The Bulldogs are presently being courted by the Ballarat Football League, which wants Gisborne to join its competition next year and become its 12th team.

The Ballarat Football League executive met with the Gisborne committee at Gardiner Reserve on Wednesday night as its push to lure the Bulldogs away from Bendigo stepped up a gear.

The Ballarat executive spent 90 minutes presenting its case to the Gisborne committee.

The Gisborne committee is expected to meet in the coming weeks, before presenting a recommendation on whether to stay in the Bendigo league or join Ballarat for its members to vote on.

“I want this out of the way as soon as possible, because it’s a distraction that we don’t need at the moment,’’ Love said yesterday.

“I would say we would have an answer by then (the end of the home and away season), but I’m not guaranteeing that.

“We want it out of the way so that firstly, the players know what they’re doing; secondly, the committee knows what it’s doing; and thirdly, the supporters know what they’re doing.

“So for the benefit of the club, we would want it out of the way so we can concentrate on the finals.’’

The Ballarat Football League has unsuccessfully tried three times in the past to secure Gisborne.

However, this latest attempt is the furthest discussions have progressed, with Gisborne in the past having refused Ballarat’s overtures before the league has had an opportunity to present its case.

Among the selling points to Gisborne is Ballarat believes the Bulldogs will be at least $35,000 better off per annum through savings in travel, affiliation costs, two less home and away games, and increased gates, with blockbuster games against the likes of Sunbury and fellow eastern bloc clubs.

“Ballarat can’t guarantee us anything, but if their (cost savings) assumptions are reasonably accurate, which I think most of them probably are, then we would be better off in the Ballarat Football League,’’ Love said.

“We now have to sit down and sort the wheat out from the chaff and work out what’s best for the club.

“There are lots of variables that we just don’t know.

“It’s not as though Ballarat is saying, `here’s $35,000 cash, come and play with us’, we have to earn every penny that they reckon we can get.’’

Gisborne joined the Bendigo Football League from the Riddell District Football League in 2000 and has won four senior premierships - 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006.

Gisborne plays Golden Square at Gardiner Reserve tomorrow.