Due to the strength of the Southern Districts zone, the South Australian National Football League zone this year assigned River Murray to the South East.

The South East zone previously consisted of representatives from Western Borders, Mid South East and Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara Football Leagues.

The Southern Districts side, which featured the Hills, River Murray, Great Southern and Southern Football Leagues, have won four of the past five titles at the championships.

However the entire Southern Districts side, including the RMFL, will now boycott the championships because they believe it does not make geographical sense to change the zoning arrangements.

The decision was made after a meeting between the presidents of the Southern Districts zone and SANFL delegates, which failed to find a solution to the problem.

RMFL president Mick O'Hara said he was dissatisfied with the result of the meeting.

"We are very disappointed with the outcome," he said.

"We are back to square one."

A solution to the problem looks far from imminent, with O'Hara saying the RMFL would refuse to be a part of the South East zone next year as well.

"We will not be going there next year either," he said.

"We are hoping they (the SANFL) will call another meeting soon so we can sort something out for next year.

"We don't want a repeat of this situation."

O'Hara said the main reason for the decision was that it did not make geographical sense for players to travel as far as Mount Gambier or Naracoorte to attend trainings.

He said he believed it was wrong to separate the River Murray from sister competitions of Great Southern, Hills and Southern leagues, which they regularly play association matches against and have a close affiliation with.

“All leagues are within a close distance of each other, whereas the River Murray is a long way from the other leagues that make up the South East zone,” O'Hara said.

Despite the RMFL's decision, some of its players will still play for the South East zone, but under their club's banner and not the league’s.

Several high-profile RMFL players also voiced their disappointment that the RMFL and the SANFL could not work out a solution to the problem.