The club's 10-member committee met last week to consider a proposal to join the Ballarat Football League and voted in favour of becoming the league's 12th team next year.

Club president Graeme Love said the next stage of the process would be to put the proposal to its members for possible endorsement.

"There will be a meeting of all the members of the Gisborne Football-Netball Club on September 15.

"It will now be up to the members to decide what they want to do."

If the members support the move to the Ballarat Football League, Gisborne will need to forward a clearance application to the Bendigo Football League.

"There's still a couple of steps left to go," Love said.

"The Victorian Country Football League will still have to OK it first."

The Ballarat Football League has made three previous unsuccessful attempts to lure the Bulldogs. Its proposal cited financial advantages including reduced travel costs and club rivalries as benefits of the move.

Last month, Ballarat Football League chief executive Rob War told the Telegraph that securing Gisborne would create a balance of six Ballarat-based clubs and six eastern clubs.

Gisborne Football Club is celebrating its 10th season in the Bendigo Football League after moving from the Riddell District Football League.

The Bulldogs have won four premierships between 2002 and 2006.