FRANKSTON is on the verge of reaching its bold goal of 1000 paid-up members as it prepares to state its case for readmission into the Victorian Football League.

It is a significant achievement and would rank the Dolphins third in the VFL behind only Williamstown and Port Melbourne if they were still in the competition. The number was short of 500 at the start of May.

AFL Victoria announced in September last year – during AFL Grand Final week – that Frankston would not receive a VFL licence for 2017 in response to a pokies-related debt of $1.5 million.

The debt is now $410,000 and will be paid off in four annual payments starting in September, thanks in large part to the State Government waiving most of the $500,000 it was owed.

Former Hawthorn champion Gary Buckenara has served as the club's general manager since February and will spearhead its presentation to AFL Victoria on July 24. The meeting was set for June 30, but was postponed because of the unavailability of key people.

"We're working towards our submission to AFL Victoria and our membership is up to about 950," Buckenara told AFL.com.au.

"We haven’t got a team, so that's pretty amazing … people have really supported us.

"We'll still find out at the end of July if we get (our VFL licence) back, which I'm confident we will, because we have to get a coach and team together and need a bit of planning time."

Western Bulldogs premiership players Matthew Boyd and Tory Dickson, Melbourne's Michael Hibberd, Tiger Sam Lloyd, Swan Nic Newman and Essendon's Mark Baguley are ex-Dolphins.