The six-year collective bargaining agreement will see AFL footballers earn between 26 and 29 per cent of the game's revenue, ending a year of complex and sometimes acrimonious negotiations which included the threat of a players' strike.

The percentage share is expected to be framed differently by the AFL, which has long opposed the revenue sharing model and the revenue specified will come with key exceptions including poker machine revenue, government grants, some stadium funding and club foundation earnings.

Patrick Dangerfield, Matthew Pavlich and Leigh Montagna met McLachlan on Monday and spoke to the competition's CEO about the challenges and unique demands that faced AFL players.

In a meeting which has dramatically hastened the path to a resolution, the players and head office have virtually set in place a mechanism by which the players will be rewarded should the game's revenues exceed the AFL's forecasts.

The meeting, which took place at the headquarters of the AFL Players Association in Albert Park, marked the first time McLachlan has fronted the players during the protracted negotiations for a new player pay deal. His presence and that of the players' posse signalled a determination by both sides to reach a quick resolution.

Both sides now believe an agreement could even be reached before round one of the 2017 season, a forlorn hope just weeks ago.

The talks saw the two parties agree to a 10-pronged wishlist put forward by the players as part of the new collective bargaining agreement.

Those included player off-field welfare, life after football, air travel, player appearances, education and workplace health and safety. The recently retired Pavlich, who will soon step down as chairman of the AFLPA, has pushed with strong support the notion of business class air travel for all footballers travelling to and from Perth for AFL games.

The players aired some frustration with the inefficient manner in which they interacted with fans and asked that their public appearances become more efficient, streamlined and included better use of social media.

Another strong topic was the regulating of free agency as well as the trading of draft picks. The players have pushed for some time to reduce the free agency qualifying period. The retirement fund which has proved a big success story from the most recent CBA will be significantly increased this time around with the AFL determined to focus upon the struggles facing footballers exiting the game. Both McLachlan and the players have agreed to put an end to the rookie system.

Dangerfield made headlines late last year when he agreed there was a chance the players would go on strike.

"I'm not saying it's a definite possibility," said the reigning Brownlow Medallist, "but certainly if nothing gets done then we need to look at all avenues in order to secure a deal."

Back then the players felt they had been insulted by McLachlan after he snubbed their specially convened delegates' meeting in Torquay. That meeting instead saw league executives Ray Gunstan and Andrew Dillon hit with a barrage of questions from the players at a time the AFL, angry at what it saw as an unreasonable demand, was refusing to meet the players.

The two-month stand off ended shortly before Christmas and now both the AFLPA and the AFL are not ruling out achieving a resolution to what should prove a new six-year collective bargaining agreement round one.

The first key stumbling block standing in the way of a new deal surrounded the players' push for a percentage of the game's forecast revenues.

The AFL and the AFLPA are now close to settling upon the specifics of an appropriate mechanism to trigger a pay rise for the players should the league's revenues improve but the players have accepted that increased profits coming at a cost to the game's bottom line must be taken into account.

The clubs have increased their salary caps by 10 per cent this season after an AFL directive when the CBA was not resolved in time for club list projections. However the players will be rewarded with a backdated pay rises when that number moves closer to 20 per cent.

Neither McLachlan nor AFLPA boss Paul Marsh would comment on Monday's significant breakthrough talks. However both parties will claim victory following the marathon negotiations.