A DECISION on whether there is a NEAFL season in 2020 and how it might look is expected to be made as early as this week.

AFL.com.au understands the AFL's head of talent pathways and state league competitions, Tristan Salter, presented two proposals to clubs last week and is awaiting feedback.

NINE THINGS WE LEARNED The Crows are a bottom-four team

The first of those would see the five non-AFL clubs – Aspley, Canberra, Redland, Southport and Sydney Uni – play an eight-game home and away season against the Brisbane, Gold Coast, GWS Giants and Sydney academies.

AFL-listed senior players are banned from competing in second-tier competitions this year, as part of the League's strict medical protocols designed to help ward off the COVID-19 risk.

The alternative proposal is for there to be no AFL club academies involved.

BARRETT Keep your 'club-killing' ideas to yourself, Jeff

Instead, Aspley, Canberra, Redland, Southport and Sydney Uni would play each other twice, in what would also be an eight-match campaign.

It's believed at least two of those NEAFL clubs are seriously weighing up whether or not they want to play at all this year.

There are ongoing discussions around the future of the VFL and NEAFL competitions, with the potential of the latter folding into an extended VFL from 2021 that takes in the eastern seaboard.

How that would look like is still being determined.

Non-selected players from Brisbane, Gold Coast, the Giants and Sydney forming one super side is one highly unlikely option.

Another could see those clubs join forces with four of the stronger NEAFL teams, while there is even a push in some quarters for an eastern seaboard AFL reserves competition.