CLUB captains called on the AFL to reintroduce curtain-raiser games to the home and away season and investigate creating a national second-tier competition when they met the Commission this week.
In their annual lunch with the Commission and members of the executive, it is understood the captains raised the idea of each club having its own standalone 'reserves' side and returning to a former era when the games were staged before AFL contests.
The concept is believed to have garnered support among the players, who met with the League's administrators at AFL House after their open media session at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday morning.
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Fifteen of the regular club captains were in attendance, while Nat Fyfe (Fremantle), Michael Rischitelli (Gold Coast) and Brad Ebert (Port Adelaide) stood in for their regular skippers Matthew Pavlich, Gary Ablett and Travis Boak, who were unavailable.
There is an understanding among the players that a national second-tier competition would need to find a place alongside the VFL, WAFL, SANFL and other state leagues, but it was suggested the plan would aid development by playing against AFL-listed opponents each week.
There is also a belief that bringing back curtain-raisers would add to the fan experience, given the pre-match games largely left the AFL landscape in the early 2000s.
Of the non-Victorian sides, West Coast and Fremantle are the only clubs without standalone second-tier teams, although they are closely aligned with WAFL clubs East Perth and Peel Thunder respectively.
Essendon, Collingwood, Richmond, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs have standalone sides competing in the VFL, with the remaining Victorian clubs working under the affiliate model.
The captains' thoughts came as the AFL announced its former commissioner, Bill Kelty, would head a review of the country's second-tier competitions this year.
An AFL spokesperson said the captains' opinions were part of a broad discussion and that the League is committed to undertaking Kelty's study into game development.
The discussion with the commissioners also included a request from several players to avoid any drastic changes to the interchange cap, reaffirming a common view among the playing fraternity that cutting the limit from 120 to 80 rotations would be too significant.
It is understood it was expressed by some players that it would be better to scrap the substitute rule altogether, sharing an opinion with coaches who have previously voiced their disapproval of the green vest.
