Asked, almost a week after both major sporting events, what he thought of Sunday night's NRL golden-point decider between the Cowboys and Broncos, Fitzpatrick's initial response was a deadpan: "When was it on?"

Before an audience of AFL aficionados at the 34th annual Roaring Forties Club lunch, the commission head continued: "No, I did actually watch it. I always watch it just to make sure that we've got our pre-game entertainment right.

"And I thought they were pretty good this year actually (at the AFL grand final). I enjoyed it. I don't know why the press always bag it. They bag it whatever we do … and we're conservative on the budget for it, so I actually thought it was terrific this year."

The NRL received widespread acclaim for selecting Cold Chisel and Jessica Mauboy as its headline grand final acts.

The AFL enlisted a combination of acts of international origin – Chris Isaak, Bryan Adams, whose rendition of Summer of '69 was widely declared to have been a grand final hit, Ellie Goulding, who was criticised for apparent lip-synching and not as well received by the measure of public opinion – and home-grown Kate Ceberano.

"They don't always have a great game but the last two years they've had terrific matches," Fitzpatrick said comparing the NRL's grand final, decided by the narrowest of margins, and the AFL's 46-point blow out between premiers of the last three years Hawthorn and the West Coast Eagles.

"And one of the things we obviously think about is whether we should go night or evening or whether we should change that (traditional afternoon) format.

"Our basic view is traditionally we've done afternoon and we like afternoon and we think the day works really well in the afternoon.

"That doesn't mean we won't experiment with a few things, but that's our view at the moment."

Fitzpatrick's restating of his well-known preference for an afternoon grand final triggered spontaneous applause at the well-attended function.