FAST forward to this time next year, and we could be in the midst of nine days of footy in the space of 10 days.

With Easter falling late next year, and Anzac Day on a Thursday, the AFL will have a lot to juggle if it wants to stick with its regular schedule of blockbusters.

The challenge will be ensuring teams get adequate breaks across the two rounds of footy.

If it happens, the two-week football bonanza would begin on Good Friday (April 18). There is an option of opening the round on Thursday night, but that seems unlikely given one team would likely be coming off a five-day break.

There would then be regular games on Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and the traditional Easter Monday game between Geelong and Hawthorn.

Tuesday, April 23 would be the only day off in the football marathon, followed by the fast-growing clash between Richmond and Melbourne on the Wednesday night, and then the Anzac Day game on the Thursday between Essendon and Collingwood.

The AFL could be quite strategic with its scheduling by having the Anzac Day Eve game as the last game of round five and the Anzac Day game as the opening of round six.

While it's too early to know for sure, the League typically begins working on the fixture for the following year months before its October release.

How 2019's footy marathon could look



Good Friday: One game

Easter Saturday: Four games

Easter Sunday: Three games

Easter Monday: Hawthorn v Geelong

Easter Tuesday: Footy-free day

Anzac Day Eve: Melbourne v Richmond

Anzac Day: Collingwood v Essendon

Friday: One game

Saturday: Four games

Sunday: Two games