Pat Millear, Brendan Kelly and Robert Fraser have decided to vacate their positions on the board after serving their two year term.

Mininera and district league life member John Box was appointed and will fill one of the vacant roles in the 2017 season.

Box, who now lives in Ballarat, has long been involved with the league and SMW Rovers.

League chairman David Watson said the league was close to finalising the other two replacements.

“The names just need to be approved by the other board members before we announce anything officially,” he said.

“So it will not be too long before we are back to a full board.”

The league will also introduce a salary cap for the 2017 season.

The cap will be set at $60,000 per team with club’s getting 12 months to adjust to the new system without punishment for exceeding the limit.

Watson said that the league will not strictly enforce the new cap while clubs are getting used to it.

“It would be in their best interests to follow it next year though,” he said.

“It will be enforced from the start of the 2018 season which gives clubs plenty of time to get things in place.”

AFL Western District regional manager Lachy Patterson said it was an area clubs said needed attention next year.

"When we surveyed clubs, 83 per cent of people surveyed said something needed to be done around the impact of player payments,” he said.

"We understand the timing is not great which is why we are really keen to work with the clubs and leagues to fully understand the policy before it gets fully implemented in 2018.”

Patterson said the plan was always to give clubs a period to get used to the policy before enforcing it.

"Based on the feedback from clubs, there needed to be a conservative educational stage,” he said.

“That is what next year will be and we will be working with the clubs to ensure they are ready for 2018.”