Ottens became the seventh player with AFL experience on Yarrawonga's list, alongside dual Coleman medallist Brendan Fevola and ex-Richmond forward Kayne Pettifer.

One of the seven, ex-Port Adelaide and Kangaroos player Michael Stevens has since announced his retirement.

Pigeons co-coach Chris Kennedy said the club had been on the receiving end of "a lot of jealousy" but "it's just underrated how hard we've worked to get where we are".

"We sat down as a club and tried to work out what our point of difference was from other Ovens and Murray clubs and we identified that our town's demographic was retirees and tourists," Kennedy said. "We knew that if we could put on a show, people would come to our town because they love it for the golf and the water."

Kennedy said the catalyst for Yarrawonga's revived fortunes was a unique $20 membership, initially aimed at the Murray River tourist town's retirees.

"We ended up selling about 400 a couple of years ago, then we tapped into the tourists with them as well and we sold 1000. That generated $28,000, and those members have kept coming back."

Kennedy urged other country footy clubs in tourist areas to consider low-cost memberships for fans likely to attend only a few matches.

"Echuca could do it, Cobram and Barooga could do it - any town along the river could tap into the tourists," he said.

Such has been the success of its membership program, Yarrawonga is considering running a seminar to teach its business plan to other clubs.

Kennedy, whose family owns holiday units in Yarrawonga and Mulwala, said Fevola's recruitment last year had given tourists a reason to visit the region in winter.

"The whole idea about AFL players is not just about winning, it's about making the town more viable in the off-season," he said.

"We only have a population of 6000 and we're fighting a population of 50,000 (in Albury), so we had to do something. What we're doing is not that difficult that other clubs couldn't do it, too."