Adelaide-based football administrators are understood to have given local representatives of the three South East leagues just five months to map out a blueprint for 2024.

The SE Voice understands the July deadline was revealed at the first meeting of the SE Football and Netball Working Group on Wednesday afternoon.

The SANFL summoned the nine members of the working group to the new Wulanda Sport and Recreation Centre in Mount Gambier for the 4pm closed forum.

The meeting was chaired by SANFL-appointed presiding member and Port Lincoln football identity Tony Irvine.

SANFL officials Shaun Ford and Scott Duncan were also present.

According to a source, the hour-long meeting was of an introductory nature and no date was set for a follow-up meeting.

The identity of the working group members was revealed by the SANFL eight days ago along with the composition of three other new sub-committees: Junior, League and Senior Club.

The League sub-committee also met at Wulanda on Tuesday night.

SANFL officialdom has repeatedly stated for several months the current three league structure in the Limestone Coast will finish at the end of 2023.

At present, the region includes one of the most stable competitions of its size anywhere in the nation as the nine-club Mid South East Football League has had only one change in composition in almost 60 years.

On the other hand, multiple withdrawals and mergers over the past decade or so have prompted both the Western Border and Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara leagues to contract.