The Victorian Country Football League, in its submission to the AFL-commissioned review into country footy, has listed Warrnambool as the next city that needs an AFL-standard facility.

Chief executive officer Steven Reaper said Reid Oval was the VCFL’s preferred venue to be improved.

But the VCFL could not fund such an upgrade on its own.

“Warrnambool’s been an ongoing issue,” Reaper said.

“We have been working with the local council to try and get some dollars to start something.”

The VCFL wanted Reid Oval to become a premier facility and a process was in place from its end to facilitate funds, he said.

Reaper said the VCFL had an “involvement” with AFL Victoria, the AFL and Sport and Recreation Victoria.

The VCFL had committed $500,000 over the next five years through its Country Football Netball Program to help with the upgrading of facilities and called on the AFL, in its submission, to contribute $1 million a year over the same period.

It offered the AFL a second option of contributing less than $1 million a year but allowing large regional city councils “direct access” to the AFL facility development reserve for upgrades that met AFL and VCFL objectives.

In its submission, the VCFL revealed that Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Morwell and Wangaratta (later this year) had AFL-standard facilities.

“The CFNP premier facility strategy has been highly successful and should continue, with development to be focused on Warrnambool, Mildura, Colac and Swan Hill in the next three years,” the submission said.

It listed Colac as a priority to have a venue upgraded to VCFL “premier facility standard” status, which is below AFL standard, but above average in rural areas.

The VCFL’s submissions come as Warrnambool City Council prepares to start a long-awaited upgrade of Reid Oval, having allocated $100,000 in this financial year’s budget.

But about $2 million in works is needed to get Reid Oval to AFL standard.

grbest@standard.fairfax.com.au