AFL boss Gillon McLachlan declares 2016 Grand Final will start at 2.30pm

GILLON McLachlan’s determination to retain tradition has helped keep the AFL from a twilight Grand Final this year.

2010 Grand Final REPLAY. St Kilda v Collingwood. MCG. The first bounce to start the game. Wide shot. Great Southern Stand. Crowd.

GILLON McLachlan’s determination to retain tradition has helped keep the AFL from a twilight Grand Final this year.

The October 1 contest will start at 2.30pm.

AFL chief executive McLachlan revealed a split among the league’s nine commissioners at a meeting on Thursday, in which some pushed for a twilight Grand Final.

He said “incumbency prevailed”, but a twilight Grand Final was inevitable at some point.

With the time still not set in stone earlier this week, some of the AFL’s most senior club presidents had pushed for a twilight or night Grand Final, but McLachlan said the AFL commissioners had come out on the side of tradition — but only narrowly.

“It was a long discussion and there is an appetite to look at a different start time in future, but on balance the prevailing view is tradition prevailed and it will start at 2.30pm this year,’’ McLachlan said.

“It was an evenly split conversation. Probably half in the room were very keen for it to stay where it is and half wanted to have a look at twilight.

“In the end when a room is divided incumbency prevails. If you are divided in your views you stay where you are. I am personally looking forward to a 2.30pm Grand Final.”

The Seven Network is on record in pushing for a night Grand Final — believing it would generate even better ratings — but respects the AFL’s wishes.

McLachlan was adamant Seven would not attempt to force the AFL’s hand with a financial lure.

“No, money is irrelevant. It is (about) creating the best possible sporting event for our supporters and clearly there are aspects to twilight or night that mean the broader event could be better and on the other side of the fence our game is one of the oldest competitions in the world and has been played at 2.30pm on Saturday for a long time.

“That is the debate and the balance. I am sure we will have a look at twilight at some point.”

The AFL Commission has already rubber-stamped playing a game on Good Friday but the AFL’s executive is yet to put that match into motion.

It is possible under the first year of the new TV rights deal the 2017 season could feature a historic double — Good Friday footy and a twilight Grand Final.