An AFL twilight grand final as early as this season is just a tick away with the league confirming an announcement about the contentious move to a new timeslot could coincide with round one.

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.