The Ballarat league is attempting to lure Gisborne from the Bendigo Football League as its 12th team for next season.

Ballarat has sent a proposal to Gisborne, which was discussed for the first time at committee level by the Bulldogs on Wednesday night.

“We have agreed to talk to the Ballarat Football League,’’ Gisborne president Graeme Love said yesterday.

“We have got the okay from the committee to talk to Ballarat, and that’s where it’s at at the moment.

“We would be very silly if we didn’t look at it and talk to them, but we have to work through whether or not it’s advantageous for us to go . . . we just don’t know yet.’’

This year marks Gisborne’s 10th season in the BFL, after the Bulldogs joined the competition from the Riddell District Football League in 2000.

Since Gisborne’s inception, the Bulldogs raised the bar of the BFL in winning four flags between 2002 and 2006.

“We’re happy in the Bendigo Football League, but as I have said, we would be silly if we don’t look at Ballarat’s proposal,’’ Love said.

“That doesn’t mean we have to accept it though.’’

Three times in the past Gisborne has rejected offers from Ballarat to join, the most recent being in 2003.

“We’re obviously pleased we will get a forum with Gisborne, but there’s still a lot of water to go under the bridge yet, so there’s no point getting too excited,’’ Ballarat Football League chief executive Rod Ward said.

“I would imagine Gisborne would delay any decision before the end of the season, because they won’t want to distract their on-field pursuit of another flag.

“We would like to think maybe we would get an opportunity to have an information night with their members before the end of the season.

“But I would imagine Gisborne wouldn’t look at having a vote on any possible move until the end of the season.’’

Bendigo Football League chief executive officer Steven Oliver said the league has made its position clear to Gisborne that it wants the Bulldogs to remain part of the competition.

Bendigo will put its case to Gisborne once the Bulldogs have received all their information from Ballarat.