AFL players will embrace moving the Grand Final to a twilight timeslot

THE players want it, the clubs want it and the TV networks want it. So will the AFL Commission approve a twilight Grand Final for this season?

PLAYERS are prepared to embrace a twilight Grand Final as the AFL Commission has its last chance this year to make a historic switch.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has promised fans the Commission will make a decision on this year’s starting time by the start of the season.

The player union said on Wednesday it would support a twilight Grand Final, with new board member Scott Pendlebury adamant the time was right.

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While the commission’s key agenda item is the potential winding back of GWS zones, this is their last meeting before next Thursday’s season opener.

Pendlebury agrees with AFLPA president Matthew Pavlich, who says the game is a better spectacle at night.

The player union told the Herald Sun it had no objection with a twilight Grand Final, starting as late as 5pm, that would break with over 100 years of tradition.

“Players are committed to working with the industry to grow the game and will support the AFL if it deems a change to the timeslot is appropriate,” an AFLPA spokesman said.

Jason Johannisen celebrates with the premiership cup. Picture: Getty Images

Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury says the entire event would be more spectacular and popular with a twilight start.

“I think the halftime entertainment would be a lot better. You could blackout the stadium and light it all up. I’d like it to happen. The game is ready for it. It has been on the agenda for a while. I think a night Grand Final wouldn’t work,” he told a Collingwood podcast.

McLachlan said late last year a twilight Grand Final was “inevitable” at some stage, but in recent weeks has softened his language on a timeslot change.

It has led to speculation the league might postpone any change until later in its broadcast rights deal.

“Technically, yes (it could be twilight this year), we said we would make a decision before the start of the season,” McLachlan said recently.

“It’s one of those ones, it’s not an agenda item of the meeting, there’s an evolution. At some stage it’s going to happen, I reckon it will happen in this broadcast rights deal.”

One TV industry veteran said a twilight game would be worth $5 million to Seven in ratings and promotion of its TV schedule.

Luke Beveridge in the moments after the Grand Final. Picture: Getty Images

But waiting until later in the six-year TV rights deal for a twilight game might help eventually garner a more lucrative TV rights deal given the worth of a later slot to networks.

Pavlich, who retired last year but remains the AFLPA president, has no objections to a later start.

“As a traditionalist growing up I liked the Grand Final during the day but I have got no issues with a twilight game,” he said.

“It is probably a better spectacle at twilight or night. We have played twilight prelims and it can be a little slippery but players quickly adjust and as a spectacle it’s still as special.”