Casterton Sandford Football and Netball Club has acted quickly to lodge a new application to join the Mid South Eastern Football League, only days after its initial application was rejected.

And the Victorian side has accused the SANFL of backflipping on a promise to approve its move from the Western Border Football League to the MSE competition.

Last week the SANFL refused the club’s application to enter the Mid South Eastern competition in 2023.

In announcing its decision, the SANFL investigation committee indicated that any application for transfer under similar conditions submitted in 2023 would be accepted, with a revised 15-team competition identified as a potential model.

However, Casterton Sandford president Dylan Ayton released a video statement 24 hours after the decision, in which he announced his club would immediately lodge a new application.

“At this stage we really are pressing ahead, we believe there is actually not an appeals process but there’s a process where we can reapply before the end of the month,” he said.

“We are really confident and moving in a positive nature towards this reapplication with new information which has become available since our application was processed, we believe a few factors have really influenced the commission’s decision which we are really disappointed in.”

“We believe the commission has potentially focused too much on what is going to happen over the border with football in general rather than what our needs are,” Ayton said.

“Including the commission thought this would be a rushed decision, for us members … we have known for five or six years we need a change and we have been asked by SANFL to let them deal with it.”

Mr Ayton said, to the SANFL’s credit, extensive research had been undertaken using previously gathered information plus through speaking with all interested parties.

“In saying that clearly the report that has come back from the commission is they do not accept they have had time to deal with that well, we believe they have had plenty of time to deal with this, in fact they have had 10 years since Western Border went back to six clubs plus they have also had three to four years of knowing that we really needed this change and the Western Border would be left with five teams if this did happen.

“This change could be implemented in the very near future for 2023 like we were promised and told, more in particular we were promised by the SANFL that our application would be accepted and our members were all here and saw that so we are not going to hide from that, we are all pretty disappointed that somewhere along the line that has been backflipped on.”

Mr Ayton said he understood there would be big implications if the club did move to the Mid South Eastern league, however change needed to occur.

“This is our time now, we are going to push forward with it, we are going to push forward with this reapplication,” he said.

“We know whatever happens this year we are going to push through and be really positive and keep on growing our club.

“Over the next couple of weeks we will work through with the SANFL how this reapplication looks.

“Our belief is this is the direction forward and we have been firm for that since our members vote which was shown with 98% of votes.”

A SANFL spokesperson declined to comment on Mr Ayton’s statement or news the club would be reapplying to join the Mid South Eastern competition.

“We will review any new application if and when we receive one,” the spokesperson said.