Tungamah, Shepparton East and Katandra swelled the numbers of MFL clubs to 15 following a special meeting at Nathalia with the other former Picola club, Dookie, joining the Kyabram District league after the four clubs had an initial preference to stick together in 2018.

The MFL season kicked off at Easter.

But the league has worked around the clock to accommodate three additional teams into a revised fixture which includes Shepparton East hosting Tungamah this weekend.

Another catch-up match, Tungamah and Katandra, will be played in early July.

AFL Goulburn Murray general manager Martin Gleeson confirmed the arrangements were only for 2018 and talks would commence shortly on the structure of leagues in the region for next year and beyond.

There is already a push underway to reform the old Tungamah league which was disbanded at end of 1995 with Tungamah, Shepparton East, Katandra and Dookie all former clubs in addition to Katamatite, which has remained in the Picola league this season, and Congupna, which is in the Murray league.

Mr Gleeson said the Picola league, which was cut adrift from AFL Victoria for not signing up to an affiliation agreement, would be invited back to the discussion table.

“We still hold out hope for the Picola league to want to affiliate into the future.

“They are all things that will be resolved over the next few months.

“The Picola will have the first right of refusal to affiliate in 2019 and we hold out hope they would.

“It will ultimately be their call, but it won’t be left until the end of the season that is for sure.”

Meanwhile, the Ovens and Murray Football-Netball League season started last weekend without its affiliation agreement with AFL North-East Border being signed off.