Unveiled at the Bacchus Marsh Football Club on, AFL Goldfields clubs will receive a combined $471,097 over the next three years as the AFL eliminates affiliation fees.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said the increased availability of funds for local clubs would lay the foundation for a strong future for country football.

"Local football clubs are often the heart of local communities, especially here in Victoria," he said.

"Community football is the cornerstone of our game and underpins all aspects of our national sport.

"We understand the challenges faced in Victorian country football communities, especially with a change in demographics and community expectations, so it's vital we continue to invest our support into volunteers, coaches, players, facilities and umpires who are the lifeblood of regional communities.

"This funding, when coupled with the support already in place through the work of AFL Victoria, provides a platform for long-term growth in community football and an opportunity to reboot the community that fuels the game at the grassroots level."

AFL Goldfields commercial manager and Newlyn Football Netball Club president Simon Dwyer echoed McLachlan's sentiments, calling the announcement "extremely exciting."

"I think it's going to assist clubs enormously to lessen the financial burden that some of them may find... It's certainly going to alleviate some of the financial stress and volunteer stress some clubs are put under," he said.

One aspect Dwyer believes will be pivotal in assisting clubs is a volunteer assistance program, to help clubs struggling to provide its own volunteers to assist on weekends.

"They've put in place an emergency fund that clubs can apply for and gain assistance through, whether that be for facilities or financial planning.

"At the grassroots level it's going to be great for clubs that may not be getting the assistance from club volunteers."

Central Highlands Football League president Eddy Comelli praised the announcement and said it is something he has been working towards for a number of years.

"It's going to help all the clubs in the region," he said.

"It is difficult for every club to come up with the money involved with running a club so it's certainly a very good result and something we've been fighting for since we formed our coalition of independent footy leagues and disgruntled footy leagues out in Bungaree."

Comelli said the initiative of the AFL to remove its affiliation fees will have a huge effect on all clubs to stay in operation, however relented even if the initiative came in years ago it would not have been enough to save Smythesdale from going under.

"The Smythesdale situation was a one off situation that the club found itself in... I don't think it would have made any difference."

Comelli told The Courier the next thing he would like the AFL to address is the cost of regional Auskick programs, as he said the current fee dissuades families from entering children into the sport and may be taking away future stars from the game.

"The next step we need to take is lowering or alleviating the costs of Auskick... I don't think eight and nine year old kids should be charged $80 to play footy."

Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.