The AFL has reportedly canvassed the idea of a Sydney-centred split round to open the 2024 season.
Both AFL Media and the Herald Sun report the league has floated the idea to clubs, which would see Greater Western Sydney face Collingwood on a Saturday night and Sydney playing Melbourne on Sunday afternoon.
Those two matches would take place before the rest of the round one fixture would continue a week later.
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The Herald Sun reports another proposed matchup would see Richmond play Gold Coast, facing off against former coach Damien Hardwick in his first game in charge of the latter.
Collingwood is also reportedly considering playing Brisbane in the Easter Thursday match at the Gabba and then remaining in Queensland for a week to face Gold Coast.
The Blues and the Tigers are also expected to ask to once again open the season on Thursday night.
Under the draft fixture, the teams that played on the earlier weekend would have a bye at some point within the first few weeks of the season in order to square the ledger.
The fixture would aim to make more of an impact in the New South Wales and Queensland markets.
In 2022, the league opened the season with a rematch of the 2021 grand final between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs.
