League officials have expressed concern about the future of the Ararat Eagles after another heavy senior football defeat.
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The Eagles were belted by Great Western on Saturday, 79.41 (515) to 1.0 (6) in the Mininera and District league match.
Eagles president Nats McRoberts said the side was stretched ultra-thin on Saturday, with several players playing both reserves and seniors.
"We ended up with about 14 on the ground at the end of the game," Mr McRoberts said.
"Our boys were cheered off the ground by both sets of fans, just to acknowledge their effort.
"A handful of blokes didn't turn up on Saturday as well, which is the frustrating thing.
"We've been copping some hidings, and it's a credit to the blokes that go out there week in, week out."
League president John Box said it was a shame to see such a one-sided result.
"I can't see any sense in a side kicking 79 goals in a game of footy," Mr Box said.
"Ararat have battled hard all year to get two sides on the park and it hasn't been easy for them. It's disappointing to see a side kicking that many goals on them.
"It doesn't benefit Great Western or the Ararat Eagles. It ruins them a lot more than people realise."
Mr Box said he would encourage other teams not to seek similar thrashings.
"I just had a look at the draw and their last four games - I'll probably call up the clubs and ask them to maybe take it a bit easy," Mr Box said.
"It is a bad look for the league."
The result on Saturday was the ninth time the Eagles have been beaten by more than 200 points this season.
Mr Box said the results had forced the league to review Ararat's position.
"It's definitely something we have to look at next year - they can't do what they've done this season, they have to improve," Mr Box said.
"The players would be gutted. You have to wonder, how would they feel about turning up next week?
"We're giving them all the backing that we can, but they just don't have enough helpers there at the moment."
Mr McRoberts said he knew it was always going to be a tough season after the club nearly went into recess three weeks prior to the opening round.
Mr McRoberts said the club were considering not fielding a reserves side for the remainder of the season.
"It all stems from back at the start of the year - we were always going to be up against it, and this is the outcome," he said.
"Maybe we will just focus on the seniors and put the twos by the wayside.
"Hopefully we can get our stuff together in the off-season and get two teams on the park next year."
AFL Victoria Country Western District general manager Rod Ward said change was forthcoming.
"Nobody likes to see a result like that," Mr Ward said.
"We had a commission meeting mid-week, and one of the outcomes was we are going to review the structure of the Mininera league.
"We're fully committed to supporting any club that wants to have a sustainable future, but certainly the results this year are a major concern to us."
Mr Ward said AFL Victoria Country would give the Eagles their utmost support.
"I spoke with Ararat's president Nats McRoberts two weeks ago ... and we'll be trying to identify the best ways for us to support the club moving forward," Mr Ward said.