Mar 18th, 2019

Mar 18th, 2019

AFL experts Caroline Wilson and Craig Hutchison have been involved in a heated exchange on the contentious issue of the Grand Final time.

Speaking on Footy Classified, Wilson slammed the AFL for drumming up a "phony" debate when a decision on keeping the Grand Final time at 2.30 had already been made.

"I spoke to three commissioners last week and several executives, the commission had made the decision to keep the Grand Final at 2.30 in February," Wilson said.

"It was a phony debate engineered to create a headline, which they've done in the past with the Grand Final, which I think is a pity because I think it's too precious for that.

Wilson accused AFL boss Gillon McLachlan of creating a "phony debate" (AAP)

"It's softening up the public in my view for the future like they did with Good Friday.

"Gillon McLachlan told the media that there was a decision to be made (when) the decision had already been made.

"It was a phony debate. It was a phony announcement at an otherwise pretty impressive season launch. It cheapened the product."

The debate heated up when Wilson accused Hutchison, who wanted the Grand Final to be moved to a twilight time slot, of being conflicted due being "commercially tied" to the AFL.

Wilson and Hutchison were involved in a heated debate regarding the Grand Final time (Nine)

"Don't give me that," Hutchison said.

"You work in the industry just like me. I don't accept what you're saying and I don't accept that any damage was done.

"No one loses a minutes sleep at night over this issue.

"People will have an opinion about it and then the day it changes they'll go 'oh well, it's changed' and they'll moan and groan for a couple of days."

After much debate, the AFL Grand Final's start time will remain at 2.30pm for another season (AAP )

A furious Wilson then responded in kind to the Footy Classified host.

"You're telling me Australian people don't lose sleep after one of the greatest days on our calendar?" Wilson said.

"How dare you say that about something so precious?"

Hutchison finished the debate by launching into Wilson's story, calling it "a story about nothing about a nothing decision".