More football in 2023? AFL floats NRL-style ‘magic round’ at CEOs’ meeting

A radical proposal to introduce an extra round to the AFL season in 2023 was tabled at Monday’s CEOs’ meeting in a move that could add $1 million to each club’s coffers.

The idea is based on the NRL’s “magic round” and would involve all 18 clubs playing nine games in one state with no home ground advantage, adding tourism dollars to state coffers and showcasing the game outside Victoria.

A club source said there had been interest from state governments outside Victoria about the proposal and AFL clubs from NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia are supportive of exploring the possibility.

The concept is still at the idea stage and would need to be incorporated into collective bargaining negotiations that are due to get under way soon and also discussed with broadcasters who just signed off on a record-breaking $4.5 billion broadcast deal that underpins the competition for the next nine years.

If the proposal is taken up then the season would run for 24 rounds with each team playing 23 matches and allow teams to play seven other teams twice.

There is a sense that the pre-season matches are meaningless other than as a tune-up for games played for premiership points and that an extra round that adds to the game’s coffers as it emerges from COVID-19 is worth considering, with indications at the CEOs’ meeting being that it would be played early in the season.

The AFL is also hopeful that as it bounces out of COVID it may be able to make a bigger imprint in other states via the extra round.

In the NRL’s magic round, all fixtures are played at the one venue. The concept is seen as possible in the AFL after its experiences during the pandemic, playing multiple games at the same venue. The round would include a festival of football in the state where the game is played.