AFL Commission supremo Richard Goyder has thrown his support behind a twilight grand final, declaring “we should give it a go”.

The commission will revisit one of the game’s most contentious topics next week, with a decision on the timeslot for this year’s grand final to be announced on Thursday.

Mr Goyder, one of Australia’s most influential businessmen, said a later bouncedown than the traditional 2.30pm EST would enable a prime-time entertainment package at half-time as night fell.

Camera Icon AFL Commission supremo Richard Goyder has thrown his support behind a twilight grand final, declaring “we should give it a go”. Credit: Daniel Wilkins

“Then you could really put on a real show,” Mr Goyder told The Weekend West.

“While we’re all traditionalists, a twilight grand final with the right entertainment would be amazing.

“We asked the club captains last year and the majority of them said they’d love a twilight grand final.

“Everything has to line up — you have to take the fans with you and there has to be good reason to do it.

“But at the right time and for the right reasons, I think we should give it a go.”

Play Video West Coast Eagles player Jack Darling says he can't bring himself to watch a replay of the team's 2018 Grand Final win. The West Australian Video West Coast Eagles player Jack Darling says he can't bring himself to watch a replay of the team's 2018 Grand Final win.

Mr Goyder, a former Wesfarmers chief executive and current Qantas chairman, believed television broadcasters were keen for the change and said twilight would better cater for children and families than a night grand final.

Camera Icon AFL chairman Richard Goyder at Optus Stadium. Credit: Daniel Wilkins

“I don’t think twilight would be an issue for the kids,” he said.

“They are some of the things we take into account because of all the great experiences people have had taking their kids. They remember that.”

Channel 7 and pay TV rights holder Foxtel have the AFL rights until the end of 2022 and one option is that the later time slot is introduced to coincide with the start of a new rights deal.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan will present the commission with a recommendation on whether the grand final should stay as an afternoon match, move to a twilight start or become a night game.

Mr McLachlan would not be drawn on what his advice would be, but said a later start time was inevitable “at some point in the future”, while conceding the majority of fans wanted the game’s showpiece event to remain in its traditional timeslot. He described a twilight finale as an “incredible slot”.

The AFL this week reported a profit increase to $50.4 million last year, up $1.6 million from 2017.

Mr Goyder said he studied other major sports to help shape his views on the AFL’s future.