In a season where AFL chief Gillon McLachlan informally discussed with coaches the benefits of playing an attractive brand of football, the average number of stoppages per game increased by more than four from 2013, while the average number of goals - one of the key spectacles of the game - slumped to the lowest on record since Champion Data began collecting statistics in 2000.

There was an average of only 12.5 goals per game last season, having slipped from 13.5 a year earlier. In a mid-season meeting with 11 of the 18 senior coaches, it's understood McLachlan raised concerns about growing congestion.

Senior coaches, with the exception of possibly three, and club chief executives, will meet on the eve of the November 27 draft on the Gold Coast.

AFL Coaches Association chief Mark Brayshaw, set to permanently take on the top role, said coaches were open to officially debating how best to improve the spectacle.

"The priority of coaches is the health and wellbeing of the players, and then the health and wellbeing of the code," he said.

"Those two things are paramount. If the AFL can demonstrate that something needs to happen to optimise the health and wellbeing of the players, they are all aboard.

"If they [AFL] can mount a case that says a course of actions needs to be taken in order to right the health of the game, the coaches are absolutely in it and would sub-ordinate anything towards that.

"If they see a plausible argument [encouraging more goals], and it's in the interests of the game, coaches understand that."

It's understood the AFL's Laws of the Game committee and football operations department have analysed the aesthetics of the game and could look to encourage more attacking football.

AFL operations boss Mark Evans did not wish to comment until after he had met with the coaches, but league spokesman Patrick Keane said: "As a general position, the number of goals increased through the season and we thought the football in the latter part of the year was very good, but anything beyond that we will be keeping until we speak to all clubs.

"It's the off-season for the moment and the laws process is still being worked through."

A more defined interpretation of "prior opportunity" in terms of holding the ball is one agenda item as part of a post-season review - and could help to ease congestion.

There was considerable confusion through the season over its interpretation, with Cameron Mooney complaining that players had been allowed to hold on to the ball for too long when tackled, and this was contributing to bigger packs and an "ugly game".

In a more radical plan to ease congestion and open up play, AFL legend Leigh Matthews suggested implementing zones.

Matthews, who is on the Laws of the Game committee, has said this would involve four players from each team dashing to the attacking or defensive 50-metre arcs when there was a ball-up.

The AFL moved last year to ease the rolling mauls by ordering umpires to call a quicker halt to play, and to throw the ball up rather than bounce-downs around the ground. The rules have had mixed success.

While defence remains the key plank of most coaches, there has been acknowledgement more goals are needed to win matches.

The Demons managed a league-low 8.6 goals per game last season, but coach Paul Roos hopes his rebuilding team has greater balance next year.

"We probably started to do that in the last eight weeks and I think in our last game we kicked 14 goals, but the flipside to that was North Melbourne kicked 19, so it's just that balance. But definitely, we [had] started to do that with about eight weeks to go," he said.

"Probably the theme is more balance between the two. In some ways we over-corrected but we had to. We were leaking I think 122 points a game, you are not going to win any games - Melbourne won two - so I think we corrected it really well."

While the aesthetics of the game rests on the shoulders of coaches, Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt said their ultimate responsibility was winning.

"I think the responsibility of a coach is, he is employed by the football club, not by the AFL. I think the responsibility of the coach is to coach to win," he said.

"That's what they are judged on, that's what ultimately their fate is decided by and employed or not. You obviously want to play an exciting brand of football, everyone would say they want to play an exciting brand of football, but ultimately it comes down to wins and losses."

One reason for the drop-off in goals could be the increased responsibility forwards have on applying defensive pressure. No longer are their performances judged solely on marks and goals.

"It used to be about getting the ball and trying to hit the scoreboard, but now there is just no time to rest. I am speaking about team defence," Riewoldt said.

"So much emphasis is placed on the ability to turn the ball back over, even for a key position forward. That certainly wasn't the case [years ago].

"We didn't see Plugger [Tony Lockett] and [Jason] Dunstall and [Gary] Ablett doing too many chase-down tackles in the forward 50. Now they are really highly valued for all forward line players."

Any measures encouraging more goals would be consistent with McLachlan's "fan friendly" blueprint which will involve the return of the post-match kick-to-kick at the MCG and the possible reintroduction of VFL curtainraisers.