal discussions taking place.
Baker said the outcome was disappointing for all involved.
He said there was no questioning the commitment and effort of the players who put up their hands to line up - many of them young and still in the formative years of their playing career.
Baker said the review would focus on why so many of the BFL's best chose not to take part and what it would take to reverse this trend.
The BFL was without many players who would have been first-choice selections if available - a stark contrast to Hampden, which had the cream of its crop in Bottle Green.
Baker and Allan said there was no question about the BFL staying in the championships.
They said as far as they were concerned that was non-negotiable.
"We need to foster it and do it better."
Allan said the first step in the review would most likely be a meeting with club presidents and secretaries, as well as interleague coaching staff.
He said players would also be engaged in the process.
"We need to have everyone on board. It's their league, not our's.
"Everyone needs to buy in."
BFL coach Chris Stuhldreier used the same terminology as Allan in addressing the future of interleague football for the BFL post-match.
He said if the competition was to be part of it, everybody had to "buy in".
Stuhldreier said it was disappointing that not all players had been encouraged to be part of the program.
In the coaching role for the first time, Stuhldreier said he would be prepared to take on the job again, but there would have to be changes.
He said he could not have been happier with the committment of the players who had stepped out in the navy blue.
After starting out with a "wish-list" of more than 50, he finished up with a minimal pool to select from.
Stuhldreier said perhaps an under-25 competition might be better, with most players in that age bracket still with a lot to play for in pressing for higher honours and buidling their own brand.
He said unfortunately the performance against Hampden did nothing to enhance the reputation of the BFL or individuals..
Baker and Allan said the community championships offered leagues, clubs and players an opportunity to showcase themselves.
They said these games had traditionally often opened up opportunities for players to further their careers and acted as a tool for in clubs' recruiting strategies.