Australian Community Media reported on Monday the Group put forward, at their annual general meeting on Sunday, a one-grade competition from next year.

Clubs voted on the new structure at the meeting but later admitted they didn't understand what they were voting for.

Clubs have been asked to nominate for Group 19 in 2020 but will not find out who or where they will play until after nominations have been done.

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The Group's committee will then make the final decision on whether the competition will either be split into an East and West conference or, after the completion of early rounds, will be split into tiers.

Since we reported the new structure on Monday, clubs have contacted ACM and indicated they would have voted differently if they had realised what they were voting for.

Three clubs who attended the meeting admitted they didn't understand the proposal which was put forward and would change their vote to one of in favour of a first and reserve-grade structure. A further two clubs who weren't at the meeting revealed they would also vote for the first and reserve-grade structure.

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After receiving feedback from the clubs, ACM contacted Greater Northern regional area manager Scott Bone, who said "the clubs need to go back and if there are members of clubs that are not happy, those that are affiliated with clubs need to push back through their clubs to the Group".

ACM asked for feedback from the public on their thoughts on the new structure and received numerous responses with mixed reviews. A handful were in favour of the new structure but the majority were against it, citing, for example, that "this will wreck country football". They are concerned about the sustainability of weaker clubs and bush clubs.

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