AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has defended the league's imminent expansion of AFLW from 10 to 14 teams, despite the fact that agreement is yet to be achieved with players on next year's season length.

Key points: The AFLW will begin its fourth season in operation early in 2020

The AFLW will begin its fourth season in operation early in 2020 The league, which expanded from eight to 10 teams in 2019, will add four more sides next season

The league, which expanded from eight to 10 teams in 2019, will add four more sides next season Despite criticism of the pace of expansion, AFL chief Gillon McLachlan says he feels now is the right time to get to 14 teams

Speaking on ABC Radio Melbourne, McLachlan was asked about the situation as no fixture had yet been released for the 2020 season, with preseason only a couple of months away.

Reports have suggested there is an issue involving the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for AFLW players over the players' support for a full schedule — where every team plays every other team — for the upcoming season.

The addition of West Coast, Gold Coast, Richmond and St Kilda for the 2020 season will bring the number of teams to 14, however the proposed season for 2020 reportedly involves only eight home-and-away rounds.

Geelong (pictured) and North Melbourne debuted in AFLW in 2019 — four more sides are scheduled to join in 2020. ( AAP: David Crosling )

The changing face of AFLW 2018 2019 2020 Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide Brisbane Brisbane Brisbane Carlton Carlton Carlton C' wood C'wood C'wood Fremantle Fremantle Fremantle GWS GWS GWS Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne W Bulldogs W Bulldogs W Bulldogs Geelong Geelong Nth Melb Nth Melb W Coast G Coast Richmond St Kilda Teams in bold = expansion teams

"We've been working on a three-year deal with the [AFL] Player's Association, and that obviously contemplates all aspects of the CBA — the terms, the season, lengths, the finals series," McLachlan told ABC.

"So that's with the PA at the moment, and they're working through it with the players — but what we're trying to provide for the players is a three-year certainty, so we can have that confidence going forward that I know the players are looking for.

"We started really [talking] at the back end of season three, and we've got committed to 14 clubs coming in next year, so looking ahead and making decisions based on the next three years has been going on for the last three or four months."

Asked whether expansion should have been delayed if it was too difficult for teams to play each other once, McLachlan defended the plan.

"There's lots of moving pieces in all this, about how quickly we expand the amount of clubs, how quickly we expand the season length, we're trying to have pathway of players coming through, so you're consulting as widely as you can and then make the best decision you can.

"I feel, and I think the industry feels that expanding to 14 clubs next year is the right thing.

"I know our clubs who haven't had [AFLW] licences don't feel whole — and so we're trying to expand at the right speed, and I feel OK about going from 10 to 14 teams next year."

McLachlan quiet on Greene, facial contact rule

Toby Greene will be ruled out of GWS's preliminary final this weekend if he fails to overturn a one-match ban at the tribunal. ( AAP: Darren England )

McLachlan was also asked about the decision to charge controversial GWS star Toby Greene with making unreasonable or unnecessary contact to Brisbane's Lachie Neale in the semi-final won by the Giants on Saturday night.

Greene was charged with serious misconduct after an incident with the Western Bulldogs' Marcus Bontempelli the week before, but despite talk of eye-gouging, when Greene pleaded guilty to the charge the AFL called for a fine rather than a ban which would have ruled him out of the Brisbane game.

Greene was fined $7,500 but was free to play, a decision that drew public criticism.

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Now Greene will face the tribunal tonight, seeking to overturn a one-match ban that would see him miss the Giants' preliminary final against Collingwood.

Asked whether a mistake had been made not banning Greene last week, McLachlan said:

"Tonight, with the case before the Tribunal, I'm going to pass on commenting," he said.

"Clearly I will have things to say later in the week or if I'm asked, but I don't think it's appropriate for me to comment on Toby.

"It's obviously a very important case for Toby Greene and for GWS and I just want to stay out of it until it's passed and until it goes through tonight and see whatever happens."

When the issue of the rule was raised, citing the case of the NRL banning Canberra's Hudson Young for eight weeks for making facial contact to an opponent, the AFL chief continued to avoid comment ahead of the tribunal hearing.

"The rule is in front of the tribunal tonight. I just think that if I get into all of that with it tonight, it's at risk of setting an agenda going into the tribunal, so I'm just going to stay out of it," he said.