It could be back to the future for the AFL, with league boss Andrew Demetriou confirming two suburban grounds from a bygone era, Carlton's Visy Park and Richmond's Punt Road, could re-emerge as boutique venues.

Whether this is a ploy to put pressure on Etihad Stadium to sell the venue to the AFL earlier than the scheduled date – March8, 2025 – thereby improving the financial distributions to struggling clubs, remains to be seen, but Demetriou said the league had conducted a feasibility study on Carlton's home ground.

Visy Park, pictured here in 2005, is one of the grounds the AFL is thinking of restoring. Credit:Craig Abraham'

''Visy Park can work. But we've got a couple of other options. I think Punt Road has got some legs,'' he said.

It's understood a redevelopment of either ground could cost up to $150 million.