After a week of emotional debate, including arguments that Farrer League clubs should go their own way, senior AFL NSW-ACT official Marc Geppert said he hopes clubs and the governing body find a common middle ground.

"I think a lot of the feedback is very valid and the AFL Riverina board will need to consider that feedback and decide whether or not there'll be some slight changes," Geppert said.

"But there's still some fundamental issues, especially in the Farrer League, that regardless of a restructure need to be addressed. The under 17.5s competition is a great example of that."

Geppert said registration numbers show a decline across the Farrer League clubs in recent years while Riverina League numbers have grown.

He doesn't believe the tidal wave of opinion should spell the end for a review nearly four years in the making.

Many clubs appear united in anger over the restructure right now but, by their nature, have conflicting priorities between themselves when it comes to what matters most in their own backyards.

"It doesn't throw the whole process out the window. I suppose it provides opportunities for the AFL Riverina board to look at things a little bit differently and tinker with a few things," Geppert said.

"The issue we've got is there are 18 (senior) clubs all with individual needs and none of them are the same.

"Some of them are big clubs, some of them are small clubs. Some want same day footy (seniors and juniors), some can't have same day footy.

"To have a structure that lines up with all of those needs is basically impossible."

Geppert said he hasn't been surprised by the passionate reaction, saying the proposed changes are the biggest in 40 years.

Most consternation in the Farrer League concerns the move to a tiered 'community' competition. The declaration of new competition names, wiping more than 60 years of history (and 40 years for the Riverina League), was a step too far for many football followers..

"I think the messaging has been pretty consistent and that's based around the history and tradition that goes, probably more so, with the Farrer League," he said.

"I think that's something the AFL Riverina board need to take into account, (considering) how do we retain the history of these competitions while planning for the future?"

Gepprt was at pains to point out that it's not AFL NSW-ACT calling the shots on competitions, but the independent AFL Riverina board.

As the state's regional manager he is one of six members, alongside five volunteers.

"I think that's an important point to make. The AFL can't make these decisions under the governance model," he said.

"Ultimately the AFL Riverina board will make the decisions on the competition changes and the structures of competitions... the AFL Riverina board is elected by the clubs and they are representatives of the clubs.

"The best way to get change is to either form part of that board or be in constant consultation with that board around the challenges that the clubs have.

"I think it's easy for everyone to bash the AFL. But the AFL is here to support the league in making those decisions and helping facilitate that. We aren't the ultimate decision makers in this process."

Geppert said the AFL Riverina board deserved credit for being proactive in commissioning a review.

He said it had set out to look after clubs which may struggle for numbers in coming years, which is why the 'community competition' offers options for clubs without all grades.

At the same time, the 'premier league' option is designed to keep raising the bar in playing standard and professionalism for clubs which are thriving.

Different salary caps and player points limits between the competitions is another sticking point, with Farrer League clubs fearing their league is being pushed down while the Riverina League equivalent is raised up.

"We still want the Farrer League, or the community league, to be able to attract good players," Geppert said.

"A lot of those clubs rely on recruits, based on small junior bases and being geographically isolated. But if you look over recent years, the numbers, especially in the under 17.5s have been an issue and more of an issue in the Farrer than the RFL."

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