A RADICAL overhaul of the fixture will be one of the headline acts when club CEOs meet with the AFL in Melbourne on Thursday.

The League has provided clubs with a list of alternative fixture models to consider ahead of the discussion, with at least five options being canvassed ranging from the current model to a 17-5 model to a conference model. 

While the AFL remains tight-lipped about the detail of the options, AFL.com.au understands the '17-5 model' is in line with an idea AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan aired in August last year. 

Under that proposal all clubs would play each other once in their first 17 games before the competition is split into three groups of six according to each club's ladder position (which could be after round 18 depending on byes).

The top six teams would then play each other once in the remaining five rounds for their position in the finals, the middle six teams would compete for seventh and eighth position and the bottom six teams would fight for draft positions. 

When McLachlan flagged that idea last year some clubs were concerned that it might limit the number of blockbuster games such as the Showdown and Western Derby to one per season.

Other clubs were worried about the effect on equalisation of having the bottom six teams vying for draft selections.

However such a system would also ensure the supporters of all clubs – as well as players – remain engaged from the start to the finish of a season. 

Last season Richmond was 12^th after 17 games but managed to win the last five games to sneak into the eight.

Gold Coast was sitting 10^th after 17 games having started to slide down the ladder from eighth spot after Gary Ablett was injured in round 16. 

The eventual top six for 2014 was in place after 17 games last season with Collingwood dropping from sixth after 15 games to ninth after 17 and eventually to 11^th. 

The current fixture is a weighted system splitting teams into three groups of six according to where they finished the previous season. 

It means that clubs play sides closer to them on the ladder from last year more often than the clubs that finished much higher or much lower than them. 

The fixture for the opening six rounds of 2015 has been praised as it has contained more games of evenly matched teams, creating high levels of interest for supporters of all clubs and less predictable results. 

Clubs are also expected to discuss the review of the illicit drugs policy as well as the father-son bidding system when they meet on Thursday.