The AFLW will consider a radical overhaul of its fixture in a bid to solve the problems of the conference system.

Key points: The AFLW two-conference system is set to continue next season with four new teams joining

The AFLW two-conference system is set to continue next season with four new teams joining The AFL Commission is considering fixture options for 2020

The AFL Commission is considering fixture options for 2020 Choosing which team is in which conference will be difficult

With four new teams joining the competition next year and no plans for a major expansion in the length of the season, the conference system is set to stay — but there is a quirky new option being considered to make it work better.

It involves the seven teams in one conference playing the seven in the other conference teams once, for a seven-game minor round.

The AFLW competition committee will have a sub-committee work on this option and a number of others.

The one they consider to be the best option will be presented to the AFL Commission for approval mid-year.

Conference system difficulties

In 2019, the two conferences — each with five sides in them — produced lopsided premiership tables.

Teams played both within their own conference, and in cross-conference games.

The seven-match minor round left Carlton, the top team in conference B, with fewer wins than the top three in conference A.

Carlton was thumped by the Crows in the AFLW grand final. ( AAP: Joe Castro )

With the top two teams in both conferences advancing to the semifinals, it left supposedly better-credentialled teams watching from the sidelines.

Adelaide, top of conference A, ultimately romped to the premiership against conference B frontrunner Carlton.

The AFLW has already decided to retain the conference concept.

Given the 2020 version of the AFLW will include new teams from Gold Coast, Richmond, St Kilda and West Coast, it might not be an easy task to assess the strengths of each club.

The other unknown is how many weeks the competition will run.

The AFL Commission is not ready to extend the minor round to 13 weeks and allow each team to simply play every other team once.

First option similar to 2019

There are two competing solutions for the competition fixture.

The first involves a club playing all the other teams in its conference, plus two from the other conference.

With the expansion teams in place next season, that would mean eight games per club.

This would be one more than was the case in 2018 and 2019, but may not placate those wanting more stage time for the AFLW.

Under this scenario, the finals system would be the same as it was in 2018: two semifinals involving the top two teams in each conference in crossover games, followed by a grand final for the winners.

Second option could be fairer

The second option is that each team from conference A plays every team from conference B, and vice versa.

The idea gives every team seven games against the same seven teams as every other side in its conference.

Adelaide Crow Erin Phillips reacts after scoring a goal during the AFLW grand final. ( AAP: David Mariuz )

It solves the issue of the "luck of the draw", gifting some teams easier matches, and would mean teams are ranked in their conference having all played the same sides.

This strategy could also, perhaps, open up an extended finals series spread over three weeks involving six teams.

The major issue with this solution is if the conferences are vastly unbalanced.

If one group of teams pummels those from the other conference, then it could again produce a finals series missing some of the better-performing outfits.

The theory is that an expanded finals series could mitigate this concern.

Like the AFL competition, the number of teams presents a clear issue with scheduling.

At the end of the day, whatever fixturing option is put forward, the AFL competition committee's toughest task will remain the breakdown of which teams are in which conference.