In the same year the league has already broken one long-standing tradition by scheduling a Good Friday match, shifting the start time on the biggest day on the footy calendar is bound to rankle some fans and traditionalists.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan strongly hinted at the change and said there was "broad acceptance" from fans for the move.

McLachlan has always eyed off a later start for the season decider but one of the stumbling blocks to the move has been AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick, a traditionalist who backed a first bounce at 2:30pm.

That impediment has now been removed with the departure of Fitzpatrick, the long-time chairman replaced by Richard Goyder, one of Australia's most prominent and respected businessmen who takes on the role early next month.

The Wesfarmers managing director, however, was keeping his cards close to his chest on Thursday, opting against offering a personal view on the vexed issue of a twilight, or even a night, AFL season-decider.

"I'll wait until we get a recommendation from the executive and we'll come up with an answer," Goyder said.

Interestingly, that answer might have come much sooner if not for a slip up from league boss McLachlan who revealed he "forgot" to raise the topic with the AFL commission this week.

"I intended to speak to the commission yesterday about that and I forgot. That's the truth. That's maybe potentially hard to believe," a candid McLachlan said.

"We need to address it. It is of huge interest to a lot of people but we've been doing a lot of stuff."

The AFL held its "captains' day" on Thursday, the 18 skippers meeting their media commitments before having lunch with the league. McLachlan said captains including Scott Pendlebury, Nat Fyfe and Joel Selwood were supportive of a twilight move, and said there was "broad acceptance'" from footy fans.

"There are still traditionalists that would always like to see the game stay the same but there are an increasing number of people who can see the opportunity in looking at a twilight grand final," he said.

"The commission have [asked] management to come back with them with a recommendation.

"I said that it would be prior to the start of the season, but whether it will be a week later or not, there needs to be a level of certainty and we'll deal with that in the next week or so.

"I feel confident with where we go."

The AFL believes a later kick-off could grow the audience, and therefore sponsorship, for the marquee match.

Broadcaster Channel Seven has also been a long-term supporter of the change.

McLachlan compared the time-shift to the drawn out debate around the pros and cons of Good Friday football.

The league also scheduled the North Melbourne versus Western Bulldogs clash in a twilight timeslot - 4.20pm at Etihad Stadium - to minimise disruption to Good Friday services. They have also said they intended to work with the Royal Children's Hospital to better promote the Good Friday Appeal.

"It's a bit like Good Friday. People have been talking about it for a while and the challenge in our roles is to make progress in our game but preserve the tradition and the history," McLachlan said.

"Part of doing that is to bring people with you.

"There is broad acceptance [for a twilight grand final] but not universal. The quantity of stuff suggests the majority [of fans] support it."

With AAP