GC17 CHAIRMAN John Witheriff says it's "a bit optimistic" to suggest his bid team is already over the line in regards to securing an AFL license to become the 17th AFL club.

Speaking exclusively to afl.com.au, Witheriff said the AFL needs to be satisfied the GC17 bid team meets its seven criteria before granting it entry into the competition. Witheriff said despite the AFL's "goodwill" towards GC17, he is adamant the AFL commission is "pretty concerned" to make sure a team is delivered on the Gold Coast.

"Gill McLachlan from the AFL has already made the comment that they're going to have to commit many many tens of millions of dollars to the Gold Coast to make it successful, Witheriff said.

"Now unless they're satisfied that the Gold Coast is desirable and that the bid committee is capable of running a sustainable team, then they would much rather suffer any public criticism and a few headlines than fork over many tens of millions of dollars.

"So in my judgment, if we don't get it to happen, they'll be happy to take a few headlines rather than parting with figures – I've heard quoted – of up to $100 million. Frankly, if I was them, I'd be in exactly the same position."

But Witheriff is certain a Gold Coast team will enter the AFL.

"I personally believe the Gold Coast is wanting to get behind an AFL club and I really think this is something the city needs… but I'm not interested in being a director of any company, unless I'm satisfied that it's capable of achieving its commercial outcomes," Witheriff said.

"If after all of this work we can't reach the criteria, then I personally have got some serious questions about whether I'd want to be involved in an organisation going forward that's going to require permanent propping up, so it's great to be optimistic, but there are some hard business heads who will take these decisions."

Witheriff said working part-time, with limited financial resources – although the bid team had received some monetary contributions – had made the task of putting together an AFL club an enormous challenge.

"As a result of that funding we have been able to put on a permanent assistant, one staff member, plus we're able to retain the technical expertise. Other than that, the volunteers are running around and doing all of the work," Witheriff said.

In terms of setting up the football side of the club, Witheriff said triple premiership Brisbane Lions premiership captain Michael Voss had been invaluable with his contributions.

"Michael Voss put his hand up very early in the piece and made it clear – on the basis of what he'd read and the material that he'd seen – unless we did something proactive and took a more active role with the AFL, we would be in a position where we'd be unable to field a competitive team," Witheriff said.

"His advice was respected and he was prepared to put his time in for nothing and some of that intellectual input has been incredibly valuable.

"The board insisted on due process and the sub-committee kept the board informed all the way and they've come up with some significantly positive submissions, which have gone to the AFL committee and they're working through those now."

Witheriff said ultimately GC17's plans were all pointing towards a successful team. 

"This is all for naught if we produce a football team that can't win. We say; 'we're on a journey to create to the most exciting sporting club in Australia'. But equally, what we're saying is; 'we're on a journey to build a very successful AFL side'," Witheriff said.

"So our rationale is not to build a football side that wins a premiership in year one; our vision is to build a football side that will be competitive in year one and will look to achieving the goal of winning a premiership in five or six years time.

"We'll end up with a very young team, but we've got to get a team with more balance in it. There is no good running around with a team of 18 or 20-year-olds and expect they'll survive in the tough environment of Australian Football.

"We had to come up with a way of going to the AFL's committee and make submissions to them about a process that would ensure that we would achieve our goals in a competitive outcome, but did not detract from the strength of the competition generally."

Check afl.com.au later today for an edited transcript of Matt Burgan's Q & A with John Witheriff.

View video highlights of the Witheriff interview by clicking here.